Due in June 16!! - the before we all graduate!!

[katzguk]

one new thread as requested!

hoepfully this will get those babies to start appearing again!!

Still nothing here!

have tried everything:
pineapple
raspberry leaf tea
Clary sage/Rose/Jasmine oils!!
SEX!!
White trousers

nothing!

well today might try everything all in one go!

Hi all,
Tea - Wow, sounds like your baby is well and truly on the way. Good luck and can't wait for your news very soon.
Hi Pink - Glad you are hanging on in there.
Karen - Thanks for you posts. You are right that the drive from Ay Nik to TPMH is crazy. I was gobsmacked when I realised that that is what the ladies there had to do as the norm. It is interesting that the 'x-factor' people knew nothing about it. I seriously wonder who does in the UK as I feel it has all been kept under wraps and us ladies have been constantly reassured to keep us quiet.
Thanks everyone for your kind words. I know it makes sense it is just trying to get my head around it all. I was up for three hours last night crying and stuff and wrote a very long letter to the CO detailing all my grievances which made me feel marginally better. Woke up having had nightmare about huge unnecessary episiotomy and then being stitched with no pain relief. Last time I even used the gas and air when they were checking to see if I needed stitches (I was lucky and didn't, I am sure because of the waterbirth) and this time nothing! I am scared that my fear will cause problems. I see another m/w today though so will speak to her and I have a chance to get a TENS machine too which is good. I seriously want to just stay at home too long as I really can't see the point in going to Limassol but know I won't do that really. After last night I am seriously going to contact the private clinic my friend used. DH says we will find the money. I had ruled it out as too expensive but I feel so crappy about it all I am now going to investigate. It is bound to be too late though.
Anyway am off for now as I will be late.
Good Luck Tea and have good days ladies. xxxx

Ooh tea, how exciting. Hope this means things will soon be underway. It feels like it's been ages since we had any babies now

Coop, so sorry to hear about your hospital trip. Do they really put all newborns into heating incubators? What on earth for? It's such a shame you've been messed around for so long, fingers crossed you can find a private alternative that's more to your liking.

Jonah, very sorry to hear about your grandma as well, family arguments are definitely not a stress you need right now. Any chance you can manufacture a reason to go in and see one of the other midwives? Okay, they do have to learn somehow but if they're not confident in their own diagnoses (about stuff that, let's face it, is quite important!) they should get a second opinion.

Thanks to all for the tips about tummy pain. Unfortunately I played my "I have pre-eclampsia" card last week with the midwives so I had better wait til next week I think Feet were swelling up like mad and then the hands started too, but bp and urine were normal. I do have occasional dizziness and nausea but it is very occasional.

Right, better go and wake up dh to help me put on my flight socks, hoping to avoid feet swelling up to gigantic proportions today! (Although they're already quite bad). Keep your fingers crossed for me, I have my first review meeting for my new job this afternoon. Hope my boss doesn't tell me I am rubbish. Frankly I think that the fact that I have managed to learn anything about a completely new system in the last three weeks is nothing short of miraculous! (Might not put it to him quite like that though).

Morning all,

Couldn?t sleep, so I?ve left DH snoring in bed, while I?ve done the washing up, the shopping list, put a wash on??

Charley, lol at shielding the bump from the bad language. My DH was the same, and the cot only had 5 pieces to it. I did point out that I had build the set of drawers flatpack, which had 5 pieces for each of the 6 shelves and the cabinet, but it fell on deaf ears. Good luck with your painting today.

Thanks for your kind wishes about my gran. Like you say, it is a blessing for her and the rest of us accepted we had lost her a long time ago. However, families are so strange, aren?t they? I truly believe that funerals bring out either the best or worst in people.

Katz, good luck for the MW appointment today. I hope she is able to reassure you.

Bubb, this is the good news (in a strange way) about my friends labour. Her first one was a bit of a nightmare and I know she was quite worried about going through that again. Hopefully, it is some reassurance to the 2nd timers who are imagining a repeat of their 1st time experience! Clearly, our bodies don?t work like that

Mogwai ? v. at your innie belly button. Mine went out at about 16 weeks . My friends all laugh at me for having such a disgusting outie!!

