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

[Fruitpastels]

Hope everyone can find us!

Hello ladies, will catch up properly later on but just had to laugh about nearly giving birth in the carpark.

My cousin did exactly that last night

She is only young, 2nd baby, was having mild contractions for just under and hour when her waters went so her Mum and Dad took her to hospital, by the time they got there she was in agony, Dad went off to get help and a wheelchair and when they got back Mum had delivered her newest Grandson in the carpark

All ok and a lovely little new addition to the family weighing 6lb 14oz Can't wait to go see him!!

Anyway lets hope this isn't one of us in a few weeks time .....

thanks for all the nice bump comments, yes its a maternity top, just looked at the label and its Moda which i think is the mothercare maternity range katster,
this top is quite flattering on the bump, most stuff makes it look huge! do love the colur of this top, its probably one of my nicer maternity pieces.

wizzywoo thanks for saying ds is gorgeous, he looks like his daddy most of the time (apparantly he looks like me when being cheeky!)oh and daddy has black hair, dyed not natural, still has a bit of 'goth' style about him.

I too am worried about giving birth somewhere less than appropriate, and worried dh wont be there if something happens at whilst he's at work, but i guess there isnt really much you can do for either of these things so should try not to worry.

with ds i thought id gone to hospital too early as my contractions stopped for a bit when when we got there, (then started up with avengeance 20 mins later) but was already 4 cms dilated, which mw seemed really surprised about.

I am having a crap day.
I'm a big bundle of emotions, all of them bad ones. I just cried outside a playgroup I took DD to, because nobody spoke to me. I hope no-one saw.

easyeggs congrats to your cousin!

I feel I should say, in case all the first timers are worrying about their impending birth in the supermarket/ lift/ car park, that most labours are really long and will feel even longer. With mine I was having contractions every 5-10 mins for 24 hours before I was admitted to hospital. The whole thing lasted 37 hours altogether, and I gather that that's not even considered ridiculously long (except to me). Not meaning to scare you with that either, just that I would expect it be too long rather than too short.

tamlin that is what I'm worried about, the old tear tearing again. I think I was stitched badly as it took ages to heal.

I was lucky that I didn't get cracked nipples though. I think you're advised not to wash them with soap so the skin doesn't get dry. Rub breastmilk into them. Isn't there something about cabbage leaves too?

My advice about breastfeeding would also be to expect it to be difficult to begin with. I think all the promotion of breastfeeding is a good thing, but it does sort of give the impression that because it's the natural thing to do, it will therefore come naturally to you (and the baby). I didn't find this the case and most people I know struggled, at least a bit, to start with. (I did grow to love it though, and missed it for ages when I finally stopped.)

Ooh I'm a bundle of joy today. You might just want to skip over this...

Oh tamlin on your too good pelvic floor muscles: in the active birth/ yoga class I'm doing we have to practise loosening these muscles (as well as the tightening ones you normally do). I'll pay attention next time and tell you what you do. I think it was basically trying to make them as soft and relaxed as possible.

easyeggs congratulations to your cousin, what a great birth story

I'm loving the bump pictures, I might get dh to take a photo of me to put on (will have to wait until inlaws have gone home though)
Just had my groceries delivered from ASDA,, it was so much easier than going out myself!

tamlin that sounds painful the same thing happened to my friend only not quite so bad, fingers crossed you'll be fine this time!

BBL I think I'm having boy no.3 also, although everyone keeps saying they think its a girl I quite like the thought of 3 little boys.... we'll see
I'm loving your birth story, i tried g&a with ds2, don't think it helped really except it took my mind off the pain a bit.
Hoping for just water again this time, but we'll see.
I've never heard of nipple preparation before don't think i'll bother, the nipple cream I have seemed to work last time.

tigger did you give birth in the water?
I tried for a water birth but had to get out after a couple of hours to be monitored. Not sure whether to try again or go for a nice hospital room with mats on the floor, mood lighting etc.

Wow you have been busy! I shall try to catch up. I am still at work but having a break as can feel my legs swelling up.

I am going to read up on everybody?s news but have lots of questions if any of you know answers?

I should probably make it a proper new thread in pregnancy topic or something but I am sure you are the experts!

This is my second pregnancy but I am still not sure what the difference is between doctor, consultant and registrar?

How do you know that your waters are leaking? TMI I feel so wet all the time and think that I smell too! Can they test for this and how?

Also is there anything like paternity leave if you are self-employed? I doubt it. Just wanted to check as dh will not be bringing in any money on the days he will stay with me for labour or after lo is born.

I am actually feeling ok today. Got decent sleep last night! Almost 6&1/2 hours uninterrupted, not a single loo trip or cramp! Had to wait for the grocery?s to be delivered till almost 11pm though. What was I thinking? Dh, bless him, was already asleep but got up when the doorbell rang.

