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

[BeckyBendyLegs]

Here it is!

Something weird is definitely happening to my joints, still in pain at the top of my thighs (despite paracetamol) and all my other joints feel really fragile and achy. Hoping this is a sign there isn't long to go until we have baby Emmeline with us!

Tax credits sent us a cheque for just over £300 that they owed us, which is massively brilliant, as the DWP are still passing us from pillar to post on the over 2 grand that they owe us! They have admitted verbally that it is their mistake, but are basically messing us about now, promising to ring back in a few minutes and then denying all knowledge for two days, then ringing us back like nothing has happened...I swear they are trying to make us give up!

If it wasn't for the in laws, we would actually be starving and homeless. GRRR!!!

Anyway, DP has had three interviews this week, all of which sound very likely, so fingers crossed that we will have something coming in by the time the baby is born.

Laugs and Scarolotti thanks for your support. He of all people should know what a load I'm carrying! We did NCT together and they do a similar excercise carrying a bag of tins and washing liq etc..I just feel that I'll be trapped with 2 children (one of whom will be attached to my boob) in the house whilst he's thinking of gallavanting on the slopes. It's just insensitive to mention it when i look and feel like a whale, have terrible back and pelvic pain!! MEN!

anyway very jealous of your sleep laugs! its a good idea tho..go ahead and indulge..you won't get much time after these bubbas come out. I hope you're right tho..we'll have to cope with 2!!

Lemontop he is gorgeous! To think he was still in your tummy just over a week ago

By the way: tamiflu is not given to pregnant women and actually doesn't do much to help with swine flu except reduce the length of time you are ill and can make you feel sick / upset your stomach as a side effect. We can get an inhaled drug beginning with an r if caught early enough - not sure how much it helps. I haven't really thought about whether I'd have the jab or not. Only 5 weeks to go anyway.

Goign to hippos in water later

Hi Everyone

Hormonal strop has left me today, so I'm back to my usual sunny self (although had a grrr moment when my mum rang and woke me up from a nap this morning!)

southernbelle You genius - I'm going to try the doctor ploy with DD when she gets in tonight and wants to constantly sing and dance with me!

Pavlov What a

longwayaway thanks for the reassurance.

scarlotti/ sleepless I wonder how much weight we'd have to give our DH's to carry to understand, given that men are generally stronger? The thing is, would they carry it around all day, sleep with it on their tummy at night etc?

Looks like my trip to the cafe is off as I've lost my keys. I'm losing everything at the moment - anyone else? My brain just seems to be slowly dissolving...

lissy sorry you're still in so much pain. Could it be SPD? A few on here seem to have that. Also, if your DP is unemployed, you should be receiving housing benefit to pay your rent. It might not pay for the whole rent, depending on what your council thinks is reasonable for your area, but it should pay for most of it. It's so annoying the DWP are messing you around. Have you had the Sure Start Grant yet? I applied last week (I think, maybe week before) and it went into our account today. Good luck with it all.

is it Relenza BBL?
Hippos in water sounds really fun, wish they had something like that nearer here.
TBH im dubious about having any jabs whilst pregnant.

skorpion your post about Oxford in Autumn is making me jealous! DH was back for a visit yesterday but now he's back to Oxford and PhD land until next weekend (17th)when I go to Oxford for last weekend before move. Can't wait!

Loving your photos lemontop. What a gorgeous wee boy Isaac is. So happy you are all back home

wizzy dodgy tum here too although I suppose it makes a change from only going once or twice a week with a struggle.

Just been to see the mw, all is well. Baby is measuring up at 38 weeks and I'm 36 but she said 3cm either way is no concern.
I asked about the swine flu jab - my surgery has just asked her for a list of all the pg ladies as they will be offering it at the end of October.
She said she didn't know anymore about it than that as she'd just picked up a message. She presumes that there will be some literature in the invite for me to make a decision.
One thing I didn't know - any antibodies that we pass over to baby only last in their system about 90 days - so yes, they would be protected but only for about 3 months then they'd have to make their own antibodies.
She also said that she didn't know what the jab would consist of as it's not tamiflu or relenza.

Not much more help I'm afraid but a few facts at least I guess.
I suspect it will be a moot point for me as I imagine he'll have been born before the end of October.

Thanks hobnob and helips for the info on VBAC I presume the epidural is incase I need an emcs but as the baby is not breech this time around I shouldn't need one (fingers crossed anyway) I was a bit worried in case I was being irresponsible by hiding at home but if in the UK an epidural isn't compulsory than it can't be more dangerous here in France. I def think the epidural ruined my chances of a VB last time round - I got to 6cm dilated before anyone even noticed (including me!)

Right really must get my hospital bag sorted especially if I've got to find 9 towels as per hospital instructions I can't stop picturing myself giving birth in an old fashionned film - quick bring more boiling water, more towels...

