Due November 2009 - who is going to go 'pop' first?

[BeckyBendyLegs]

Here it is!

tigger and beepbeep Happy Birthday! Hope you're having a lovely time with your families.

Ikea trip last night went really well. Got a couple of blankets, some funky muslin cloths and a really cool wooden baby gym. Still far from ready and prepared but at least making slooow progress.

Also got some apple and cinnamon candles - they really remind me of last Christmas, had them then too.

lemontop hope you get to bring your bundle home soon. I'm really looking forward to that particular moment for us, too. Just a little bit more time to wait.

laugs the flowers sound great.

Have a lovely weekend, ladies! xx

Happy Birthday beepbeep and trikken if it is your birthdays today

I've got two friends visiting today and I've cleaned the house in anticipation and I'm sitting here with a seaweed facepack on. DH has buggered off with the DSs for the afternoon because he fell out with one of my friends nearly three years ago and doesn't want to see her. Sigh. Men are so stubbon sometimes. I spent most of this morning in tears pleading with him to forgive and forget but he's not for shifting. So I've got an afternoon of shopping and an evening of pizza and sitting in a pub drinking soft drinks ahead of me tonight.

Lemontop good to hear from you. Glad Isaac is a good weight and doing well. I hope he can come home and be with you soon

I fancy some non-alchol cider too!

Laugs glad you had a nice night out

Well, better go, friend due in 5 mins and I look like a slimey green monster at the moment.

House didn't burn down last night, thankfully, but I've moved the basket to the other side of the room and there is nothing touching the wood-burning stove at all. DS1 was so upset that he said 'we'd better just use central heating from now on when it is cold'. He's such a worry pot sometimes, but cute with it.

Moany me-me-me post coming up...

Went to see the MW this AM (at their suggestion to bring the 36 wk check-up forward as my feet and hands suddenly swelled up) at the hospital. Saw someone new again (which didn't matter) but she really couldn't be bothered at all... asked why I was there, and when I told her, she just went "pregnant ladies do get swollen, nothing to worry about unless you've also got protein in your wee and a high blood-pressure" (Erm, well yes indeed, but how would I know if I have either, that's why I was told to come in...) As it happens, both BP and urin were fine. She did a quick listen to the heartbeat, which was fine, but did NOT check to see if he's engaged and did NOT measure the Fundal Height. I'd been told at the last check-up that this would be the time to do the birth plan, so I was all excited as DH was with me (he can't come to my normal appointments which as they're always during office hours) and I felt like he could be more involved as well. When the MW started packing things up I asked about the birthplan, and she told me to make another appointment in two weeks time and just do it then. (In two weeks I'll be 38 weeks...) I must've looked a bit because she just waved her hands and said "only one percent of babies come before the due date anyway, so chances are you'll still be pregnant mid-November".

Apart from feeling upset that she didn't check to see if he is engaged or measure the FH, I feel anxious that I have to wait another two weeks for an appointment (I thought after 36 weeks you're meant to have them WEEKLY?) Also, that thing about only 1% coming before DD is bull-shit. I knew it as soon as I heard it, but did a quick google when I got home anyway (I'm petty like that) and you know what? Approximately 5% of babies are born at or after 40 weeks. 20% are born at 39 weeks, 27% at 38 weeks... and so on. There's actually a 1/3 chance that I'll give birth before my first ante-natal class and my next MW appointment.

I'm so . I asked DH what he thought, and he said she really did seem like she couldn't be bothered with the whole thing - although he did say that he got a feeling she was "just like that" (rather than, as I suspected, treating me the way she did because I'm foreign... she made quite a few references to that in a very short space of time, and whenever someone does that I do get a bit suspicious).

Anyway. I'm none the wiser. Will go and have a cup of tea and calm down a bit and then come and catch up with all your news, it's been a busy morning on the thread again today!

Oh my god, I can't believe how much I have missed out on by not reading every day!

