November ladies are having there babies. One by one here they come. But here we'll let the candle burn. Until we've all had our turn

[Ninjacat]

Come on over....

Becky - Chippy would quite happily have had me there, I had DS there and he was over 10lb, but once consultants have said otherwise then they can't really go against it (fair play I suppose - 'in case' something does go wrong). Unfortuantely they won't allow 'transferees' from other hospitals now - all to do with the Oxon NHS trust - 'get them out as quick as poss' policy. Can still go up there for breastfeeding advise mind which I'll try and make use of.

Raggie - my plan is now to go to the Horton - nothing against the JR (have been told I would have to have been on labour ward & not spires there), but I am not a hospital fan & I find the JR very big and having had DD at the Horton (Banbury) at least I am going somewhere I know.

claire I am surprised too! Don't know what I've done to make her move so early, only obsessively sleeping on LHS and the day between her being apparently 2/5 engaged to fully engaged I was out and about a lot.

Don't be too envious, probably just means I have 4 weeks of needing to pee constantly and lots of back pain and pressure. Nice

My DP is also 6'3" and I recommend a HUGE bed. My mum gave us some money for a wedding present of our choice and we got a memory foam mattress and super-king size one. I must say I think SUPER king is a bit excessive but DH loves it. The only thing I don't like is that it can feel like you are the only one in the bed unless you make a conscious effort to snuggle. Good for getting to sleep though and not waking in the night - it hardly moves. wonder if this will be DH's excuse for not waking up when LO needs a feed...

beepbeep Yes, at least you've been to the Horton before. How annoying though - all this needless bloody bureaucracy like the no transfers... We are PEOPLE you know!

Raggie - I know what you mean, I don't feel that the issues I've had have been handled particularly well - but all to do with the consulants -been told one thing, then another, then thought I had it all sorted & they decide to change their mind at the last minute, I think what annoys me the most is their attitude which seemed very much like a 'we are god and there is no discussion to be had'! Bit crap that they get to make important decisions without taking into account the woman's wants (totally understand on important medical things, but feel this has been done more on their 'hunch' & the fact that where I give birth is actually quite important to me has been totally disregarded)

oh dear.

I just watched Holby City on BBCi, and i cried all the way through it

I'm having a self-indulgent day with no DD, ignoring the mess and housework, googling to my heart's content and thinking bad thoughts about my baby's intellect. It's still in a stupid position .

I think I need to go out and enjoy this sunshine that you lot had yesterday and get a grip.

Katster Thanks and I'm with you on the baby coming when it's ready comments - it's a good thing my mum said that over the phone this morning from the Isle of Man rather than in the same room as me, or I may not have been held responsible for my actions!!

Beepbeep The move to a different hospital makes sense when you explain it like that. One of DH's friends is currently in the middle of a long court battle against an NHS trust because the baby got stuck and was deprived of oxygen for so long, he will never lead a normal life but the indicators of that there were problems were missed during pgy and labour... As long as there's a safe and healthy baby and mum at the end of it all, that's the main thing. And maybe you could see about a transfer afterwards, as Becky suggested? x

Bluemaiden I live up a hill in Morpeth (happily avoiding any flood worries every time it rains). I'm ashamed to say that I've never been to explore Durham and have only been there for work - must change that once baby has arrived. Do they have nice xmas shopping? I might persuade DH to come too next month to spur him into action (he's a Xmas Eve frenzy kind of person usually, very stressful!).

Claire I had to laugh at you and your DH-to-be, it sounds so familiar (although my DH isn't a big strapping rugby player, more's the pity!) I wouldn't worry too much about the baby not being engaged yet. I can't remember if this is your first DC but when I was having DD, she was fully engaged at 36 weeks and I remember everyone commenting on how she'd be early since she was so low - she finally emerged at 42+1, so being fully engaged doesn't necessarily mean much! It sounds like you're doing everything you can to move the baby down but perhaps next time you get woken up, use the time to climb aboard to try and shake the baby down! It seemed to work here last week...