Laughs, Tigger I used the pool in early stage for pain relief but didn?t quite feel right. I couldn?t really sit down in it or kneel, felt really uncomfortable. The best bit was when I was standing in (naked) with up to my knees in hot water with dh showering my back and passing G&A!

Thanks for all the advice folks.. I agree with laugs it is diff if the latch isn't good and my advice is hang on in there..once the nipples heal or baby has latched on properly its bliss.

Easyeggs congrats to your cousin..what a great story.

I agree first timers need not stress, it took me 27hours all in all and it included being sent back from the hosp!...

Tears are something else..the NHS has yet to send my hospital records as I want the hospital here to read them as my tear was bad but stitched up ever so well and healed in no time. St Georges Tooting go go go!

Hi Ladies,

Feeling a bit better now, albeit a little shaken up and the bump still hurts. (I keep checking it to see if there's stretch marks, but I really think it must be the muscles.)
Poor DH... he sure didn't sign up for having to hoist a stranded whale of a wife off the floor in the middle of the night!

Katster Sorry to hear about the leakage, I somehow missed all that yesterday! I hope you've got the results by now? I don't think you're being pathetic at all, I thank my lucky star every day that I don't have to commute, and I'm STILL knackered and wishing I was done with work.

Koumak I can't answer most of your questions, but I do know that you can get these pantyliners that turn blue if the leakage is amniotic fluid. The company I used to get my ovulationsticks from sells them. I've forgotten the website, but google Homehealth UK.

Laugs Ah, vests! Must get me to Tesco or somewhere asap. Hope you're feeling better? I find myself getting strangely tearful, but especially so in situations like that. Stupid people. They missed out, not you.

Easyeggs at your cousin's delivery, but glad all is well with mama and baby! Congratulations on a new family member!

Lemontop How infuriating that they should just stick test results in the pack without discussing them with you! Unprofessional and just wrong.

Wook Lovely news about your friend being pregnant! I'm hoping every month that my sister will be - she miscarried back in Feb.

Becky Hoo boy, would that mean you're in for a speedy one this time? I guess you'd better make tracks at the first twinge of labour, rather than waiting at all? Have you got any neighbours that can step in at short notice to take over things at home?

Erika We'd be a sight! More donuts to the people!

Wizzy funny that, I was actually thinking this morning that there must be far better ways to break a bed than a pregnant walrus turning over. Now I have the perfect excuse... It's all that fun we had 34 weeks ago!

All this talk about nipples and brushes and tearing... YOWZA! Not that I'm qualified to comment, but seeing as the baby is meant to get things going by sucking, surely too much prep before hand would make it take longer for the milk to come in? No? I'll be sticking to the Lansinoh with mine and staying away from nailbrushes...

Oh, someone told me yesterday that sitting on the birthing ball also helps stretch the perineum! Didn't know that!

On that subject, is anyone finding the boob-soreness of early pregnancy returning? Mine are suddenly very tender.

Also, thanks for being so honest re: strange thoughts and feelings. DH and I have been together for 8 and a bit years (although married only for 8 months!) and are most certainly ready for the next step... but still, sometimes I go "OMG... having a child is the one decision in your life that you can't undo..." and at other times I'm just so excited to meet the little one. It's like I'm already in love with the thought of him if that makes sense?

Right, off I waddle.

Have to add my labour with ds to the first time epics, it was about 4 days from first contraction to delivery so there was no chance of giving birth in a lay by! According to the midwife the contractions were going outwards but not downwards?? And only half of the cervix opened up over the first 3 days?? Bizarre. Aiming for less this time around!
Had to laugh on way out of delivery suite as there was a poster outside from the NCT showing 'positions to make your labour shorter and easier'. Over the four days I had certainly tried all of them at least once!
I am really cynical today, sorry!
Just over five weeks to go and I think I am both excited and scared of giving birth again. A friend who is due in Dec asked me yesterday to tell her my birth story. Haven't done so yet, never sure that it is a good idea.
Laugs aha! I thought that Charlie was a bit of a wally so the George Bush parallel makes perfect sense!
Breastfeeding- I think the latch is everything re: whether it hurts nipple or not. I agree with Laugs this supposedly 'natural' thing can be really, really hard to get right. Took me at least three weeks and only the 'rugby ball' hold worked for me at first. Needed a lot of trips to the breastfeeding counsellor's group to be fully confident with it. Then, once you're away, it is all fab and you can whack em out anywhere, any time and in any position!!

Broodzilla I hope your bed is fixed and that you get a less dramatic night's sleep tonight!

Koumak I knew something had leaked as my knickers were soaked and so were the tops of my leggings. TBH I still am not convinced it was amniotic fluid, and am still waiting for the swabs form the hospital. It would be v v embarrassing, but part of me wonders whether I accidentally did a wee while I was throwing up - I had been violently sick that morning (MS back with avengeance, excellent) and it could have come out then Anyway, since cervix was fully closed, baby was happy and no extra signs of leakage were found, hospital were happy for me to go home. I will feel a proper idiot if all the drama was purely because I can't control my own bladder!! We will see... Oh the joys...

