Due september thread 9

[pooka]

Blimey already at No.9

KiwiCath - are you there? Haven't heard from you for a while - have you moved back to NZ yet, or are you still in the process of getting organised?

Really sorry if I've worried anyone over the uterus contracting pain thing - obviously I am a freak and anything further posts I make on this site should be ignored . Am I the only one who suffered with this, midwife did say that that's what it was as I hadn't had a cs and only a couple of stitches? It really was quite painful and I'm not usually a woosie when it comes to pain. May have been because I later developed an IU infection??

Anyone had their Glucose Tolerance test yet? I've got mine tomorrow, but don't know if I'm allowed to eat before it (have had one before when I was at school, and have a vague memory of not being able to eat beforehand). Any information gratefully received!

Jessysmummy - it's good to know these things might happen, otherwise would be worried when they did happen and I wasn't expecting them!!

Didn't even know we have a glucose tolerance test!! Is it one of those things that depends on health authority? Midwife did take lots of blood at 28 wk check, so maybe that's it?
Can't remember any pain from contracting uterus with either ds1 or ds2. Just took solpadeine for stitch pain with ds1.

I had my glucose tolerance test a couple of weeks ago (stil lawaiting the results tho), and I did fast for mine, although when I asked the midwife if I needed to she was very vague!! I thought I had better fast just to be on the safe side... I imagined I'd pass out from not eating the minute I opened my eyes, but actually I felt ok!! It's not a full GTT, only a mini-one (full one is about 3 blood tests if I recall correctly), this one is just the one blood test (they did a FBC as well). Andif - you'd know if you'd had it, as they give you a bottle of lucozade to drink an hour before it!

KF - I think you have to be fasting for at least 6 hours for a GTT. They take blood then give you some very sweet liquid to drink and then do a couple more blood tests over time - think it varies how many. Some hospitals do them routinely - mine doesnt. BUT... I had midwife appt today and had glucose in my urine so am not allowed any sugars for a fortnight and then see doc again. If positive next time have to have GTT. And I am really craving choc and sweet things at the moment

Does anyone have opinion on breast feeding chairs - they seem very expensive. But we dont have any armchairs in house - just sofa/dining room chairs. ??

Torn between M&P Pramette (may be too heavy) and Maclaren XT (doesnt face you - and think I may like that) Does anyone have a Pramette?

I think I have definitely had the 'nesting' thing going on today - have spent the whole afternoon sorting out clothes, packing winter ones into suitcases for storage, and clearing two big shelves for baby's things! Also ordered some books on Amazon yesterday, which came today - The Baby Whisperer one (which does look quite good) and a one for planning + making babies' and toddler's meals. I'm knackered now tho! A nice long bath is on the cards very soon ...

Boompi - we don't have any armchairs either, I just planned to use that V-shaped pillow I bought to get the baby into a good position. I didn't even know you could buy special chairs for breastfeeding! Don't think we really have room for one tho ...

Boompi - went around to my SIL's sister's house the other day, and she had bought one of those chairs. I remember she was raving about it when she first got it, but noticed that it had been dispatched to a storage room, and she is still bfing her dd. I didn't even know that you could get them until I came over here - all my friends at home have managed to bf successfully without one, although they do all swear by the triangle pillows to put on your lap to support the baby. Know what you mean about having the baby facing you - I would prefer that too, but there doesn't seem to be many strollers around that have that option, and those that do seem to be quite big. The woman at John Lewis was very keen on the Maclaren, especially if you're going to be using public transport.

Rang the midwife clinic, and the receptionist said that you didn't need to fast for the GTT, just said to not eat anything too sweet (so no chocolate for me for breakfast tomorrow ). The test that I had at school involved multiple blood and urine samples, so maybe that's the difference in the fasting thing.

hello all

I hate to sound down - because I'm really excited to meet my daughter (have 5 year old son) but I've starting to get very anxious about the birth - it's taking up all my time in the last couple of days (I had a very bad labour last time) my friend who had a similar bad expereience and who is due in August is quite chilled about it - I wish I could be - I've got 9+ weeks left and need to calm down - or I'll be an exhusted mess by baby day!

Redhelen - Chill out sweetheart. A close friend of mine had a horrendous time with her first but has gone on to have a much better time with her second. I have taken this to heart otherwise i would be in panic mode by now cause i really could do without another 23 hour labour. Shall we save all our horror stories till after the event though as we don't want to scare the first timers here. (I am sure they get enough of that from well meaning people in the real world)

Yes - I don't want to scare anyone. My labour was fine really & I have a fantastic son to show for it. One word of advise I would give any one before going into labour - is ask questions - last time I just let things go on around me and was left feeling very unimportant and uninvolved - not this time!!! helenxx

I saw an 8 hour old baby today . One of my friends had a little girl at home at 8:30 this morning and DS and I saw them at about 5:30pm.

Her feet are sooooooo tiny - can't believe DS's were ever that small (although I am sure they were).

I am decorating the living room with banners, balloons, streamers and presents as it is DH's 30th birthday tomorrow. He has been banished upstairs .

Morning all,

i had my GTT on Tuesday and i had to have a really substantial meal 1/2 hour -2 hrs before. I had a choice on the sheet they gave me and so i had a medium sized jacket potato with cheese, a lemon cheescake yoghurt (yum yum) and a glass of milk. With it you could have unlimited amountsof meat, fish and salad.

Apparently the midwife said that if it was raised after eating that then i'd need to go back for another within two weeks. Think it;s certainly got something to do with health authorities.

Can preganant women get broody or is it other women that see pg women that get broody? lol Silly question just really want a baby, keep forgetting i got one in me already!! Never felt like that before, well not since getting pg, never really wanted kids, but hey once it;s happened not really any going back!

