Due Jan 2010...the month our bumps become babes!!!

[mistletoekisses]

Getting us started with our new thread!

Will cut and paste the most up to date list so we know where we are.

god, am such a dafty first timer. midwife has assured me that sharp stabby pains i'd decided just had to be from an uti or thrush or something is just baby's head squashing a couple of blood vessels. who'd have thunk...

also, previously clever baby has done something silly and has gone back to back. DH most amused at my bottom waving in the air most evenings now. turn, baby, turn. any top tips for the slovenly amongst us who can't be arsed cleaning floors and skirting boards while on hands and knees/ have bought swiss ball but too big and squishes my boobs when i lean against it.

sodding keyboard is broken on brand new netbook so no shift key, therefore no exclamation marks or question marks. feels so wrong...

skidoodle, go ahead and self indulge. It's disappointing for you that baby has got comfy cross-ways, and I think you can allow yourself to be fed up about it for a bit. And it doesn't mean you aren't able give birth 'normally' - it just means your baby has settled in a position where nobody could birth him/her 'normally'.

crumpette, hope you are snuggling now, look forward to hearing the news.

Congrats again mistletoe, and well done for getting home with Nico so quickly.

I've been getting period type pains on and off for a few days now, and am trying desperately to remember how long that went on for last time. I have a feeling it was weeks, which is good, as I need at least another week to do the things I need to do. Having said I was worried this baby would come early, I am now willing it to stay there until due date, despite swollen ankles, midwife raising her eyebrows last week at her perception of baby's size, and various other niggles.

I bought a birth pool in a box yesterday, so I am really hoping they can get it to me in normal timescales despite the weather. Picked out a load of CDs for birth last night and made sure the camera battery was fully charged. Still have so many jobs in the house to do though, and getting quite frustrated with DP who is going through a sleepy phase.

I ended up taking DD to our swineflu drop in yesterday, on foot. The whole expedition took us two hours and I was exhausted when we got back, not to mention freezing now my coat doesn't do up. Did feel a bit p'd off that he couldn't drag himself out of bed to drive us down there.

Morning all!!

Have caught up with the news!

Congrats to all the other new arrivals! More boys to even out the numbers.

Crumpette - Hope that no news means some news for you! Heres hoping you are snuggling your bub as I type!

CTFN - thanks once again for your updates. No, I wasnt in Portland, I wouldnt touch the private hospitals with a barge pole - they simply are not set up to deal with any severe post op/ neo natal difficulties. I have heard some utter horror stories from friends who have been there, won't go into them on here. But I was at QCCH, under the same consultant who looked after me with my pregnancy/ delivery with DS. Was just as lovely the second time round - all the same midwives too! If it wasnt for the snow, defo would have stayed a few extra days.

Biccy - sounds as though you are all ready to go. I had put out of my mind DS swine flu jab as they werent doing them before christmas. Will have a talk with DH about whether we have DS immunised too! How is your DD after having her jab? Is her arm sore?

Sioch - have heard about a website that quite a few mnetters refer too. www.spinningbabies.com/. Never used it, but is given out quite often. HTH

Skidoodle - PLEASE do not feel like a failure. The most important thing is the safe delivery of the baby and health of the mother. I think any delivery with those as their outcomes are successful delivery stories. And as Fifi has quite rightly said, this is such a small part of the whole parenting journey. There is so much more to come.

Am sending positive birthing vibes to all those who need it! Bethoo and devotion especially. Bethoo am sure your LO will come soon.

I swear hormones make you slightly mad. Despite swearing the whole pregnancy that this will definitely be the last bub. I looked at Nico this morning and said to DH, 'can we have one more please?'. To which there was a firm 'no!'. Based on my telling him firmly for the last 9 months to tell me no! Hasnt diminished the want/ need though. Gotta love new pregnancy hormones, they do make me slightly mad.

Urgh... so tired today.
DH has man-flu. Had to walk into town yesterday to get him some beechums (sp?).
Slightly annoyed that he didn't get out of bed till 1pm yesterday either.
He didn't come to bed till 2.30am then proceeded to moan at me for breathing too heavily, turning over to often, laying too far down the bed. All while he coughed every 5 mins, farted a LOT (very smelly) and stole the covers. I ended up coming down to try and sleep on the couch at 4am... boys up at 6.30.

It's going to be a looooong day.

