Due Jan 2010 - the final countdown and singing Auld Lang Syne to our bumps

[CantThinkofFunnyName]

Last thread nearly full - so here goes - our last hurdle....

WMDO - so sorry to hear about the family! Some people are incredibly self centered and think only of themselves. It really wasnt fair on you at all. And if one of the DC's was upset at not being able to come round, then the parents should have explained why. Lessons in how to be considerate should start when they are young! I do hope it didnt totally ruin christmas for you!

No news from FPT - so am assuming she is cuddling her bub as we type!

Cannot believe Christmas is done! Am uber relaxed today, but need to ensure that the nesting mode does not extend to packing the christmas decorations away just yet!

Hello to everyone, roll on Jan and more bubs!

WMDO - x-posted so I missed yours! OMG - how dare the family do that. What does your OH say to it all? Can't he step in and sort this out? FFS, you've just had a baby, she's not been well with jaundice etc, you are absolutely shattered, you shouldn't need to make excuses.

Feel free to come here and moan - it appears to be my favourite pastime .

Unmumsnet type hugs...

Good Boxing Day all.

wmdo OMG!!! If I had inlaws like that I would seriously have told them all to F%*& off. the way they behaved like children is disgusting. I hope it didn't spoil your day to much, hope Olivia is better soon.

I too have a dh that is a star, had a lovely 3 course dinner (I did help with veggies whilst sitting watching tv) then both sets of parent round for drinks last night, I was taxi but didn't mind its usually mum. Night ended around 1am and now my poor dh is suffering greatly.

Any way hope everyone is well, my bubs can come anytime now I'm ready and waiting. We're off to mums for dinner and then boxing day tv until late.

3 Days cant how exciting.

Check in later.

37wks toady.

Obviously thats was supposed to say today not toady. lol

Had a lovely christmas day was really quiet Jacob slept through most of the day
He's still not drinking too much but seems to like little and often.

wmdo hope you have a more relaxing day today x x

Wonder if we had christmas day babies.

CTFN your DH is indeed a star! He sounds lovely as does a few other DH's. It's nice to hear as sometimes I feel so sorry for the girls on here and other threads when they describe some very selfish men. Some shocking stories since becoming addicted to MN!

My DH is a lovely guy too and very supportive, however, it's only been since the DC's have arrived that he really stands up to them and even then it's a case of too little too late.
He/we should have stood our ground more over the years but we are a bit too soft and they (3 Sil's and MIL) are hard faced and as brass necked as they come.

He did go round to Mil's this week to tell her that from now on, xmas would be spent with his wife and kids and they were very welcome on xmas day, which they were and they did come but that doesn't mean all the sis, Bil's, neices and nephews every year.

He told them that he is different from his sisters and wants to live his life his way and at 36 he was more than entitled.

Lots of crying and emotional blackmail but not half as bad as when he then had to explain himself to the 3 Sisters, nightmares.

My day wasn't all bad but they certainly took the shine off everything and im annoyed im left, yet again, with bad memeory's of a special occasion because of them. I wanted the birth of my 2nd and who knows, maybe last DC to be special and as it was xmas it seemed even more so.
Anyway, I have to move on from it.

Still havent managed to leave the house as Olivia wanted another feed and then poo'd all over the bed covers as I was changing her, then DS decided he wanted a nap! The joy's - wouldn't change it !

Wish me luck at the in laws today, I need it!!

What a bunch of a**eholes, I am seriously mad for you. The audacity to say she doesn't care how tired you are - HE-FECKIN-LLO!!!!!! I'm not surprised you were upset, I would have been shaking with rage. As is often said, you can choose your friends etc. etc.
Have a much better day with your lovely kids and husband xxx

Ahhh back home, survived without too much hastle although the usual pass the parcel with the new baby came as standard.

alibobins I meant to say to you earlier, Olivia (same gestation) sounds same with feeding as your Jacob. She just sleeps all day and the feeds are so small and sometimes she is just not interested. It's very stressful when it's been 4 hours since she showed any sign of life and Im meant to feed her every 2 hours.