Wizzy / Scarlotti - been staying near toilet here too, not sure what's going on!

Had nightmare night with DD last night, she was up knocking on our bedroom door 6 times between 2 and 5.30, kept putting her back to bed which upset her (she wants to come into our bed) and she also maaged to wake up DS so ended up downstairs with him for a while. DD then slept in til 8, unfortunately i didn't!! Took her to preschool, DS to nursery and plan was to try to catch up on some sleep, despite fact i was meant to be at work - my last proper day, but everything up to date and handed over so knew they wuldn't mind. ANyway, half an hour after i dropped DD off I got a call to say that she was unwell, so that blew my chances of any slee, picked her up and suprise suprise she has made a miraculous recovery, I could kill her as I am absolutely shattered. Be in bed by 7.30 tonight I think!!

Skooprion /Raggie - lovely here today isn't it?! Just hung some washing out (cleaning the nursery, so wshing bumper, curtains etc etc), was planning on taking DD to Cotswold wildlife park, but she's refusing to put any trousers on so looks like she's going to miss out!

Trikken - I agree with you, think i'll stay away from any jabs whilst pregnant, am wary as the vaccine is so new we would be the guinea pigs to a certain extent.

I've had my presentation scan to check if baby is still breech, good news it's head down! I had a terrible night with bad pains in my tummy and felt like the baby was trying to fight it's way out - seems very likely that it was turning itself. I've since had cramping period type pain, it's felt really awful. It's been a busy day, so I have my feet up and DS is watching TV and he will stay there until bedtime! Baby is weighing aprox 6lbs 3ozs, with still 4 weeks to go! I'm going to write my birth plan tonight, have been holding back for the scan, I feel so much happier now

Going to read over today's posts, it's been another busy day on here!

thats good fruitpastilles, (baby turning, not the pain) hope you feel better soon.

ive had a lot of 'lightning' type pain today, like she keeps pressing on my cervix, which is probably what she is doing. makes me jump every time.

is anyone else actively not writing a birth plan?

sorry, just noticed i spelt your name wrong fruitpastels.

Trikken I didn't have a bith plan with DS as I was happy to go with the flow. There are a couple of things I don't want a repeat of with this birth, so thought best to write them down. It will probably all go out the window anyway!!

ooh i feel very crampy now. my previous birth was pretty good apart from almost retaining the placenta, took longer than the baby took to come out.

kyte - glad your doctor has sorted that out. You'll sleep better knowing that you and the baby will be fine. Here's to a good night's sleep! I know what you mean about church, I have stopped going for a while because of the idea of sharing a cup with a churchful of people which seems daft when I am washing my hands more and trying to keep lurgies at bay. Am really missing communion though so may see if I can find a Baptist church that offers communion in those little individual thimbles.

Really sorry haven't caught up at all today, but needed to rant.

Had scan and all is well with baby. Weighing in at 5lb 14oz at 34+5 so good size!!

THEN saw the consultant. What a cow. She really was. She did't listen to anything I said and even when I couldn't help crying she was anything but sympathetic. Basically she is saying that there is no way I can have a c-section JUST because I have SPD. She says will be do a sweep at 38 weeks to try and get things going so I can be induced early but that isn't going to stop me being in complete agony and well, how the hell does she think I am going to open my legs to let her do that?? I'm feeling really really upset. Have called midwife so hopefully she will call me back tomorrow and I can talk things through with her. Want to tell her that this is affecting me both emotionally and phsyically and I don't think it's doing me or the baby any good.

Have been reading up on the internet about it, and to be fair, there is very mixed views on have a c-section because of SPD. I know it's not a cure and it won't make it go away, but I honestly can't see how on earth I can give birth naturally without it causing me more harm.

Kyte and Stormfly, have you considered asking your local vicar or whathaveyou if they might give you communion at home? This is an option for the bedridden and the homebound, and while I know that you two technically don't qualify, I think that a sympathetic vicar might be happy to pop in on a very very pregnant lady. Mine did during the end with DS.

southernbelle77, I am so sorry that the consultant was so horrible to you. I don't think you're being unreasonable in wanting a section - on the one hand, SPD theoretically means that the baby slides out more easily, but on the other hand, should you need an instrumental delivery, there's apparently no way they can do that without adducting your legs wide apart in stirrups. Can you ask to see another consultant?

If you really get stuck with a vaginal delivery I've been told by the maternity physio to avoid the epidural, as SPD sufferers can do themselves some nasty damage without feeling it. Try to get in the birthing pool so you can stay upright and supported, and hopefully your baby will just shoot out...

I do miss Oxford in the autumn - the crowds of tourists would die off, and the rowing season would begin properly. I miss the way the Isis would be covered in mists in the early morning!