Congratulation Lemontop and I hope Issac is home with you soon. Reading that one of us has already given birth has made me realise that I have to sort my hospital bag out NOW!

Was getting myself organised of a different kind this week when I ordered half of dd's Christmas presents! Was ordering some things for baby and thought I might as well sort some things out for dd while I was at it! It's all being delivered on Monday. Don't think I've EVER been so organised with Christmas in my life!

Will try and catch up with everyone else soon.

Broodzilla, your mw sounds a bit crap, she didnt seem to take in any of your concerns. definately agree with the statistic being bull, babies are unpredictable tho, but it goes either way. there are lots of good birth-plans you can search for online if you would like guidence. I too thought it was weekly after 36 weeks, for appts.

Right, Id best go pretty myself up now as lovely lovely sis is having ds over so we can actually go out for this meal. yay.

Southernbelle is there a flow chart near the start of your notes that tells you how often you are supposed to see a mw?

Blimey, I go away for the night and someone pops, massive congrats lemontop! Love love love the name, hope you are all ok

Right, going to read the rest of the thread now to see what else I've missed out on in the passed 24 hours!

Broodzilla, oh my goodness. I'd be tempted to write a letter of complaint if I were you - that 1% statistic is certainly a load of bollocks. First-time babies are more likely to be late than early, but if you ARE in the early cohort, not being prepared is not much help.

There's a lot of stuff on the internet about how to write a birth plan, but the advice that I was given by a friend of mine (who's now a GP and did an obstetric rotation or two) was to keep it all on one page, bullet-point, and bold the important words. She says that the staff may well be busy, overworked and understaffed, and they do not have time to wade through several pages about your aromatherapy plans. So, for example:

• I would like skin-to-skin as I hope to breastfeed.

Put your name and your partner's name in bold at the top. Stick in any allergies or issues you might have (eg. 'I have bad reactions to morphiates' or 'I have SPD so be careful separating my legs'), put in if you want to be encouraged to move about or stay upright or if you want to labour in water, and clearly state your preferences for pain relief (gas and air, pethidine, epidural ASAP). Also say if you want a physiological third stage or if you just want the shot in the butt. I also put a line in saying that in the event of complications separating me from the baby (eg I need to go into theatre for stitching up), I want my husband to have the baby.

Broodzilla what a cow. 1%?!?!?!?! Atleast half of my friends who have had babies have had them before EDD. Can you ring up and complain and insist they see you next week? Grrr for you.

Can't believe people are 36 weeks and I am only 33!! Feel like the 'youngest' on the thread! I am so desperate to get on with it now. Went shopping today. We always end up buying cute stuff, and nothing practical. Eg we have no nappies/breast pads/maternity pads/anything like that, but about a million cute outfits and teddies. V silly.

Can I ask about arnica? I was looking at the arnica cooling gel in Boots but not sure if this is what people mean when they say to take arnica into hospital?

Tamlin v useful re birth plan, thanks.

Pavlov come and stay with me and I'll have you fattened up in no time. Just baked white choc and macadamia nut cookies... mmmm

Broodzilla - it is on my midwife plam (i.e. when i see mw and what happens at each appt) that 34 wks is when we go over my birth plan. By the way both my 2 have been early - 1st one by 2 wks and 2nd by 5days, the MW sounds like she couldn't be bothered - not great!

Tamlin - I always have kept my birth plans very simple, and usually quite vague, i.e. would like this, but am willing to discuss other options if necessary. Always put that I want skin to skin if poss, that I want to breastfeed and have natural third stage (again unless other factors suggest better otherwise). In other words - this is what I'd like, but open to other stuff if it doesn't go to my plan. I think if you're too specific there is more room for disapointment if it doesn't go to yur birth plan.

Trikken - hope you have a good evening out.

