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....

Ugh poor katster ! What a fright.

Ladies with bleeding nips: do you have gel patches in the UK? They work wonders. I had bloody blisters last time, and the gel healed them in no time. After I bf unbothered until babe had too many teeth. Nipples of steel is the goal.

All the best to you ladies in pre-labor! It'll happen soon and then you'll have your wonderful babies in your arms. I am quite with BBL on the hormonal love-thing. I have to cry every time I think they have to grow and never be that cute bag of potatoes again. ooh, here we go....

Now have to drive to pedi with both babes, even though am not allowed to drive or lift. Stupid dh hasn't even put carts in car as asked, so have to haul more than necessary. [anrgy]

raggie It was funny, actually, because I used the recipe in the Joy of Cooking, and just hours after pulling the pie out of the oven, my favorite food blogger (and new mum!) posted her recipe. It's similar enough that I will direct you her way... smittenkitchen.com/2009/11/sweet-potato-buttermilk-pie/ - she does some fancy things like separate the eggs (I didn't) and use buttermilk (I used a cup of evaporated milk, but 1/2 c of milk and 1/2 c of cream is also good), which might make it even better but I think mine turned out just fine

Yum yum, looks heavenly. Thanks longwayaway!

Hi all, sorry for not having the time to catch up, but finally out of hospital, with.....

Baby Leah Charlotte

Went in on Friday evening (was very shocked to finally get a call from the hospital saying to go in!) and have been in ever since! Was induced on Friday night (well almost Saturday morning as it was coming up midnight) with a pessary. Started having regular contractions on Saturday morning, although nothing really major so to speak. Waited until Sunday to finally see the registrar (due to the high amount of labouring woman, some of whom had to give birth in the corridor as they were still so busy!) who decided to do a controlled breaking of waters as there was so much in there! Waters broken at 1pm on Sunday, strong contractions started within the hour and within 3 hours I was fully dilated. Unfortunately at this point (with epidural, spinal block and all in me) the contractions slowed down! Finally, at 6ish pm registrar decided to assist deilvery and baby Leah was delivered by forceps at 8.52pm. Found out this morning that she had tongue tie (which was why bf'ing was so painful and not working too well) but they quickly snipped it and sorted it before we came home today and bf'ing is now much easier. Am still in quite a lot of pain due to the spd still being bad (made no better by stirrups although I fully supported use of them in the situation) but we are finally home at getting accustomed to life as a family of 4. DD1 is very proud but also a bit put out by all accounts! We are going to have to make sure she feels very involved with everything. At present she keeps 'forgetting' the name of the baby but we have decided to just ignore and when she says she has forgotten to just tell her without making anything of it and hopefully she will get used to it!

Congratulations to everyone else and I wll go and catch up now!

Hello ladies (and babies who have arrived) - have not been around for a couple of months but thought i would check in now and see whats happening....
38+6 and grumpy as hell, here - baby is very low down and very wriggly, regular BH but nothing seriously painful - apart from what feels like a crowbar up my fanny prying me apart... Keep thinking todays the day as DC1 was a bit early.... anyone else grumpy with the waiting? I feel guilty about it too - should be counting blessings and enjoying the moments, instead I am shouting at DH to stop snoring / breathing loudly and grunting everytime i have to stand up / sit down /etc.
And now none of my maternity clothes fit me anymore and I have been wandering around in DH tracksuit and t-shirts and boxers for about 2 2weeks now - the people at DS1's nursery must think I am a homeless person... sigh!!

Congrats on the safe arrival of Leah Charlotte, southern! Hope DD1 comes around soon

Were women really giving birth in the corridor?

LOL should be 2 weeks, not 22 weeks. Crap, could you imagine???

LOL should be 2 weeks, not 22 weeks. Crap, could you imagine???

southern congrats on your little bundle of joy . I so can't believe that women were giving birth in the corridor . How awful. But glad that you got Leah safely in the end. I hope the forceps haven't left you too traumatised, and do try to see an osteopath in the first 6 weeks to make sure your pelvis is realigned before it starts tightening up again, and hopefully the SPD will settle down after that.

Congratulations Southern - Leah is a beautiful name. I'm glad that the labour wasn't too difficult with your SPD and hope you make a fast recovery!

Congratulations Southern - I agree Leah is a gorgeous name, our DD was not dissimilar to yours when DS came home, but it didn't take ker long to come round!

Well bak and home and STILL NO BABY!! Called hospital yesterday morning cause I thought some of my waers had leaked the night before and contractions had been really strong (though stopped durng the night), they called us straight in and at 9 yesterday morning were going to induce us, the MWs were all in agreeance and then a doctor decided not and that they would just monitor me on the ward - didn't fancy a day of being sat on the maternity ward so we managed to negotiate our way out! They did blood tests to check for infection which have come back fine and they also agreed whilst we were in that this baby didn't seem huge and despite what consultant had said about having to have hospital birth because of size, this shouldn't be the case and have writteb this in my notes, hence meaning I can now go to Chippy (birthing centre)!

Felt awful yesterday, was sat in observation room shaking as I didn't know whatwas going on and the fact that they seemed to keep changing their mind on what to do, really didn't want to be induced, but obviously if they thought it was what was best would have gone along with it, feel like this pregnancy is like a yo-yo ride! Anyway now back at home, in same position as before, waiting to go into labour!!

Southernbelle congratulations to your little Leah! What a beautiful name! (Those november babies all have such nice names! We do have good taste!!!) I hope you can recover soon from SPD

Congratulations southern, a lovely name!

I love logging on here and seeing how many more have arrived - it helps me believe that I won't be pregnant forever - currently seems a realistic possibility!