EasyEggs wow, and congrats to your cousin!! That's amazing - is she ok?

I am trying to work out which sling to go for! Have set up a thread on the pregnancy board so if any of you have some good tips, please feel free to add them! I really want to try it, but am v scared of the ones that are only fabric, I'm sure I'll not end up tying it properly or something.

I will never complain about big babies again after seeing the 19lb !!!! baby in the guardian today.

Dp just ordered me a birthing ball off Amizon. I want it now! Had a o on a friends - so so comfey.

Off to my first pg yoga now.

Loving the bumps

what baby? link us!

Thanks for all your advice on my question, laugs and tigger, I think I'll use those two as well.
wook, I agree that a whole birth-kit would be a waste of money. I do think homeopathie works, I've already made very good experience but with a doctor who interviewed me for over an hour to find out what I needed. I think, that's the problem with homeopathy, it's very difficult to find out what you need because you do not normally treat the symptoms but the cause. And arnica for healing is something my (old) dad would use too.
katster, it's funny, for me it's rather the opposite. When I was 16 I liked using oils for nice smells in my room but only for a short period than I gave up. I can imagine that it would actually be working but maybe not for me. I do not seem to have a very sensitive nose (and did not even get more sensitive during pregnancy) although I react stronly against too many or strong artificial smells in soaps, washing powder,...

Very of those of you who didn't get cracked nipples. Mine were terrible. Even the midwives in Chipping Norton winced when they saw my nipples! I'm going to give it a good go again though... I really want to be able to just wip them out and feed and wip them back in again.

I've been to Hippos in Water this afternoon - I really love it!

DS1 and I have just been finding out about Wilma's adventures with a unicorn, a gnome and a basilisk (only you teachers will know what I am on about!).

Ahh bathtime!

Koumak, I think a lot of wet discharge is very normal in the late stages of pregnancy - have friends who waddled about wearing maternity towels BEFORE they gave birth! When my waters broke in a trickle with DS, they were very clear, maybe a bit yellowish, and had a fairly distinct smell, not at all like leucorrhea or urine. (Have read this described as semen - there you have it!) Obv if it's green, brown or red, call labour ward asap.

Four day labour, 19 lb baby... we're cheerful today, aren't we? Will add another story - the village mums today were all gossiping wildly about this poor woman who went to the doc worried she had a stomach tumour, and the scan shows, yep, thirty-seven weeks pregnant. Can you imagine having THREE WEEKS to get ready for a newborn?!

I remember shouting excitedly for DH to come and see the 'show' (it came out in the shower). I think his reaction was something along the lines of 'HAVE YOU COMPLETELY LOST YOUR MIND, WOMAN?'

Yes I kept wondering if I'd seen my 'show' as it was all rather wet down there. Then it came. It definitely was not something I could've not missed.

katster I was violently sick last week and I actually weed. I mean, quite a few times when I've been very sick a tiny bit has come out, but this was far, far more and soaked all the way through my jeans. I guess the baby must have been bouncing on my bladder at the right moment.

wook 3 weeks was about the turning point in BF for me too. For a week or two, I could only feed when I was lying down on my side with DD propped up on a pillow on the bed.
I remember thinking, 'how will I ever be able to leave the house?!'

I too have done the whole, vomit/pee thing. it is the violence of the vomiting that makes you do it, you cant stop the pee coming out at the same time no matter how hard you try.I was only wearing my nighty at the time and had just had a bath so wasnt best pleased.

DD was messing about at first with feeding (she had a canula in and everything, ready for a drip, when a lovely no-nonsense midwife came and showed me how to get the latch right) Once we were sorted, BF was really easy and painless. Although I did have too much milk if anything, poor thing kept getting squirted in the face!

I'm hoping it will be as good this time, I will double check I have the latch right before leaving hospital.

Evening everyone, Seen my midwife today and the baby is currently breech. I'm 34+1 so have a bit more time for it to turn. Feeling a little worried about it. Anyone else been told they are breech, and what can I do myself to help get this baby turned?

Evening everyone.
Another mw appt here and all is well although had a swab taken for thrush as have it yet again I think

fruit get on all fours and wiggle your bum around a bit, baby should turn then!

Both my labours have started with my waters breaking, certainly not something you can mistake for anything else! I'll be stuffed if this one is different as won't have any idea what's happening. Am more worried that I won't get to the hospital in time as mine have all been quite quick (not always the best as very intense then). A friend of mine delivered her own baby in her downstairs loo whilst her toddler had a nap upstairs!!!! Ambulance men came after her dd was born - one saw to her and the other went to get her ds up from his sleep!!

Anyway, off to bed now so chat tomorrow.