Im panicking that I have a poor milk supply later on when she is more interested. I keep trying to express in the mornings but never get the time and last two days have been so hectic i havent been able to.

I just thought id say as it might make you feel better too. Maybe it's the fact they are 3 weeks early and we will both be back on here in a month moaning they never stop feeding!

Hi all, congrats to the new mums and mums again!

I haven't had time to read the whole thread but just wanted to post to get this off mychest and see if anyone had similar experience with a low birthweight baby...

Mira had lost too much weight on day 5 (15% of birth weight) so we were readmitted to hospital and I tube fed her and then switched to breast feeding supplemented with bottles of expressed breast milk or formula.

I felt bad giving her formula and bottles so early as I expected to exclusively breastfeed but she was so sleepy and would not feed for very long. Also she does not wake up and demand feeding. Initially I assumed she wasn't hungry. I felt really guilty as I had let her lose all that weight and didn't know anything was wrong.

Things are better now. I am at home, breast feeding her every 3 hours and and toping her up afterwards with 50ml formula. If she is too tired to breastfeed I am giving her expressed milk instead. She is gaining weight well but this wasn't what I expected. She is looking much healthier but I still have to wake her up to feed.

Anyone got any advice?

Evening all.

I hope you all had fab Christmases. We had a lovely day yesterday with Mum. DD had a ball opening all her presents and has been a total star. We were with my brother today, not so good, SiL is as mad as a box of frogs and I really had to stop myself saying something rude! Still I made it through, only to get back home to a message from PiL saying they are arriving tomorrow for lunch. Not what I was expecting, I thought they weren't coming until the afternoon. So now I have to get the house ready by 11am!

WMDO - so sorry to hear about your in laws, and I thought mine were bad! Try not to let it get to you, I know its easier said than done but just enjoy your time with the DC and DH.

I had a nasty fall on Christmas Eve, fortunately I landed on my hip, not the baby, but I am so stiff and sore. We did think I might need to take a trip to hospital, but baby is moving well so I think everything is ok.

Will be very glad when DS arrives on 25 January!

Evening all - hope you have had a lovely couple of days.
We had a grand day yesterday. DH, DS and I - it was quite selfish to be by ourselves but very lovely. DS very enthralled with all his gifts. DH was a total star and cooked xmas dinner.
Family and friends round today so busy but nice.
shiny much congrats on the birth of baby Oliver and hope DS stays on the mend and Oliver doesn't catch what he had.
Lottie LOL at your description of leaving hosp in flip flops ! Isn't it bizarre how much fluid you retain - I remember having huuuuuge wees after I had DS !
WMDO your in laws sound like a nightmare - how dare they ruin this special time
claireDB sounds like you are doing grand and don't beat yourself up for not knowing that something was wrong - I don't think you could have possibly known. You might find it reassuring to speak to an NCT breastfeeding counsellor or La Leche league are good and I am sure you will find some good advice from people who have been in a similar situation on the BF thread here on MN.

londonlottie I've just seen your fantastic news - congratulations, they are gorgeous! No more helicopter rides for you now!

Morning lovely ladies.

ClaireDB - I second everything LondonLottie has said to you. I don't think there is an exact science to it, but London has received excellent advice and is going through the same as you right now. The important thing is not to beat yourself up about it. You do what you can and if, for whatever reason, BF doesn't work out for you and Mira, formula will do just fine .

As you can see by the time, I have a lovely early start again today! As much as I have complained about the female form for the past 9 months, it is quite amazing isn't it - how the body prepares for birth? I'm now sleeping in 2-3 hour bursts, waking for loo trips, Rennies and this past week, pure pain and discomfort with SPD, general aches and pains and this stupid swelling!

I can't recall ever being swollen like this in my previous 2 pgs. Any advice on how to reduce the oedema? It's sooooo uncomfortable.

Anyway, off to attempt a bit of ironing and then going to bribe DS (10) to help (read: do) the dusting and hoovering later before stepkids arrive from Ireland!