Coop, I am so sorry you have to deal with this extra stress. I can?t think of anything particularly constructive to say, but good luck with the private clinic today.

Mrs Wed ? 10 weeks!!!!! OMG!!!!!! Surely when they are so young it is a totally random event. Although, like you say, I can?t imagine that?s any comfort to a v. embarrassed parent?

Tea, good luck girl!!! Lets hope this is the start of your proper contractions. Does sound promising.

Trib, sorry, crossed threads. Good luck with your review. I was the same in my job, I felt like shouting at everyone "count yourself lucky I'm doing anything at all at the moment" .

okay today is the day to try everything!!

so far this morning i have had:
raspberry leaf tablet
1 pineapple

will have a bath the pm with my clary sage/rose combo.

seeing midwife at lunchtime to find out about size problem, i'm 100% sure this bump hasn't grown at all as it DH, so just need to convay this to her and get a scan i think.

Kat - Hope your appointment goes OK and that you get the scan you want for reassurance. Good Luck. Will be thinking of you. Hope the self induction techniques begin to work too.
Tea - So what is happening then?????
Hi Jonah
Trib - Yes all newborns go in the heater/incubator. It is not for oxygen or anything but really so the midwives can monitor the babies temp more easily from what I could work out. Anyway I can say no and prob will as I find the whole thing quite odd and unnecessary and scary looking! Good Luck with your review.
I have had an emotionally exhausting morning. I think I have cried in front of four midwives and one nurse so far today. Not bad going. I went to the ward on the hospital to collect my TENS machine and saw three m/w there who asked how I was. Fatal mistake as I am not OK and told them all so. On top of that the ward is SOOOO nice there, I can't tell you. Lovely decoration, views of the sea, single rooms etc etc. Makes me sick that I am not getting that because some f-ing contractors have totally failed to upkeep an air conditioning system in the theatres. .
I then sobbed over my nurse friend at the Med Centre telling her all my woes and then got to see my Community midwife. She was actually great. She was late seeing me as she had another lady in tears on the phone for half an hour over the exact same thing. She was very rational but unable to offer me anything really. Soooo I am ringing the private clinic this afternoon. I don't hold out much hope though. Baby is fully engaged and ready to go but unsurprisingly my BP is up a bit. Nothing to worry about though. I either want this baby NOW to get it all done or 14 days late so I can try to get into the clinic. Grrrrrrr. I am writing to the hospital boss too. My friend rang him and apparently he is not aware that anyone has a problem delivering at Limassol. Hello....what planet is he on????? Anyway rant over. i am off to get my feet up again.

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Lynny, lovely to hear from you again, and glad you are feeling a bit better. Poor you being separated from Leona for so long, will you be able to manage once the baby comes? (I don't know if SPD just magically stops after delivery).

Coop, I can't believe the incubator thing. That is just plain weird. Surely it's better for bubs (provided he/she is okay) to be cuddled by mum and dad, not shoved in a plastic box for 3 hours. How utterly distressing for you! Hope you can avoid this for CoopBaby, make sure dh is fully primed and ready for battle! [Not of a literal, military nature preferably]

Katz, hope the pineapple does the trick and fingers crossed you can (a) get a scan done and (b) it shows all is well with little bump.

Btw, philosophical question for you first-timers out there, did you think beforehand about how hideous being pregnant (at least the final stages) would be? I must say, I didn't consider it in the slightest - probably just as well. I'm not saying I wish I hadn't got pregnant of course, just that I blithely ignored the full horror, and will be doing this at least once more as well, argh.

afternoon all

midwife was lovely and very reassuring, bump is measuring the right size but she agrees that it looks small. She al feels that the bump is mostly baby and that it feels right. She said that she didn't think a scan would add anything especiallyu as the baby is active. She also thinks it might just be a nice small baby. So happy now, juts needed someone who knew what they were doing to have a look. So onwards now.

must concentrated now on getting this little one to come out.