Got a very high sex drive atm aswell, anyone know of ways to get around it, without a man?

Boompi - A friend came round with her 3 week old baby and she had the M & P Pramette. It looked rather smart.

When my dd was bron I got a 2 in 1 style pram - a chassis with a separate pram body that could face me or face outwards and becoame a regular pushcahir. It had great bouncy suspension - even though it wasn't the big, air filled tyres, type chassis.

Although we went on to buy a Maclaren Quest when DD was 7 months old, I used the 2 in 1 the following winter. The Maclaren lived in the car for trips to the supermarket or shopping/travel and the larger pushchair lived in the hall for walks straight out of the front door.

I personally don't like to see young newborns in umbrella style pushchairs - they tend to look a bit slouched and lost AlthoughI know they are not young babies for long and it depends where you live and what your budget is.

After incredibly extensive research we've ordered a Bugaboo but friends have the Pramette and swear by it. We're going to buy a lighter cheapy stroller when the baby's a bit bigger.

I didn't know anything about the GTT - does everyone have it?

I've got my 28 week scan this afternoon - hoping to find out if we're having a boy or a girl, but really just desperately hoping everything's OK this time.

Picallili - lucky you getting to have another peek! Fingers crossed that everything is OK.

Had my GTT - midwife made a right hash of getting the needle in 'Well I know it's in, because there's blood running down your arm, I wonder why it's not going up the needle and into the container?' . A few wiggles of the needle later and all done... Now have a most attractive purple bruise on my arm. Lovely.

Off to Brighton/Eastbourne/somewhere between the 2 for a Hens weekend tonight. Thankfully it should be relatively civilised - we're rented 2 cottages and the plan is to lounge around by the pool tomorrow, pub lunch, then a BBQ tea tomorrow night. Perfect as I can sneak off to bed if/when I get too tired. Looking forward to having the bed to myself and not having to battle DH for some space !

Piccadilli,
I just spoke to midwife about the GTT. She told me that it is to monitor mums who had increased sugar levels in their blood tests taken at 16 or 28 weeks.

It was either blood or urine test! Sorry Pg brain confused again [embarrassed]

stm - I seem to have the same prob, increased sex drive but no joy, even though I do have a man at home! He says he feels weird about having sex because he can't get past the baby growing in there thingy! Anyone else got this problem?

Hi All - yep just starting to think should really get a bit more organised and am inspired by all the talk of hospital bags! Baby's room is full of junk and a big bed so need to get clearing-out. Got Cot, Car Seat and Buggy ordered - went for the bugaboo cos I liked the pram bit and all lookes v easy to work (cot and buggy are treats from very excited grannys so feeling v lucky). Working from home today so on v slow dial-up but meant I could have a lie-in - loveley.
I had my glucose test at my last midwife appt (27 weeks) and I had to drink Lucozade an hour before they took my blood. Definitely sounds like it differs a lot from place to place. Just got my NHS antenatal class dates through - my 2 labour classes are weeks 37 and 38!!!! surely a mistake, have just emailed them to check. Very relieved that I got my NCT classes booked - start next week (30 weeks).
Hope you're all OK and its not too hot,I'm making the most of not being stuck in my stuffy office - all windows wide open
No similar problems with d/h jaxpax just lack of energy on both our parts roll on the weekend...

piccallili - meant to say, good luck with the scan - hope all is ok, will be nice to have another peek inside

Jazpax - some health authorities do the GTT as a routine, I have never had any glucose in my urine so far, it must just depend on the NHS Trust...

Kiwifruit - your hen weekend sounds very civilised! Hope the weather is good for you and you have a nice time Have you managed to book in for UCLH yet?

Are my ante-natal classes really late? I don't start mine at hospital til 4th August, when I'll be 34 weeks. I don't even know how long they run for, what will be covered or anything ...

Think I have decided to opt for a waterbirth (if all goes to plan!), despite hubby saying "why don't you just have what everyone else has?!" . Don't think he quite gets the whole being able to choose thing! What sort of birth are other people planning? just curious as to whether many others are planning a waterbirth ...

Hi LadyL - got my transfer to UCH through, and have my booking in appointment next week. Thought I might as well do my GTT at St Marys since I had the appointment booked anyway.

Haven't sorted out any ante natal classes except for the NCT one (1 'labour' day, and 1 breastfeeding evening). UCH classes sound like they operate on a drop in system, but will find out more next week I guess.

Am hoping to labour in the birthing pool - not sure about actually delivering in it though. The UCH birth pool room also has a bed in it, so you can switch if you want to (St Marys one doesn't from memory). Suspect that chances of getting the birthing pool in September might not be great, as it seems to be a really busy month for babies (have seen 4 different midwives so far in my pregnancy and 3 of them are pregnant and due in September!).

Zubb - I use the BabyBjorn sling - the basic type as it now seems to comein two varieties. Have used until dds were 18/20'ish months old & never a problem to carry them about. I did prefer the older version that had press studds but when I replaced mine for dd3 the sling has a slot in clip to fix baby part onto the straps worn around the shoulders & front.

Boompi - you don't need a bf chair. Imho - an expensive waste of money. You just need to have a chair that helps you maintain good posture to bf - straight back, feet flat on the floor or on a footrest, arms supported by cushions if necessary. Bring your baby up to the breast rather than bending down to your baby to save straining shoulders, don't lie back as this makes it harder for babe to latch on - important when both mum & baby are learning a new skill plus will help avoid sore nipples.

RedHelen - it can be useful to share a difficult birth experience - if this would help you sort out what happened and help you look to the future. I don't think it would scare the firsttimers either but would help them to be ready to ask questions and to know what can happen.