It's a good thing I sent DH to work. The contractions I was having this morning once again starting getting pretty painful and then stopped again just after lunch . Am determined not to wallow though so took the time to have a nap, tidy some bits and pieces and am going to revisit my birth plan again - might do two: one for if I ever actually get to the hospital by being in labour on my own and the other for when if I do end up being induced on 21st Nov.

You know some people were saying they were wondering if there bodies knew how to conceive? I'm honestly wondering if mine missed the class on how to give birth. My waters broke last time and nothing happened so was induced and this time it's almost like it gets to a certain stage and then gives up...

RANT ALERT- ARRHHHGGGGG im really mad today the postman has just been and yes its 2.45, i heard him put the letters throught the door so went to get them and found a "sorry you were out" parcel delivery card. so opened the door and he was still in the hall of the flats. So i said im here why haven't you put this through? can i have my parcel.He went on to tell me it was actually from yesterday and the van driver told him to give it to me today. Now i think this is complete crap as i was in all day yesterday and he didnt come and if he had he would have left it then. So i shouted at the postman and said they obviously hadnt brought it and just expected me to go and collect it and im heavily pregnant blah blah blah. Im super mad now as iv just checked the card and collection office actually closed at 1 so i cant even collect it ! ARRRRHHHHHGGGGGGGGGG

misssese That happened to me a couple weeks ago! Bastards!!

aw i love my daughter. she has been ultra ultra sweet this afternoon since she returned from swimming with daddy.

She has just gone for a walk to the shops with DH and her baby and pushchair, its windy so I asked her if she would like to take that stupid quilt thing you get with the moses basket to keep her baby warm outside (never really understood the point of them, anyone?) and she said 'but won't our baby get cold if I take it with me?' I said 'no we have another one here' and she said 'ok, but i will be very careful in case the wind takes it away, i will look after it mama' [cries]

She is also clearly eager to suckle from my boobs She keeps stroking them, and saying 'is baby going to drink his milk from them?' 'i did too didn't i when I was a baby?' and and kissing the flesh, in a 'i would quite like a go' kinda way !!! I wonder where she got that from? So we had a chat about how they work, the names of different bits of my breasts and how baby will drink, and how he will grow like she has and one day eat real food like she does. She was fascinated, and then gave my boobs a very protective hug 'i love your boobies mama' .

She has also been stroking my hair, and kissing me all over and saying 'are you ok mama?' like she is very aware something is about to occur. I have expect to go into labour just because she seems to sense something!

She is the best. Soon, i will have two of the best

Pavlov - your daughter sounds lovely. Mine has just returned from preschool - absolutely shattered, but in a cuddly I want my hair stroked kind of way, rather than the more normal stroppy whingey way, which is quite nice. However DS, having been on quite good form all day, has turned into a green eyed monster seeing his sister get attention having had me to himself all day! How's it going to work with 3?!?! DS just crawled into the door - doh! better go give more cuddles!

Hey guys

Broodzilla I loved your post. So sweet. And I think we would be interested in your list of the "things I never knew". Just promise to bowlderise any gruesome bits to protect the delicate sensibilities of us first timers!

This time last year I was having my second interview for the job I'm now doing. My DH had already got a job in the same area and we hoped I'd get my job so that both of us could have jobs we'd love close together. As we both work in theatre, a pretty small field, it seemed pretty darn amazing there was even the possibility. I started work 2 weeks later and came off the pill just after Xmas. We'd hoped to start ttc the previous spring, but DH's job then just wasn't working out. Could never have believed how quickly I'd get pregnant once we'd started; I mean, I was 37, my eggs were old, yet my very first test was positive.

Erika so great to get your birth story. The 'hairy poo' line is just genius! So glad to hear how happy you all are. Bet your little brother is proud as punch too!

Pav so sorry to hear how your DH is behaving at the mo. It must make things extra stressful for you. Sounds like you are being amazingly strong and posititve. Failing to get that job last week must have been an extra untimely blow for him. Did he get any feedback from the company about why he wasn't appointed?

Claired I love the 3rd boob image . I think I get one of those too!

southern for all your delays. Hope that the reason you've not posted since this morning is that they did have space for you today. Fingers x'ed!