Good news Katz, glad you have been reassured. "Nice small baby" - three key words!

message for cooperoo- I have changed my name. Karen01.

Hello
Kat - Glad all is OK and you are reassured. That is good news.
Trib - Yes DH will be primed for battle, particularly to keep those episiotomy scissors away (unless really necessary of course).
Lynny - So great to hear from you and that things are a little better. I am sorry that you are separated from Leona for so long though. That must be so very hard for both of you. I feel sad knowing I will be leaving dd with a friend while I have the baby. Not long now though so stay positive. Thanks for your kind comments about my posts too . Made me laugh.
Hi Hotmummy. Like the new name. Feel free to CAT me by the way. I have it set up.
I rang my pregnant friend back who spoke to the hospital boss and had a good chat with her. The advice we have been given is that the clinics in Limassol do not reach UK safety standards which does worry me a bit so maybe I will just have to put up. I have been thinking hard about all the stuff my midwife today said and she has helped alot. She basically told me to get over the military hospital because it couldn't happen (although in much nicer terms than that) and start focussing on what I will have. She is right. I am scared and upset because I keep comparing either to last time or to what I could be having. I must get positive and concentrate on the TENS and aromatherapy and breathing etc that I DO have. She also told me that I must look after and treat myself until it all happens ie. nice bath with candles, rest etc to try and keep my BP down and not get upset. And said all this in front of my very concerned DH so I am going to take full advantage and follow her instructions. We have a m/w coming to address our concerns directly and so I will look forward to that too. Just talking and writing it down really helps, so sorry that you are getting the lowdown on it all but you are part of my therapy LOL. I have set up the moses basket in our room today too to try and get me to focus on the baby (who has been forgotten about again for the past two days) and look forward. So bring it on!!! .

Lynny - Big babies usually feed and sleep better and help themselves on the way out so don't worry if that is what people are saying. People say stuff for the sake of it anyway.
The m/w who saw me when I went to collect my TENS machine thought I ws just getting it for back ache as my bump is still 'discreet' and she didn't think I was getting it ready for the birth. At the tour I was due the soonest and def had the smallest bump. Feels HUGE to me though lol. Take care.

Meant to say I am ignoring all bump comments now.

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meant to add a day or two a go, Myermay has had her baby, theres a birth announcement!

Lynny, so lovely to hear from you. I can?t believe the hospital didn?t spot the bladder infection while you were there, especially when you were clearly in so much pain. Glad they?ve diagnosed it now though and it seems to be on the mend. I?m so pleased you?ll be able to spend a couple of days with Leona ? that will be so good for both of you

Trib, to answer your question, I?ve very glad I didn?t know the full horrors of pgy and I think I?ve probably got off lighter than most! I can?t say I?ve enjoyed the past 9 months particularly at all, I?ve certainly not hated it and there have been some lovely moments, but fun it ain?t. At least next time, my mantra will be amended from ?means to an end, means to an end? to ?last time I ever do this, last time?etc?

Great news Katz, glad you are feeling reassured. Ah, the fabulous words ?nice small baby??.

I've been channeling all my frustrated energies of not having dropped yet, into cooking food for the freezer. So far we have 2 savoury loaves, a lasagne and a cake. I've only got a small freezer underneath my fridge, so lets hope the bump makes an appearance before I totally run out of room

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Am I the only one hoping for a big baby? I'll be mortified if he is small as it'll practically be all fat, water and boobs that I'm carrying

Oh teabelly looks like something is happening there! hope little girl turns up soon. I'll not have a bottle of wine with a mate after this getting pregnant business - I have decided never to touch alcohol again, I blame it entirely for being fat as a house and of course looming finacial devistation and social emasculation But otherwise it might be good to go away while they sort out this shit pit of a flat.

Hope everyone is ok. Nice see you again Lynny

I wish you hadn't put June 16 on your thread title - that is my birthday and I keep getting excited! if you could aim for then that would be great - it is when all the best people are born . . .