Currently 41+1, had sweep yesterday, am having contractions very 7-8 mins or so and feeling hopeful, but did have hours of 10 mins apart on Sun-Mon so sent DH to work in case it all dies off again.

Hope anyone else in the same situation isn't feeling quite so despondent.

pedal have been at that stage with clothes for a couple of weeks, bump bands have come back in to cover up the gap between mat top and mat trousers!! They are now v stretched!

Pootle, there seems to be some progress! Good luck, it might be your turn!

BeepBeep your poor thing, what a farce. I would have come home in your situation as well. I hope you're not feeling too traumatised.

Southernbelle Gorgeous name, and I hope DD1 comes around! I know it shouldn't, but it made me smile when you said she keeps 'forgetting' her sister's name! I'm sure she'll be ok in a few days, like you said, just make sure she feels involved etc.

BBL Thanks for the vibes. Ninja we are almost exactly the same - I am 39+4 now, and also feel overdue. I think it's 'cos the MW seemed hopeful at my 38w appointment that I wouldn't make it to the 39w one, then she said at the 39w one, 'oh you should have had him by 40w'. And because of the non-stop stupid pain-y niggly things. Had excruciating back ache all night last night, it was really horrid but has now gone

BBL How is the feeding/nipple situation?? I hope it's getting easier. I am really not looking forward to that bit, I must admit...

Hi to everyone else x

Katster the nipple thing is getting better it is the mother that is troubling me - 'oh give him a bottle!' grrrr. I'm trying v. hard. Anyway, more on that later as she is sat right near me holding him...

Don't worry too much about feeding. When it works out it is the best thing in the world and many people find it much easier than me!!!! I'm a drama queen to say the least...

Pedal - I know what you mean, DD & DS had both been born by now, so feel that i'm 'overdue' despite only being 39+2!

Thanks Ursi - I want to be on your side of the game - hope all is going well with Paula.

Comma the gel pads sound great, haven't seen them here but they even sound soothing before I have started bfing!

Katster - the receptionists at the surgery have said, "not that you'll need it" for each mw I have mad over the last month, so I almost resent them now I am 41 weeks!! Hope it happens for you soon.

Contractions are now much shorter 30-40 secs, but closer together 6mins or so. Really don't want it to all tail off again.....

beepbeep Sorry to hear yesterday was so stressful but good news about the Chippy, yea?

Pootle hope this is it for you!

Pootle yay those sound like good contractions!! I know what you mean though, everytime I have something, it seems to 'panic' and tail off.... I do slightly wonder if I will ever have my baby??? What happens if I NEVER go into labour and don't respond to induction?? They don't just make you stay pregnant forever, do they??

katster, according to my consultant MW, no-one has ever stayed pregnant forever - they all make their way out at some point .

pootle that sounds great for you. Stay relaxed and I hope that things gain momentum. I know what it feels like to have a stop-start body.

Speaking of which, at 41+5,

This morning I had a show!!!!!!

I can't actually believe that my body is showing signs of actually knowing what to do (like katster!). It was all a bit awkward as I went to the loo to collect a urine sample, with DD watching curiously. I checked the paper as usual and there was an unspeakable mess on it. Had to get rid before I got the 'why' questions from DD.

I got bored last night and started timing my BHs with the contraction master website, and they were coming every 17 mins or so, on and off. As usual, everything went quiet when I went to bed. However, I was really hot after my shower last night - as in wishing I'd put anti-perspirant on kind of hot. And my legs were really swollen. I tried the acupressure point on my ankle once and the dimple stayed forever! I assumed I'd done so much upright activity yesterday and ball-sitting that my circulation was giving up. But I can't explain the hot thing. It was the same during the night. Our heating kicks in full blast when the garage gets below 5 degrees and it's an utter pain. I was awake from 5am sweltering, with gurgling innards, heartburn and hungry so I gave up at 6:30, got up and had breakfast and went back to bed again. I'm very dozy today and still a bit prone to feeling the heat, but with cold feet.

I saw the MW this morning for a second sweep and she reckons it's all hormonal stuff going on and not to worry. My blood pressure is normal so the swelling thing is ok. I think it's also a positional thing with baby. I just tend to feel my legs 'filling up' at random times. Especially in the shower?

So, the good news is there has been a bit of progress cervix-wise since Monday, I've had a show, a second sweep and I'm actually feeling optimistic about seeing this baby within a sensible time frame. The bad news is that when I feel a bit icky like labour is not far off, or achey, I just wish it all away. It might be time to bite the bullet this week!

Grrrr just written a post and it's disappeared! How annoying. Anyway the gist of it was a big congrats to bbl and southern, great to see more babies arriving! And good luck to everyone else. All is well here although dh goes back to work tomorrow so I'm sure all hell will break loose!

beepbeep hoorah for nice doctors that listen and let you go to Chippy, and hoorah for being let home to relax a bit and allow things to happen at your own pace. Here's to patience...

I feel for you overdue ones - I've been there.

Gel pads - get me some! They sound divine.

My mum has just left. She's been a rock and stayed for five days which was a big help but she has been hard work too in her own way. If I hear her say 'he's just a hungry baby give him a bottle' again I'll scream!!! She means well I know. In a way it makes me more determined to prove her wrong: I can feed a 10lb baby really!

Me too helips Twice! GRRR! Copying and pasting this time.

Congrats southern

Well done BBL for resisting the 'best intentions' of M

beepbeep - ridiculous stress but at least you're back at the Chippy!

katsetr and pedal - I had those regular twinges like you've been describing throughout last night but no sign this morn. No right to be impatient really (only 38+2!) but WHY do people get your hopes up? 'Well, I had DC at _wks so you better be ready.'

I AM. She doesn't seem to be though...

no sign of pav