Oh... BTW wilko's has pampers wipes on special offer. 97p a packet instead of £2.74. Good to stock up on!

biccy - i had to buy a new liner from birth pool in a box for the pool i borrowed from a friend, and it arrived next day, special delivery (not normal post). so hopefully it will get there in time! they're probably quite used to last-minute orders - i guess that's why they ask what your due date is, so they can prioritise!

siochfrada and skidoddle - sorry to hear about your transverse / back to back babies. mine went from transverse to ceph oblique over the last few appointments - no idea where she is now as last appointment cancelled due to snow!

i've booked some acupuncture for next monday evening as it's supposed to be good with turning babies and inducing labour. my worry is that if her head doesn't engage she won't bounce against my cervix and thin it enough to get labour started naturally. avoiding another induction is my main priority right now!

have also been trying 'inversions' from www.spinningbabies.com - meant to encourage baby to get into best position, but we'll see!

totalmisfit - we love itti bitti d'lish reusable nappies. they're really neat and trim and look so cute! i hated the way most reusables made my baby's bum look like he'd stolen the moon and shoved it down the back of his trousers! the only thing i've heard about itti bittis for newborns is that it's best not to bother with the small size as it's so tiny they're only in it for a really short time. i'm planning on starting with nature baby disposables then moving to medium itti bitti's when she gets a bit bigger.

my DP also seems to be going through a sleepy phase. he's been in bed since 10pm last night, it's nearly 9am now. imagine 11 hours of uninterrupted sleep! what with waking to pee and waking to feed DS1 (still breastfeeding, much to my chagrin, but he just wouldn't wean!) i don't think i've had more than two hours' sleep in a row for the last 27 months, since i got pregnant for the first time.

Thanks ampster, that's reassuring. I've paid for the express delivery which is by DPD, and I've seen their vans around our place since the snow, so I'm reasonably hopeful. No sign of the crib mattress I ordered a week ago though, which is a bit disappointing, though not a disaster as I do have the old one, just wanted a new one on top... Good luck with turning the baby. I thought second babies very often didn't engage until the last moment, so there must be other things that bring on spontaneous labour?

mistletoe, so far so good with dd. No sign of redness on her arm (she had a bad reaction to her preschool boosters so I was a bit worried about that) and she is full of beans and has been since it was done - just very proud of herself. She did say last night that her arm ached, but she could lift it over her head (which I couldn't) and it might just be because the nurse said her arm might ache... I gave her 5ml of calpol and she slept fine (well, as well as ever, as in I wake up to find her snuggled up to me...). She's not mentioned it today. I decided to go for it because she does mix with a crowd of other kids at preschool, who mostly have siblings at school, or go to other nurseries as well, etc. When you hear from people who've had the flu they do say it's bad; the major risk seems to be 1 in a million getting a neurological syndrome, but the risk of getting that is higher if you actually have the flu... and the risk of hospitalisation seems to be higher the younger you are. Oh, and tamiflu might not be all that effective in children. So, all together I thought it was best, especially as we'll have a newborn in the house soon.

Woke up this morning with contractions, been getting steadily closer together and stronger.

Heading to the hospital soon, wish me luck!

I haven't read the last couple of pages here as I'm all of a fluster, but congrats to anyone who has had their baby in the last day or so!

re reusables: I was told that newborn baby poo was a nightmare so I've picked up 5 little wraps, about 20 muslins (gotta love ebay) and have cut up a cheap fleece blanket (asda value) for liners total cost about £15, which I'm hoping will suffice for a few weeks. Also made some immitation nature babies stuffable look a likies for a little extra that I have to say look sooooo cute. Then I'll look at the different options in relation to bub's shape and wee quantity.

I did realise yesterday that I have no idea at all what to watch out for with regards to the beginings of labour. The problem I have is that I've had period pain throughout the entire pregnancy and whenever bub wiggles my tummy feels weirdly tight. I'm still coughing causing vomitting so I get tummy cramps from that. I'm kinda relying on the thing that everyone says about "you KNOW when you get a contraction". Has anyone got any pearls of wisdom that might give me some idea of how the hell to know when things are starting?

ouch ouch OOOOOUUUUCCHHH!!!!!!

Good luck MrsVik! Yey - hoping for news of more newborns soon!

Welcome home MK. QCCH has a great reputation and of course you are quite right about the private hospitals for neo-natal expertise etc.

Those with transverse and back to back babies ... you may recall my many rants and moans throughout my pregnancy ... Olivia was back to back AND pivoted constantly between breech and transverse. Indeed, the day I went in for me ELCS at 38+5, I was scanned and she was transverse. During the epidural she started to move. By the time they opened me up, she was head down and the right way around! That's why it was so bloody difficult for them to do the epidural on me!

It can happen. Back to back isn't the end of the world because apparently it is quite common for the babies to turn during the labour stage to make their exit easier. Tranverse, as you know, definitely cannot be delivered vaginally. Apparently the reason I had such an unstable lie is because I had a uterus full of engorged blood vessels and clots (not sure if they were fibroids or something) but it cut down on the room baby had to turn. So whatever your reason, don't feel disheartened - its just the way it is and you've received some lovely words of wisdom on here from other posters.

