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

[BeckyBendyLegs]

Here it is!

That's strange Trikken, here the midwives who look after your antenatal care are nothing to do with the birth. So I'll have a complete stranger with me. I don't mind too much, last time the stranger I had was really lovely, and much nicer than the community midwife I'd seen all the way through.

longwayaway I just wondered as I lived in America for a few years as a child (but to British parents) and I can remember my mum being completely in awe of the treatment her friends got when they had babies - your own room in the hospital and so on (she acted like it was a luxury hotel more than a hospital) - so I thought it might have felt a bit like slumming it on the NHS! It's great that you can hopefully have a home birth here though

tamlin, pavlov, comma, beepbeep and was it southernbelle or sleepless? (sorry, I always get you two mixed up in my mind), it does sound like our DCs must be sensing something since they are all being more demanding! I had been wondering if it was just that I was less able to cope with running around after her, but now I'm convinced it's not just that. pavlov did you ever sort out that problem with DD messing on the stairs? Mine stopped a while ago, but just in the last week has started refusing to go upstairs when we get in (we live in an upper flat, so it's unavoidable!). I think she has sussed that I can't carry her up, so we have a big face off at the bottom of the stairs twice a day. [fed up emoticon]

becky did you eat your pasta on time? You can't leave us on tenterhooks like this!

Hi all

Lots to catch up on as usual will do my best to remember who said what!

Laugs DS collapses on the bottom stair too on the way to bed as he knows I can't carry him up

Went back to docs this morning as ear is so sore it woke me up in the night and I had to get more paracetamol. Am assured that it's not an infection 'just' a virus and have now been given co-codamol for the pain but can't take more than two days worth. Paracetamol were barely touching the sides of the pain so these seem better. Just hoping they'll last enough to break the back of it as it really does hurt - and I'm quite a tough cookie normally

DS has a dodgy tum still so we've now had two episodes where he hasn't made the toilet in time. Once at home and once at a friends today - poor lad, it's quite upsetting for them. It's like lurgyville in our house at the moment so if this baby has any sense, he'll be hanging on a while before he makes his entrance!
Bought a load of anti-bac wipes today so going to go around the house wiping door handles etc. later.

Laptop finally on the way and will be delivered Tuesday morning so my lifeline will return and I'll be able to keep up with you all much more easily then

Lurgyville here too. DS2 is shivery and complaining he feels poorly so he's on the sofa with cbeebies and the fire on and some calpol inside him. It's weird but we were going around Sainsbury's and he just started yawning and for some reason I knew he wasn't right and felt 'uh-oh something's not right' vibes. Is that a sign of illness in children? Where did I get that from or did I make it up? Ten minutes later he changed from happy boy to pale boy and shivery.

I did eat my pasta and get to DS2 on time, just!

laugs yes that is exactly the same as DD! She has been great for ages, and just taken to sitting at the bottom weeping for me to get her 'i cant do it, i cant do it' we are in upper flat like you. She has also taken to lying on her tummy again and sliding down them as fast as she can, its nerve wracking when I am in another room and I hear 'bbbbump, bbbump' I run out each time going 'you ok? you ok?' so find her laughing in a heap arms in the air at the bottom. Grr!

scarlotti poor you with the ear ache. I hate earache so much, as it just hurts so badly and is difficult to ease the pain. Do you have a hot water bottle, or a sealable bottle or something? If so, fill it wit very hot water, wrap it in a towel and press it against your ear, it might ease the pain. It is what my mum used to do when I was little.

If I start writing some rubbish in a moment, it is because DD is practising her alphabet!

ds is going babyish too. just had "mummy, rock me. Im your baby."

becky DD is like that too, think its a parenting instinct - she changes very subtly when she is about to be poorly, usually she is a little excitable, or a touch grumpy, or a little sleepy, and she goes grey under her eyes, even if the rest of her is ok, some vibes like you say. Then, later that day she will be sick.

OMG!!! DD is doing exactly the same at the foot of the stairs just this last week or so..we have the same face off laugs and scarlotti its getting really tiring..and her "nos" are getting really ratty. This is so wierd...Tamlin after months of sleeping brilliantly dd has also started waking to be patted my mummy who can't lean over the cot!..

Bikini line is getting embarrassing. I took a mirror in the bath to shave but it really isn't very nice.. too chicken to get waxed!! doesn't it hurt more??

MW appt going well is good news Trikken

How weird about the babies! DD wants me to tuck her in, pat her to sleep. She wants the light on/off (whatever is the opposite to what we have!!!) i was blaming the builders, maybe its not!

Laugs now that you mention it, we visited DH's cousin in the hospital a couple years back when she had her baby, and it was reallly nice. But that was a fairly new hospital. I think private rooms are the norm in the states - haven't heard anyone describe a shared ward experience like I hear about here - which may be part of the reason a homebirth sounds good to me right now. But then I hate hospitals, in general, no matter how nice and new they are.

Did you know that you could ask for a private room in hospital, once you are there? It costs around £400 (per night, not exactly hotel experience but still!) and sometimes if it is really really quiet you can request one they will not charge you, just move you into it, and only move you if there is someone who needs it medically. I was told that last time I was there, I am sure it has not changed.