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Libb - Lol, I don't want to wait that long, although probably will be.
Morning all. Not much to report. Glad you will be getting to see Leona Lynny. Have a lovely time.
Jonah - I should be cooking etc but it is too hot and I can't be bothered . I did make muffins the day before yesterday but only to satisfy a chocolate cake craving and they are nearly all gone now.
Trib - My feet are dreadfully swollen too. They look quite deformed. Indeed DH was trying to massage them last night to help and where he had his hand squeezing at on point caused a huge dent. It is really revolting. They ache again already this morning and I have only just got up. I am reliably informed that it will all go away when the baby is born though. Hopefully not long now.
Tea - Has it happened??
Lua - Hope you are OK too.
And where are all the others KVG, Megi etc etc. I hope all is ok. Bye for now.

Morning all.

Good to see you again Lynny, great news that you will be seeing Leona again. It must be very hard being without her, and unable to get about much on your own either. You are so nearly there now and once the baby is born you can put the last few weeks to the back of your mind.

No news from Tea or Lua yet then? I am desperate to hear all about it, it seems like ages since we've had a baby born on our thread. Just seen on the May thread that Noggermum suspects her waters have broken, so there could be another one on the way there too.

Katz, did your full-on self-induction techniques work?! Glad the midwife was reassuring.

Pink, when are you off to see Tori Amos, is it soon?

Jonah, I'm impressed at your organisation. I still haven't packed a hospital bag (are other home-birthers packing a bag or just hoping everything will be ok and not bothering?), or sorted out the bags of baby clothes I've been given, or cooked much for the freezer...I keep thinking I'll start sorting stuff out once labour starts - give myself something to do to take my mind off the contractions

Cooperoo, I think ignoring bump comments is very wise. Everyone has got something to say about size, and it usually worrying in some way ('aren't you enormous?' is just as bad as 'aren't you small?'). Have seen your other thread this morning - hope you get some useful advice. Your feet sound painful, you need to put them up for a day or so whilst DH waits on you.

Had a strange night's sleep last night - I kept thinking my waters were going to break because they did at this point when I was pregnant with DS, but of course they didn't. It's a strange kind of limbo we're all in at the moment, isn't it? Waiting for something that we don't know when is going to happen.

Hope everyone is ok. You're right Coops, there are quite a few people who haven't been around much recently.

latest baby stats

Updated with myermay's good news and with Jonathan's weight. But come on ladies - tea, Lua, Nogger, katz, let's do it!

Jonah, I quite agree. Imagine being a woman in ye olden times and having to be pregnant non-stop for about 20 years. The mind boggles. It's no wonder we were oppressed for so long.

Well, my review went fine, my boss said I had "exceeded expectations" (although he didn't say what his expectations were ) and we had a good parentcraft class last night, trip round the unit which looks nice enough. Spotted the private rooms and instructed dh that I will be nabbing one of those if they're available. (I can't see how you are meant to get any sleep on a post-natal ward full of other people and their babies?). The midwife demonstrated the pool and told us the birth partners can get in too so now dh wants me to pack his trunks so he can get in the birth pool with me. We'll see!

Oh, and the mw brought in a little baby who was born on Wednesday morning, SOOOOOO cute. And v well-behaved, allowed himself to have a demonstration bath without complaining. Nice to be reminded that there is a reason why we are going through this crap!

On that happy note, I am off to find my flight socks so I can try and beat the swollen feet on my last day of work. Just a few loose ends to tidy up and then I am free to pursue other interests like packing my hospital bag!

Hello all!
Sorry I've not been around much lately...Been nesting in a massive way! - Today I am determined to hoover the car out!
I have not been in the hospital any more - but my Dr. told me on Tuesday that if this "show" that I've been having on and off continues for another day or two to go back to the ante-natal ward. - I am still getting it but it has lessened over the past day or two so have not gone. - I must admit I am a bit worried about it though. - It is definetly blood stained but I have spent so much time at the hospital without there actually being much wrong apart from a small baby that I feel silly going up there AGAIN!

Tea - any news?

Trib - Last day at work - yippeeee!

Coop - poor you with the feet. I have been lucky and escaped that one. However - I do have constant bach ache and piles - hideous!

Hello everyone else!