Ooh, wonder how Sleepless is getting on today? And TOK , any developments? Sounds like you won't be needing that appointment on Monday anyway!

I went for fetal monitoring today, and have been booked in for induction tomorrow when I'll be +14. Though, like southern I have to call in to see if there is any space. Have had some good tightenings today, so going to go brave the rain for a long walk to give LO one last chance to make his appearance on his own. Come on Baby!!

venus was just thinking about you couldnt remember if it was your induction today . Also hope evreything is going well with southern , sleepless and TOK!!!
THANKS long it is just so frustrating feel like contacting watch dog lol
Also how long is the longest they will leave you be4 forcing you to be induced im 40+6 today, sweep booked on monday and MW said they will arrange a day my induction when i go in for on monday for the sweep.I just really don't want to be induced but it looks like its heading that way!

Laugs Well, you made me cry today. How can there be room for MORE love? My heart might explode. It's so amazing and so terrifying at the same time, isn't it. Sometimes I get so overwhelmed by how much I love him I then end up in a panic about how I'd ever survive if anything happened to him (que obsessive checking that he's breathing every two minutes... will it ever get easier?)

Pav SO, SO, SOO sorry to hear your DH is being such an arse. I hope he comes home today with chocolate and a big apology. Oooh, and that thing where it's not what they've done but your reaction to it that has caused the argument? I f*ing hate it. It makes me want to run out of the house and never come back. What do you even say to that if you dignify it with a reply? You really have my symphaties.

Wizzy and Katster but surely, as aggrevating the stop-starting is, it must be doing something? Think of all the effacing and dialating that you'll have done before the real thing kicks off!

Beepbeep I second or third Wizzy and Becky, ask for a transfer afterwards. I was told that I could do that (they wouldn't have had me at the local BC because Lukas was so early, but I could've gone afterwards... by then we were in a private room anyway so I decided to stay put.)

Katster Your body WILL know what to do. Trust it. It's amazing. In fact, Lukas' nap allowing, I'm going to start a post-natal thread right now and post my labour story on it, I think it might help (but don't read it if you think it'll put you off... I promise there is no gore!)

Sorry for all of you feeling run down. Do you think it might be the flu-jabs doing their thing? (Having said that, I was at the post office the other day and it seemed like the whole world was coughing and sneezing!)

Bring on the weekend babies!

Sorry I'm being crap today and not replying to everybody, but great to hear from you Broodzilla

Just wanted to say misssese that no-one can force you into an induction. It is a choice that you make, although as a 1st timer it probably won't be presented to you in that way. The reason they induce is because stillborn incidence doubles after 41 weeks or so from 3 in 1000 to 6 in 1000 (I think, from memory) and because of the catastrophic nature of this risk, they advise induction. But it's still a small risk. The alternative is to ask for expectant management where they give you regular scans to check for placental function and fluid levels and you wait to go into labour. Most women do by 43 weeks. If there is concern they will induce or cs you. So you do have a choice about induction, but it's all about weighing up risks of increased chance of intervention under induction vs slightly increased risk of stillbirth or meconium-related problems in a post-term baby.

Thanks hobnob that was really good advice you explained it so i could understand!!! lol iv just been told so many horror stories about inductions its great to have just the facts and when i do go in on monday i can speak confidently about what i want to happen with the knowledge to back up what im saying ( although still dont no how i feel, think il speak to DP and see MW say on monday!) I just want to do the best thing for my baby and myself but its hard to know what that is.

Missese What a knob! Postmen are not my favourite people at the moment, since 2 birthday cards I have sent over the past 3 weeks have mysteriously gone walkabout, I suspect thanks to the dodgy geezers employed to deal with the backlog caused by their strikes. I'm dreading sending my sister's vouchers for her birthday - I can't afford to buy more if they go missing.