Southernbelle I'm sorry the consultant was a cow!!! Did she not give any advice??? I had SPD badly with DD and a natural birth is possible. I didn't have an epidural so I could be in control but to be honest I didn't feel any spd pain when in labour..it sort of goes away then comes back post birth but not as bad..If you're worried, can u see another consultant? At the end of the day they have to see that if you're not comfortable the baby won't be either and they can't put the baby at any risk...

laugs losing things ALL the time.. I left the house keys in the door yesterday when I went out for a walk!...to get men to understand the pain of pregnancy and birth we'd have to kick them in the goolies everyday for an hour, and for 9 months and then give them a bucket load of chillies to feel tummy cramps then get them to poo out a bowling ball..(as you can see men are not my favourite people today)

Wow - so excited to hear Broodzilla and Lemontop's latest news!! Love the photos, Lemontop - wow, he looks so big and gorgeous!

Finding it v hard to keep up when I am at work, so apologies for not mentioning everyone. But wanted everyone to know I am still here! Got 16 days of work left... FInish on 6th Nov.... And still not replacement or applicant for my job! Great!

Bought some breastpads, sensitive baby wipes and muslin squares on way home tonight! Feel like getting some bits in so I don't have it all left 'til the last minute. Still not sure what muslin squares are for, but most people seem to tell you to get them so I thought I would.

Sleepless re DHs and skiing- mine is exactly the same. It's depressing isn't it? He has already been asking when he thinks the right age to start skiing is... In his mind, it's less than two...

Laugs hope you had a lovely day resting and then going to the cafe! Sounds lovely. I will be doing that at half term - think we all should make the most of it when we can.

Right - need to eat. Am starving. As always!

trikken could that be labour starting?

And apparently frequent visits to the loo suggest that as well so we might have a few early labours on here!

now i am goin to read the couple of pages i missed!

Evening all!

lemontop and broodzilla all nice cosy (&tired) thoughts go to you today!

I had a great day at work - my lovely department bought me a 30min pg massage at a posh hotel with offers of babysitting next week as a leaving gift and we all went out for a really lovely lunch. I had total menu envy though. We'd pre-ordered and I'd gone for quiche since I'm not eating huge quantities at the moment but when the steaks came out with a little jenga-style pile of chips I instantly regretted my decision. Only to be confirmed when said (very pretty) quiche was covered in minging goat's cheese! The chocolate pot pudding (basically a little jar of thick chocolate, with a side serving of pistachio cream and honeycomb) made up for it [full emoticon].

scarlotti you're right about passive anitbodies only lasting 3 months in babies, but as I said, if you get exposed to swine 'flu after your jab you'll make a fresh set of antibodies which will protect your LO right at the time when they are at highest risk of suffering from it. This is all nice theory, but I'm still about taking a vaccine which might make me feel crapper than I am already in the immediate pre/post birth period. We'll see how the pandemic hits up here I think.

southernbelle my sympathies with your SPD and cs trauma. FWIW I had SPD badly during induction, and as DD's head was stuck the pelvic pain was worse than the contractions. I had an emcs and kept suffering long after the birth. I wondered if the action of the baby being born might have actually allowed the bones to realign properly and I missed out on this? Also, the lack of activity after the op meant that I was very slow to build up my supporting muscles again. A friend who also suffered with SPD with both pgs gave birth to #1 lying down and #2 squatting. She kept needing treatment for SPD in between, but it seems to have sorted itself out after #2. A few ideas to throw in the mix... but I definitely know that when they tried to get a blood sample from DD's head @5cm dilated with me in stirrups it was my SPD and physical protests that prevented them from doing it

Hope the trots and contractions and cramps are either sorting themselves out or leading to something constructive

trikken why are you not writing a birth plan? Is it because you don't want to feel disappointed if it doesn't all go to plan (which, let's face it, it very often doesn't)? I think there's sense in that. I have been doing active birth classes, but I'm very aware of trying not to plan too much. I don't want to feel like a failure when if I end up conked out on the bed screaming for drugs

katster I thought I'd lost my keys, but it turned out DH had them at work, so the cafe was off. Just out to get some chocolate now though.

Oh, has anyone else gone completely off fruit and veg? A few weeks ago I was eating so healthily, but now ALL I want is fat and sugar. I've even gone off taking my multivitamin!

katster again, muslin squares have a million uses. You can put them on your shoulder when burping the baby in case they're a bit sick. Dip them in warm water to clean face, hands etc. Drape one over your boob when feeding in public. Mop up the various leaks and spillages. Tie one into a makeshift hat on an unexpected sunny day...

I miss Oxford in the autumn too Shropshire is pretty at this time of year though.

I've been to Hippos in Water but the midwife wasn't there so we just made it up! I feel like such an 'old timer' as most of them there are first timers.

V. tired now. Hippos in Water really tires me out. DH reading story to DSs. I'd better get on and make our tea.