Just thought I'd let you know there is a thread in Chat about a website that tells you Mumsnet's most frequent posters of the week etc.

Anyway, this thread was the second most active thread of last week and is in the top ten list of most active at the moment. Think how many other posters there are for the whole of Mumsnet to post on more general threads, yet there are about 20 of us keeping this one active. We seriously can't stop chatting.

Should we treat ourselves to a little prize, or just shut up?

I was very lucky with DS2 (born in Chippy hospital). I had a bad night so they put me in a room to myself It was lovely as I could sleep without hearing all the other babies crying and DS2 and I snuggled up by ourselves. I think that's not normal treatment though!

No way about being the second most active thread! That is so funny. Doesn't surprise me.

Just tucked up DS2 in his bed. I will spend the evening and night worrying about him now. Oh parenthood!!! And here I am doing it all again!!!

lol wow. thats pretty impressive laugs.

laugs this thread is almost full already so not surprised in a way!

I wonder if it will all fall silent when the babies arrive? Or will we be here in the middle of the night, baby attached to one nipple, trying to type one-handed?

becky I hope DS2 gets well soon. It is so horrible when they are ill.

DD lost her voice this morning, but didn't seem to notice. She was croaking like a 50 a day smoker! It is odd, because she tends to claim she is ill when she isn't, so I would have thought she would jump at the chance to demand calpol, but it didn't seem to occur to her! I was feeling ill as well, and she told me I had to go and see the doctor and take my trousers off

I am not surprised this thread is so popular! The most popular thread is prob the antenatal thread for October....

Anyway. I am in the US and you get not only your own room with flatscreen TV and extra sleep bench for DP, but your own very spacious bathroom. Food is also excellent, I am just waiting to be back so I can have their fruit salad and vanilla milk shake The nurses are sweet (but one, who wanted to talk me into giving dd bottle so I could sleep). I seriously loved it last time....and I too am usually terrified of hospitals, but MAN. It's something to dream of when you sit sickly in your own messy house with nobody giving a da*n....

comma Where in US are you? I have family there, NYC, Modesto CA and Santa Fe.

I am 30 min from NYC! I used to live in the City, but couldn't face dragging all groceries, dog, and toddlers up a 4rth floor walk-up anymore...

comma BIL and family lives in Queens. More dead people than alive in Queens you know . Where do you live now? Are you american, or an ex-pat?

We can ask for a private room but have to pay £60 a night. Last time I got one for free as that was all they had left!

Been sitting with DH trying to work out childcare cover for labour this evening - nearest family is 5 hours drive so it's interesting to say the least. What's everyone else doing?

Night.

scarlotti oh maybe its not £400 then! Maybe its less, not sure where i got that figure from!

We have 2 lots of friends who we have as standby, they are our family really. Only problem is that one lot, their car has just broken, they are not repairing as they are getting a new one from his father and not til end of october (not new new, his father is getting a new one and is letting him have his current one, so new to them). It means they will not be able to get to us, we might not have time to take her (other friends, live 30 mins away, but friend has new job and will not easily be able to just leave. In her last job she had pre warned them (she was with us at birth) and could leave whenever, but happened to be on leave anyway. Another friend said she would have her for us as third backup too, so i am sure we will figure something out.

Evening all!

Back from my last day at work - I've been very spaced out and dreamy today. Not remotely excited to be finished or about the impending birth, just happy to know that life goes on and I can close the School Worries and concentrate more on the Home ones. Got a lovely big bunch of flowers - I've been really spoiled. We had a nice staff dinner out this evening too. I'm very sleepy though. Will have to crash after I finish this.

Yes, to all the regressing toddlers! Mine has been playing up since August - we've got over the needing to be fed thing I think, and the stairs pantomime has been, gone and is returning. She's been really whingey and quick to cry whereas she's normally very robust and carefree. She's taken to not liking the dark and cries if we switch off the hall light after she goes to bed (after complaining about shutting the blind, etc.), and she can't be bothered to interact with us much and prefers Cbeebies. We think we might have deprived her enough this week to get rid of the unsettling English accent though!

sass the tender part at the top of your bump may be due to your stomach muscles having split a bit. Mine parted company last pg and never really went back together again. This time I go through days every so often where my bump seems to be stretching and that bit is really tender - almost an itchy/painful sensation, and occasionally feels like there's an electric current running through it if it touches anything. I could be making it all up, but that's what I reckon

I'm so impressed at all your preening, especially kyte's brazilians. I don't mean to be rude or offensive but the mental image of a vicar getting a brazilian makes me giggle . Good on you. A braver woman than me. I might just about manage a trim with scissors

pav calm hugs your way re. builder. Hope the new one sorts things out for you once and for all and the finances follow in due course. Take him to the cleaners.

Right. Weekend is here. I think I might wash some baby clothes tomorrow and think about packing a bag. We're in business now!

scarlotti I was just thinking about that tonight. Out trusty childminder neighbour who is always in is moving at the end of the month, so we think I'll just have to call DH away from work and hope that (a) I actually am in labour and (b) things progress at a reasonable pace as it can take him 25-45 mins to get out of town, and the same again for us to get into hospital.