WMDO Feel very cross at your ILs. Hope the rest of your christmas holidays go more smoothly and stress free

fifi ouch! Hope you feel better after your fall.

Had some friends over last night which was really nice... except it has left me very tired. They didn't leave till 11.30, which in normal life isn't too bad, but I'd been itching to get to bed since about 9.30! I'm such a lightweight these days, I can't stand the pace. (also sorry about TMI but I had a really dicky tummy & had to keep running to the loo)

Hope you all have a lovely relaxing Sunday.

Oh Lottie, just seen those twin pics on a full-size computer screen. So cute! They're such nice pictures, love the symmetry.

Cantthink am with you on the insomnia. Remember this from the last few weeks last time - I've been waking every 2 hours to pee for months but towards the end it seems as though I / my body just completely give up on the idea of sleep. Last night I was surfing the internet, reading mumsnet and trying to write a birth plan between 2-4.30am. Just knew there was no point even attempting to get back to sleep.

Anyone else done a birth plan? Anyone else always feel vaguely silly writing one?

My last one turned out to be a complete work of fiction - wanted all natural, ended up induction / epidural / retained placenta / PPH. I feel silly writing my wishes out again, but at least with a home birth there's a bit more chance I might get away without interventions...

Thanks for the advice re the splints and tubigrips. I've been getting this since week 16-18 but back then it was more a minor annoyance as opposed to something keeping me up, making me drop knives and unable to press buttons (nightmare when trying to familiarise myself with the carseat).

The splint did work... ish but I managed to leave it behind in a hotel somewhere (pulled it off in annoyance in the middle of the night) and was so cross with myself I've not got another one since (irrational PG hormones maybe?). I'll try my tubigrips to see if they work any better (esp since I can wear them all day) but I am now conscious of the positioning of my arms at night but the numbness and pain really just stretches throughout the day now. Guess I really should not moan considering that is my main gripe and have managed to miss the fluid retention in my feet/ legs.

somewhat They say it normally does go away once you have had your baby but I also know a few people who have since had it recur after their PG and throughout BFing so I am keeping my fingers crossed... at least metaphorically speaking since my fingers currently are quite useless. Thanks for the note re the 9Vs, I got mine now... do you think I will need more than 1? I got a 9V and some AAAs for the bub's cot (some fancy vibration/ light action apparently).

crumpette It's been mentioned before but have you got the exercises for before bedtime that are supposed to help with the cramps? I can't promise that it works but mine comes and goes.

You managed to get your TENS? I only got mine a couple of weeks ago - 20% off at Lloyds for their new ones that offer of which still seems to be running. Like somewhat, I was not going to bother but my MW friend said that I have no idea what my labour is going to be like so really I should keep my mind open to anything which will help get me to 5cm dialation when I can use the birthing pool.

Fraochsmum so that you have aquanatal on Xmas eve. They stopped all our local classes for over a week now and won't be back till the new year so am going a bit stir-crazy at home LOL

Lottie hope your "unidentified object" was in the clear. You made no mention of it in subsequent posts so I am presuming all is hunky dory in that area. LOL at the flipflops - glad to hear that I am not the only one!

saz Positive vibes coming your way re this birth. I hope that with a bit of time to get your head around this it will seem less insurmountable.

shinybaubles ((big hugs)) that DS was allowed home and congrats re baby Oliver. Hope all's going well with the DC... and of course that you are doing well.

WMDO Like the rest of the ladies I am so on your behalf at your in-laws. I would have thought that since they have kids of their own, they would understand the need for you to rest up well etc. Life can be difficult enough trying to adjust to the new baby, the last thing you need is a whole bunch of 'kids' who should know better to worry about on top of that! Hope that now that time's passed that the worst of it is over!

Gaa sorry for the length of that post you can see how I exacerbate my carpal tunnel...

/off to Boots to try to pick up some more pads as I recall the Ultra Nighttime ones were on offer a few weeks ago.