Had another day full of visitors yesterday and I had a fab glass of red wine last night ... just the wine as I was worried it would knock me out an I wouldn't wake - or want to wake - for Olivia's nighttime feeds, but it was rather nice, along with fillet steak filled with stilton, jacket potato and salad all prepared by DH who is determined to lose a few pounds in January... rather handy for me!

DH also kindly took Olivia this morning after her feed and I went back to sleep to eventually rise at 11am... aaaah bliss!

Happy Sunday and happy birthing vibes to everyone

sorry x-posted!! Ouch was all I could muster initially !!

Thanks for all your posts/comments everyone, I suppose I had better update that list!

MrsVik---good luck!!!

Expected
1 singalongamumum (DS 18mth)
2 Lisylou1980
3 sunshinejanuary - South London
3 Bethoo (DS 2 DD 8 mon)- Wiltshire
4 pepa (DS 3.5, DD 18mth) Toronto, Canada
5 Jasmeeen (DS1 6yrs, DS2 3 yrs, DC3 gender unknown)
6 oomska (DD 13mo)
6 gizzy1973 (1st baby)
7 natapillar (baby no.4, DD1 9yo ,DD2 7yo ,,DD3 15months)
8 STA1mum (DS15mth)
9 bigpreggybelly (1st baby)
10 Zen1980 (1st baby)
10 lizzylu (DS 14mths)
10 Somewhathorrified
10 kittykat765 (DS 19mth) - Bristol
11 Katiei (DS)
11 anastaisia (dd b2005)
11 lilacpink (DD 3)
12 JoInScotland - 1st baby, Scotland
12 roastbeef
12 quirkychick (DD 4, Norfolk)
13 skidoodle (DD 13mo)
13 LessThenIdeal
13 Sleepingalot - Sheffield
14 Thingiebob - 1st baby (girl) London
15 lynchy09 (DS14mth)
15 MrsVik - 1st baby - girl.
15 Sersi (DS1 6, DS2 4) - Herts
15 Worriedunfortunately (DD 4y)
16 Partyofsixsoontobeseven / SixMincePiesSoontobeSeven (DS 16yrs, DD 11yrs, DD 7yrs, DD 6yrs)- Surprise
16 DesertFairy (DD3)
16 ILoveDolly
17 slightlybonkers (DS 3yo)
17 MrsStripey (DS15mo)
17 showmethemummy/TheGruffalo DD4; DD2. girl
18 alfiesmadmother (DS1 7,DS2 5 and DS3 3)
18 Southwestwhippet
18 Sockmonkey (DS6 DS4) - Notts - Girl
18 Fififorgot (DD 3.5)
19 SuiGeneris
19 DeeMented
19 ampster (DS 18mo)- London E14 - Girl
20 sooooexcited (DS 2)
20 verytiredmummy (DS)
20 Totalmisfit (DD 3.4) - Norfolk
20 helenabeth (DS1 4.5, DS2 20mths)
21 Mowmi - Surrey
23 AutumnAir
23 Noodlesforbreakfast (DS 20mths) - girl
24 Sazlocks (DS 20mo) - surprise
24 Blocka (DD 32mo) - North East
24 Laura233
24 coffeeicecream (DS 9mo) - NW London
24 MamaLazarou
24 Biccy (DD 3)
24 Fibilou (1st baby) - girl
25 Iateallthecreameggsyummy / HurryDowntheChimney
25 MissChatterbox (DD 4.5 DD2 2.5)
25 chickbean (DS1 3.3, DS2 1.3) - Harrogate -surprise
26 Siochfradha - Edinburgh - 1st baby
27 Happybump (DS 19mo)
27 Devotion (DD 6YRS & DD 3YRS)Faran for boy / Sylvie for girl so far...
27 Mama2b5 (DD-15,DD-8,DS-10,DS-4) - S London - Isaiah !!/Aaron ??
28 Brasso4 - Peterborough - girl - 1st baby
28 Maygirl(DS 3)- surprise
29 yangymac (DD 4) - girl
29 Mama2moo (dd 19mo)
30 GetThePartyStarted
30 nervoussara - Brighton
31 IrrationalMother (DS 18mo)
32 Mrsjammi 23rd January - DS1 14, DS2 20 months, DSD 13, DSS 18

