Due November 2009 - Remember, remember we're due in November, but not yet quite ready to pop!

[Fruitpastels]

Hope everyone can find us!

tamlin you're in a similar situation to me re "birth" day, my dh works all over the country, (today 2 1/2 hours away) my mum works 30 mins away and the birthing centre is 20 mins (on a good run) the hospital should we need it though is an hour away except during rush hour and then .....

koumak and tamlin when is it safe to take raspberry leaf tea from please? I had the tablets with ds1 and had him a week early with a text book birth, ds2 I had the tea leaves and it made me sick so ended up not bothering, he was born on his due date 2 days after my waters went and with a bit of help from a pessary thing. I know which labour I would prefer this one to be, so just in case the tea has anything to do with it I'm going to take tablets!

ursi I would complain about the cot delivery, that's not on!

skorpion thanks for the reminder re pelvic floors, am doing them now (tmi?)

koumak maybe you could have a couple of newborn bits washed just in case he/she comes out smaller than expected?

broodzilla hope all is well at the doctors, definitely worth getting checked out.

oh meant to say what dose linseed taste like please? I've never really come across it, thanks

oops thats What does linseed taste like

tigger it doesnt really taste of much, sort of like seeds. It's more the texture - some people find it offensive, when you soak it it goes a bit frog spawny. I have to say I love it but it was a childhood remedy so a bit of a comfort thing for me.
It is sprinkled on some breads - you can pick a few seeds and taste it.

You don't have to soak it of course, but if you have a spoonful at once it tends to stick to your palate. Sprinkling it into cereal is good, too.
OK - I'm sounding mega boring now. Time for the drive back home.

Ursi I would complain too, you could have been living on your own and therefore not been physically able to carry it up. Definately not on. I mean its a cot, likelyhood of the person ordering a cot being pregnant is pretty high.

I've been advised to start taking raspberry leaf tea from 32 wks at one cup a day, gradually increasing to 4. Not at 32 wks yet so have yet to sample the delights however SIL suggested making a jug each morning and mixing with diluting juice. Also found a suggestion online to add a raspberry teabag to the cup to help make it more palatable. Not looking forward to it but by all accounts it eases labour and for that frankly I'd try anything!

Thank you for the pelvic floor exericise reminders! I keep forgetting to do them!

Back from the GP. My lungs are clear (I did say it's not swineflu! ) but it seems that as the baby has his bum shoved right up under my ribs, things are just very cramped. The good news is that our lungs seem to be designed to function with a fraction of their usual capacity, so my oxygen saturation was 99% (which means that the baby is getting plenty of it too) so I guess it's all good news, apart from the discomfort. Oh well, at least I can stop freaking out about birthing a smurf. Luckily the GP was lovely even though I basically just wasted his time!

Thanks also for mentioning that you can take Raspberry Leaf in capsules, think I'll give that a go as not sure I'd like the tea version.

Ursi Definitely complain about the delivery - they didn't even tell you they were leaving it down there, which is poor service no matter how heavy or light the item is, but they also left a pregnant lady to deal with a heavy parcel all alone, which is appalling! As someone else said, how do they know you're not a single mum?

Hello guys!

Broodzilla I don't feel grown up!!! We had a Chinese takeaway and a 'LP' bottle of champagne between us (LP stands for Lonely Person - ie one of those half bottles you can buy). It was nice. DH bought me a lovely painting of Aberdovey I had admired last time we were on holiday. Daft thing had secretly taken the day off on Monday, taken the train to Aberdovey, bought the painting, come back and came home 'pretending' to have come home early in lieu or overwork! So he can be romantic afterall . I feel bad for being so upset at the weekend about him.

Anyway, just been to 'Hippos in Water' and had a great time again! I find aqua-natal so relaxing.

Pelvic floor - well we should be doing them all the time. I try to do them when I remember but its hard work to remember these things along with everything else!

Broodzilla glad your ok and had an understanding GP. I hate it when GPs make you feel like you are wasting their time even when it felt like a legitimate worry. I had that experience once with DS when his ezcema got infected. Anyway, that's another story.

Claire I'm surprised you've been recommended to drink raspberry leaf tea. Isn't it supposed to help bring on labour? I don't know if that is true or not! Or am I thinking of something else.