Oh My GOD!!!!! WMDO - Your Sis/MumInlaws sound like a totally nightmare and i would be so angry and would really of let loose my total disgusts of there attitudes and being so selfish!
is it possible you can get dolls made up of them and stick pins in it!!! (Joking)
how thoughtless and damn right rude whist reading it i was in rage like it was me!
My Mil is so not like that and i so thankful she can be pushy sometimes but thats all stered towards her oldest son my DH and he can well handle it himself! i sometimes believe its like throwing a dice on the family you get when you get married!
This Christmas MIL totally understood that we didnt want any fuss and wanted a strictly family christmas it being our 1st without Mum - so grateful she backed off do believe it was down to DH and a good talking!

Big hugs to all feeling pain and discomfort from carpel pool, spd and all types of swelling im quite painfree apart from turning over in bed and now no need to much getting up for a wee! we went to see the new "Sherlock holmes movie" at greenich last nite and i really did enjoy it! thumbs up!
i avoided all drink so i never had to get up once throughout the movie!!!!( YEH)

Morning! Just back from latest mw appointment and all is well (39 weeks tomorrow) - baby lying sensibly, bp normal, 4/5ths engaged, and iron levels even better than last time. DH seemed slightly disappointed that he may not arrive at due date, he does realise it's not an exact science but is just desperate to meet the wee one! Next app is a week today, where they may do an internal and possibly a sweep, depending on how things are going.
Flyingma, yes we are very lucky with the aquanatal - the mw wasn't even working but came in especially for us
To those who are breastfeeding their early wee ones, I think you are doing a brilliant job and should be commended for trying as much as possible when it must be extremely difficult.
I've got several coming for dinner tonight, so better get cooking - DH is plonked in front of the fitba so I might as well do something useful!

Flyingma I got 2 9v batteries, just to be on the safe side as I don't know the draw on the TENS...might cane the battery and don't fancy having to send DH to buy more in the throws of labour.

I'm desperate atm not to go into labour as I seem to be having a menieres attack so basically my head is permanently spinning, rather annoying and really don't fancy the whole birth thing at the same time. It'll stop in a few days, normally does but until then keeping legs crossed.

helloo

so, no baby here! wonder how fakeplasticchristmastrees is doing!?

shiny huge huge congratulations on the arrival of baby Oliver! I love that name. Also so pleased to hear that your DS can go home, hope all goes/is going well

flyingma I haven't been doing any exercises before bed (and nor do I have a tens machine lol) I am not particularly organised I will try and look up exercises as it wakes me up every night it's so painful! good idea

ClaireDB as lottie has said it sounds like you are doing the very best you can for little Mira and as she gets stronger she will be more willing and able to breastfeed for longer, before you know it you will be wondering how she can possibly still be hungry

lottie your LOs sound so so adorable! Hats off to you for doing so well breastfeeding, bottlefeeding and expressing for twins, wow, I am amazed you have time to type anything!

WMDO your in laws sound absolutely ghastly, pleased that yesterday wasn't as bad as it could have been, I think you are amazingly polite and restrained!

well, yes, no news here!Very boring quiet christmas for me, DP still failed to get any food so he ate reheated noodles for xmas dinner and I ate a salmon and cream cheese sandwich! He still didn't get me a present so he's not in my good books but I got a card, which is better than nothing!

MW on xmas eve said bp still high (not sure if I've posted since, probably have!) and trace of protein but am under strict orders to lounge about doing nothing at all until weds (39wks) when I will be seen again. She was a bit annoyed I hadn't seen the consultant at the hospital again, but I explained I tried to make an appt and they didn't have another one until after the due date.. what can I do!? I think with my history she would rather someone else had the responsibility of my care, but I can't make an appointment if the hospital won't let me!

Have realised I am so not ready for baby, still, the drawers for baby's room (ordered in november!)haven't arrived, am missing various parts of the buggy, and I have only just realised that I got rid of DD's blankets as they were pink so this LO doesn't really have any bedding! how could I miss that!?

Anyway, back to doing nothing for me, may waddle to the kitchen and forage for biscuits! hope everyone is well