Had a pretty crap birthday here, did nothing different to a normal day on own with DCs (don't like to intrude on other poeple on a weekend as I see it as being their family time). Feeling a bit sorry for myself as I make such a fuss of DH's birthday and a bit peeved that no effort was made for mine - I even took DH a cup of tea in bed, then did all normal chores whilst he had fallen asleep on the sofa He then went off to work and isn't back until 11pm. Had DCs bickering all afternoon and so glad when they were in bed. DH did get me a watch I had pointed out though and the Dcs got me a peg bag and some pegs!!

Katster - we also have no nappies, I put some on the Tesco shop but when they delivered it they obviously didn't ahve the brand I wanted, so rather than change the brand, they changed the size - so now have 2 packs of size 3 - very handy!! So will have to put some more size 2s on this weeks shop!

BeepBeep A peg bag!!! With Pegs!!!!
Sorry to hear your day was not great. I think you should demand a second birthday where dp can spend the day spoiling you and making up for his absence.

Tigger hope you had a good birthday.

Evening all.

Have those of you with SPD got tips for painful hips at night? I'm in agony and awake again because I can't sleep through it...

Had a lovely evening but am absolutely shattered today. We were asleep by ten last night and eventually crawled to Tesco about two this afternoon - we've been so lazy but I'm still totally out of it. Had to go and have a lay down while our friend was over. DP did come and get me before he left though, as he knows I'd have just beaten myself up if I hadn't said good bye!! He hasn't seem me for a while (The friend, not DP ) and when he came in through the door he made a great fuss of telling me how rediculously huge I am. I did actually appriciate it as everyone keeps telling me I'm tiny!!

Beepbeep - For the record, DP only has one lap

Friend did make a suggestion though (rather gross so don't read if you're squeamish!) - how about I send this delightful company my placenta?? Restaurants pay a fortune for them, got to be worth some of the amount Really made me giggle!!!

Just admired the full moon... anybody who has just joined lemontop
Broodzilla what a stupid midwife! You really wouldn't expect people like her in such a sensible profession!
If it helps: my midwifes always just check blood pressure, heart beat, fundal hight, position and that's it. And when I go home and check again the list of what we should have discussed, I am very . And my notes contain lots of paperwork to fill in together (like an empty birth plan, an empty sheet about different types of feeding,...
I've seen my GP on friday and as everything seems to be fine and she will be on holiday next week, she suggested to see me only after my next midwife appointment. so I will actually not be seen for 2,5 weeks (unless I have any problems or questions, then any other GP of the surgery will see me)
I just keep telling myself, this baby will come out eventually and everything will be fine in the end.
beepbeep, sorry to hear that you couldn't enjoy your birthday, I hope your husband will make up for it.
kyte, very nice siblings!

obviously I wanted to ask not to declare: anybody who has just joined lemontop ?

Morning ladies,

Erika hope you managed to get some sleep.

Ursi glad to see someone else is up as early as me I've been awake since 4am

Kyte good news on the buggy. I also treated myself to a Costa hot choc yesterday - yum! I might make myself one now on DH's impressive coffee making machine!

BeepBeep Hope you have a better day.

I'm not seeing my midwife for another 2 weeks, I'll be 37+1 by then. Have a presentation scan this wk to check if the baby is still breech. I'm convinced it is. I had a terrible night's sleep. Think this baby enjoys laying with its head under my ribcage, I got stuck in the position I had been sleeping in and DH had to pull me out of bed with his eyes still shut in the middle of the night. I can't wait to have my body back and be able to sleep in any position! I feel pretty useless these days.

Lots of BHicks yesterday, several per hour for about 3 hrs. I did wonder if it was the start of something happening. I got the house straight and made sure all the washing was up to date. All a false alarm though. Has made me realise I should get on with the rest of my 'to do' list today!

broodzilla I am on your behalf. The appt should have been an additional appt to check out your swollen hands and make sure all was ok, not to replace your 36wk appt, which you need too! FFS. Drs in particular and hosp midwives can be so dismissive, like you are taking up their valuable time, it really winds me up. I have meant to have seen the consultant 4 times, seen them twice and I have seen 2 different people who could not care less why I was there.