Also, you might find this information useful to read through before Monday... I know how scary the prospect of induction can be and wish I'd known more about it before I'd had mine with DD as nobody explained it to me properly then. Hence reading up on it this time round

Ah, Pav your daughter sounds like an angel! How old is she again? My DD is 2.1 and is fascinated with boobs at the moment. I was in the bath when I was ill with swine flu and DH was washing my hair for me with the shower since I felt too ill to stand under the shower to do it. I had my fingers in my ears and my eyes tight shut (DH kept drowning me) when DD grabbed my nipple, making me jerk and choke on a faceful of water. She was fascinated, poking every now and again, saying "Mummy's boob" to herself and asking it if it was happy!! Kids are great, aren't they?!

Beepbeep With any luck, your DD and DS will be more jealous at which of them gets to help with the baby more, if they're anything like my sister's kids were when their little sister came along. Enjoy your cuddles

Venus Any chance of some logistically challenging nookie tonight too to help? I hope you don't get messed about as much as Southern and good luck for the induction if you don't get chance to post tomorrow

Pav so sweet how interested your DD is in the baby, and your boobs! Hehehe

As for beds, we are definitely getting a bigger one after we move! I was sleeping so well last night when DH suddenly got restless and kept me up for an hour... can't get that mad though since he's put up with me flipping from side to side every hour for the last few months.

Thinking good thoughts for Tok, southern and sleepless - anyone else?

Good find with that info wizzy - although it's odd that the syntocinon drip isn't mentioned? Anyway, I really hope that your baby gets going for you and that you don't have to endure a scarlotti-esque marathon of false alarms

wonder is there a market for 'happy due date' cards...well happy due date to me!

anyone's else stomach keep going rock solid?? permanent BH's?

wizzy thats great thanks so much i love everyone on here so so helpful! Forgot to say after all the knitted boobs and willy holders decided to do some knitting nothing quite so risque- just baby booties im making 3-6month size as she already has loads for 0-3 months!

Weston Happy due date!! My tummy was rock hard for about 3 hours this afternoon - I even rang the MW because the baby had stopped moving and I had a constant period-type pain that was making me feel really sick. She said my body was 'niggling'... So we will see. It has stopped now though, as it always does, and baby is wriggling around. I wonder though, possibly in a pregnancy-induced state of madness, whether he must really hate the rock-hard tummy or if it hurts him or something and that's why he goes quiet??

Broodzilla I would love to read your labour story - I am going to check the post-natal board now. I need inspiration from first-timers that female bodies do actually know what they are doing!! I can't believe Lukas is 5 weeks old already!! Have you got a sort of routine going? PLease tell me you are able to leave the house? My freezer has enough food in for about 6 months, 'just in case' it is so horrific that we can't make it to Somerfield ever again (somerfield is literally 3.5 minutes walk away!)

To all those who are 'niggling' - I sympathise with you

Good point, Hobnob - I've just been scanning through the full NICE guideline, but lost the will to live after 78 pages of 124 hadn't mentioned syntocinon...

Missese That's what we're here for! Have a knitted boob to go with your knitted booties!

Weston Happy due date! I don't think anyone's given birth on their date yet on this thread, have they? Perhaps you could be the first?

Got period-type pains now, can't be called contractions. I've decided the baby takes after DH - he's bloody indecisive too!

Wizzy I'm def going to try for the nookie! Just have to get the DH in the mood... Hoping that (if nookie fails) that the pessaries are going to do the trick, as there's still the possibility of going into the MW led birthing unit then, rather than the obs led labour ward right next to it. Not so keen on the hormone drip, but, hey-ho.

Ta for good wishes missease. Re induction, different hospitals/areas have different guidelines for when they recommend you are induced by. Most will want you to consider it by +10 or +12. But as hobnob says, they can't force you. See if you can ask the MW to book you in for a second sweep or some fetal monitoring rather than going to booking the induction straight away. My monitoring went well, so they probably would have been happy to wait a little longer, I'm just ready to meet my LO now so decided to carry on and book the induction for tomorrow.

Good luck, Venus and I hope the nookie does something. How many +days are you? Why don't these babies come with timers on them? That would make it more bearable, I'm sure...

BBL saw your status about M&S - excellent idea about the balloon filled with water. I am going to try that tomorrow!