I agree about skipping newborn stuff with big babies. DS1 was 9lb 14oz and DS2 not far off that so I still have some lovely prestine newborn clothes with no baby to put them in!

Better go, DS1 wants some strawberries.

Oh, and is anyone else constantly ravenous?
In the first couple of trimesters I couldn't really bring myself to eat anything sweet, and I honestly craved carrots, strawberries and olives and such.

Now? I can't stop thinking about donuts. I need them. I have to physically restrain myself from walking all the way to Sainsbury's to get some (but have already texted DH to tell him to pick some up on the way... because I can hear them calling me...)
It really would be better if I at the very least walked over and got them so that I might burn off a crumb or two on the way, but I'd run out of breath at the gate.

Unless I did that, and got him to get me some too. Ooooh, double-donuts. The only thing better than donuts.

(Yes, I have gone mental. It's called donut-deprivation.)

BBL Cross-posted.
AAAAAAAAWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW.
That may just be the most romantic thing I've ever heard. Yay to your DH! What a lovely, thoughtful thing to do, and such an effort to take a day off to go pick it up as well! Bless him.

Also, gotta love the "hippos in water" name!

I think the Raspberry Leaf is supposed to tone your muscles, but may cause contractions if taken too early? Same as pineapple, I've heard.

I am the same with food. I couldn't eat sweet things for the first 16 weeks or so and now I can't stop eating chocolate and cake. Weird. I don't remember this with the DSs. I am hungry a lot too but the heartburn is just the worst thing ever. I hate it. I get so cross in the middle of the night when I lie there and feel it burn up my throat! Yuck, yuck, yuck!

Happy belated anniversary BBL! So sweet to hear what your DH did for a present. Lovely.

beepbeep hearing you on the ravenousness. I am currently devouring some creamed ric pudding - what is that about?!

Well, I'm a stag weekend widow now until Monday night so expect to see lots of messages from me in the next few days. Have a bit of work to do this weekend but then thinking of having a Swayzefest (RIP!)...

Can I ask you knowledgeable types about when you began/are going to begin ante-natal classes?

As you know, I'm moving to Oxford soon and really want to go to them there to meet people etc. There is just one NCT group there as far as I can find out and the organiser is ONLY available by home phone (bit weird). I am on the list she says but she was ill and 'running late' on organising our classes. That was over 2 weeks ago. I will be 30 weeks on Monday so a bit behind most of you but just wondering if there's a real variance in when people start or if I should start looking for other options.

Thanks for any advice!

Raggie - we did NCT classes over here (actually did them in Witney) but they were really disorganised and had to keep chasing them. However we did time it to perfection - went into labour in the last class (though was 2 wks early) and she was born a few hours after the end of class!! nothing like getting your monies worth!!!

Raspberry leaf tea helps tone up your uterus muscles and so it supposed to make labour easier as your muscles are more effective.
I've been told though that it's only the actual raspberry leaves that work ... and not the tablets or raspberry fruit tea ... might be wrong though.
I drank it with DS but not with DD and both births were similar so not sure I'll bother this time. Tastes dreadful!

raggie our nct classes started last time at around 32 weeks and am sure the nhs hospital ones were later at about 34 weeks. Sure different places will have different timetables though.

BBL Hooray for your lovely DH, that's such a thoughtful thing to do

bbl that is so sweet of your dh, what a lovely man!

Having a bad day today, ds woke up early and has been a little s**t all day. I am so tired and have burst into tears for no reason on and off all day. Managed to get dh home early to bath him and put him to bed, just went up to read him a story and give him a kiss but he started jumping on the bed and acting up so I just turned off the light and walked out. Cue lots of crying and screaming, can't deal with it now so have sent dh back up. I am just too tired.

Me and dh are off to a country hotel tomorrow to celebrate our wedding anniversary, ds is staying with the grandparents, thank god! It's not our anniversary until 9th Nov but thats the day beany is due so thought we should celebrate before then just in case!