Re: birth plan, echo what the others say. I got a rough plan from the internet, cannot remember where exactly, and then customised it. I included, for example. that I wanted to move around as much as I could for as long as I could, that I wanted skin to skin and that I wanted to breastfeed immediately if possible, before anything else was done, if not, as soon as I could after that.

I had a birthing partner other than DH too, and put her name in it, and what I wanted her role to be.

I also included a morbid section - if something happened that meant I was unable to make any decisions then any decisions regarding treatment of either me or the baby would fall to my DH to make on my behalf, and should be discussed with him as fully as possible and he had the final say where possible also.

Keep it short, I agree, and also anticipate that your plan is only a guide, they might not be able to follow it to the letter, and you might still have to push for some of the things that you want, even if written down. The idea of it is to assist you in getting your wishes across. I found most of what I wanted could not happen for various reasons, but I had a wonderful midwife who loved the birth plan and knew the type of birth I wanted so did her best to make it as natural as she could under the circumstances.

fruitpastels I laughed at your getting the house straight as it reminded me of when DD was born. I had a calm and painless early labour and used this time to clean the house, do washing up, clean sheets on bed, organise everything so it was nice and straight for getting back. I had to stay in for 7 days and when I got back it was pretty trashed by DH! He tried bless him, and my friend had come around to sort it out a little as he had lots of running around to do for me, but it was nowhere near how I left it, and I did not care!

I hope you manage to get a good couple of nights sleep at least this week. I really cannot tell if the baby is in breech anymore, he is really active, and he is really painful under one set of ribs too. I see the midwife this week, can they tell without a scan if still in breech?

Pav It doesn't matter how organised my house is, it will just about be standing by the time I get home from the hospital. DH is not domesticated at all. I've tried for many years to get him trained up, but to no avail. He is good at the ironing (with the help of his army days) and hoovering. I'm writing lists for DH that are on the fridge door with DS's daily routine and meals he likes to eat. He is a good Dad but just a terrible housewife.

I'm getting a lot of pain under my ribs too. My MW thinks baby is breech but not 100% sure, so the scan will confirm. MW wanted to wait until I was 36wks for the scan as baby still had room to move. I think it's run out of space now as my tummy is like a basket ball and rock hard, can't imagine its comfortable in there! I get a lot of my movements and kicks low down and around the side. How many weeks are you Pav?

33+4, so a bit of time yet! Apparantly!

Oh yes still some time left. Let's hope our babies start behaving themselves I've got used to the idea that a c-section is on the cards. I'm not sure if we will go for child No3 so would have loved the chance for a natural birth with this pg.

Good morning!

I had a heap of BHs yesterday too, but I know from last time that my body can keep them up every 10 mins for weeks and weeks so I'm not particularly alarmed (despite Lemontop's experience!), especially as I know baby is still a free floater and nowhere near engaged. They are a right pain though.

I've left DD in the kitchen with her breakfast. DH made the stupid (sadly, normal) mistake of giving her milk before breakfast and she is just messing and not eating. I don't have the patience any more to sit and watch her without getting really ratty, so I'm having a little MN time to leave her to it. Doesn't sound like much eating is going on...

DH is playing golf with his dad today. Trying to think of something nice to do with DD this morning. I was thinking a walk in the woods, but not sure my pelvis is up for it. Worth a try I suppose, and then I'll know not to do it again! Or else we could go to Costco for lunch and see if they have any more garage shelves in stock. The joys of domesticated life! For those of you 'getting the house in order' I'm . I've lost my drive totally in that department, another reason why I know labour is nowhere imminent! My hob hasn't been cleaned since I went back to work - DH covers it with one of those big chopping boards to hide the evidence. The baby's room is a dumping ground for all the stuff that has nowhere else to go any more and I can't begin to organise it. Yet there's no room for anything new, so something needs to be done! And DH's sterling work with the ikea shelves requires much books sorting from the boxes in the garage.

So I think DD and I will head out this morning and ignore it all....