Ursigurke I read the last page first and thought 'I bet that was Mamas and Papas' and lo and behold when I went to the page of your post, yes it was!
We had a big problem with our cot from Mamas and Papas and delivery, etc which dragged on for several weeks- I can only vaguely remember what it was about but I think there were missing pieces etc- what I DO remember is feeding ds and being on the phone to their customer services getting an automated message and going nuts! Got some money back in the end.
Definitely complain- outrageous!!!!!

Raggie - By the way, most people in our class were quite close to their due dates, but keep pestering them!! May be worth speaking to your new midwife about NHS ones just in case. Have you tried looking at somewhere like Abingdon (just down the a34), they have some courses running next month (look like they are intense courses rather than the weekly ones) - not ideal as would be better to meet people where you'll be living, but a possibility?

There is an NCT nealy new sale in oxford on 3rd Oct - maybe you could go to this and try to speak to a volunteer there if you haven't got it sorted by then x

Thanks for the NCT classes tips beepbeep and scarlotti

I guess I'll keep waiting and worry about it if nothing's happened in a couple more weeks.

Aw, that sounds like alovely weekend you have planned helips, I hope you enjoy it. So sorry that you are feeling tired and weepy today. I have days like that too and I don't even have any dc yet! (Only the little 'darlings' at school, I suppose...!)

Wizzy I?m so glad to hear that you?re feeling a bit better

Laugs sorry to hear about the sickness, but pleased you found the CD helpful. It suggests in the booklet ? forgot to say, sorry ? that you should try and listen to to a few times a week at this stage, and then up to twice / three times a day in the weeks before the birth.

Usi will keep my fingers crossed about the flat for you. And that?s utterly disgraceful about the cot!!!

Broodzilla they?re rather large I?ll keep them strapped up as often as I can then Poor you with the breathing though, that sounds horrible Glad it was good news at the GPs, though suppose it doesn?t help with the discomfort much really!!!

Becky oh my goodness, that?s the sweetest thing I?ve heard all day!!! Awww!!!

Helips hope you feel a bit more cheery now, and enjoy your trip away, sounds lovely

DP is being incredibly soppy tonight, am enjoying the text messages If I could, I would run and cuddle him. Will in actual fact be closer to waddle and then need holding up, but the thought is there

I need cake. I?ve eaten so much today ? I?ve been through one of the big bags of grapes But I really enjoyed them if that makes it a bit more acceptable!!

I forgot to say yesterday in connection to the paper work ? I almost signed the ?Young Person? box at the end of the report instead of ?Parent / Carer? out of sheer habit! Mum thinks its absolutely hilarious.

Moan - I want to go to sleep, but it's Carnival Week in our village, and tonight's the Wheelbeero Race. There are 206 teams of at least three people, all dressed in daft costumes and pushing wheelbarrows, racing around each pub in the village and through the river at the bottom of our garden. That's an awful lot of wet drunk shouty people running underneath our bedroom windows.

Oh well, I suppose it's only a few nights a year. It would be nice to be here for the Carnival one year when I'm NOT pregnant or breastfeeding. (DH was off competing, and is now down one of the village pubs with the rest of his team. Sour grapes, moi?)

koumak 4kg, wow that's big. My first baby weighed 2.3kg and gyno thinks DS will weigh 3.2kg. Hope the clothes still fits.

Broodzilla LOL - I had the same craving on Wednesday - phoned DH on his way home and told him to bring me a donut - don't care which one as long as it's a donut.

BBL you had me in tears, what a wonderfull husband you've got! Wish mine wanted to do this, but he is so busy with work - he works on the Soccer stadium for 2010 here in Cape Town. So he is so busy.

Sounds silly that I would be in tears, but I'm feeling a bit sorry for myself at the moment. I'm 30 weeks pregnant and I've got mumps and it is very very sore! Had a terrible night last night. Felt like everything wanted to fall out, my teeth and my ears. Can't eat properly and open my mouth properly. Think now I know how it feels if you have your wisdom teeth out...

Morning all,

Its ds2's birthday today so the house is manic!

Thanks for info on raspberry leaf tea, will definitely go to Holland and Barret and pick some up (I'm 32 weeks tomorrow) I felt like they helped with ds1 so will give them another go.

BBB So glad you had a lovely anniversary in the end, how romantic.

heilips Enjoy!

erika if you lived closer I'd give you some cake, we seem to have a house full!