ARRIVED
1st Dec - Missmarjoribanks - boy Thomas William Francis (33+4)
10th Dec - ClaireDB - girl Mira - 5lb 11.5oz (36+5)
11th Dec - Alibobins - boy Jacob, 6lbs 1oz (37weeks)
14th Dec - londonlottie - twin girls Juliet 6lb 1 and Eve 5lb 6 (35+5)
15 Dec - Whensmydayoff - girl Olivia - 6lb (36+6)
22 Dec - Liskey - girl Ellie - 5.5lbs
24 Dec - timmette/shinybaubles - boy Oliver - 7lb
25 Dec - Fakeplastictrees - boy Luke Edward
29 Dec - CantThinkofFunnyName - girl Olivia Iris - 6lbs 2 1/2oz
30 Dec - Liny - Nottinghamsire - girl Elise
1 Jan - TheMinnieBauble - boy Freddie - Weight TBC
2 Jan - nomorebboze - girl Megan - 5lbs 12oz
5 Jan - Fraochsmum - girl, name TBC - 6LBS 2oz
5 Jan - FlightofFancy - boy Edward - 6lb 14oz (37+3)
6 Jan - salvadory - girl Imogen
7 Jan - MistletoeKisses - boy Nicolas - 6lb 8oz
10 Jan- crumpette- boy 'babycrumpette'-3.86kg

sorry haven't slept for ages, can't work out my own child's weight in pounds and ounces!

thanks yangymac, am now off to scoff food and have a shower (there was only a bath in the labour room so ... eeugh) over and out

Crumpette - WOW, congrats. 8lb 15oz BTW! Big boy!!!!! That's a quick release isn't it? Hope you manage to get some rest and your DP helps you!

Going to update list as Flyingma said she wasn't on list earlier...

Expected
1 singalongamumum (DS 18mth)
2 Lisylou1980
3 sunshinejanuary - South London
3 Bethoo (DS 2 DD 8 mon)- Wiltshire
4 pepa (DS 3.5, DD 18mth) Toronto, Canada
5 Jasmeeen (DS1 6yrs, DS2 3 yrs, DC3 gender unknown)
6 oomska (DD 13mo)
6 gizzy1973 (1st baby)
7 natapillar (baby no.4, DD1 9yo ,DD2 7yo, DD3 15months)
8 STA1mum (DS15mth)
9 bigpreggybelly (1st baby)
10 Zen1980 (1st baby)
10 lizzylu (DS 14mths)
10 Somewhathorrified
10 kittykat765 (DS 19mth) - Bristol
11 Flyingma
11 Katiei (DS)
11 anastaisia (dd b2005)
11 lilacpink (DD 3)
12 JoInScotland - 1st baby, Scotland
12 roastbeef
12 quirkychick (DD 4, Norfolk)
13 skidoodle (DD 13mo)
13 LessThenIdeal
13 Sleepingalot - Sheffield
14 Thingiebob - 1st baby (girl) London
15 lynchy09 (DS14mth)
15 MrsVik - 1st baby - girl.
15 Sersi (DS1 6, DS2 4) - Herts
15 Worriedunfortunately (DD 4y)
16 Partyofsixsoontobeseven / SixMincePiesSoontobeSeven (DS 16yrs, DD 11yrs, DD 7yrs, DD 6yrs)- Surprise
16 DesertFairy (DD3)
16 ILoveDolly
17 slightlybonkers (DS 3yo)
17 MrsStripey (DS15mo)
17 showmethemummy/TheGruffalo DD4; DD2. girl
18 alfiesmadmother (DS1 7,DS2 5 and DS3 3)
18 Southwestwhippet
18 Sockmonkey (DS6 DS4) - Notts - Girl
18 Fififorgot (DD 3.5)
19 SuiGeneris
19 DeeMented
19 ampster (DS 18mo)- London E14 - Girl
20 sooooexcited (DS 2)
20 verytiredmummy (DS)
20 Totalmisfit (DD 3.4) - Norfolk
20 helenabeth (DS1 4.5, DS2 20mths)
21 Mowmi - Surrey
23 AutumnAir
23 Noodlesforbreakfast (DS 20mths) - girl
23 Mrsjammi - DS1 14, DS2 20 months, DSD 13, DSS 18
24 Sazlocks (DS 20mo) - surprise
24 Blocka (DD 32mo) - North East
24 Laura233
24 coffeeicecream (DS 9mo) - NW London
24 MamaLazarou
24 Biccy (DD 3)
24 Fibilou (1st baby) - girl
25 Iateallthecreameggsyummy / HurryDowntheChimney
25 MissChatterbox (DD 4.5 DD2 2.5)
25 chickbean (DS1 3.3, DS2 1.3) - Harrogate -surprise
26 Siochfradha - Edinburgh - 1st baby
27 Happybump (DS 19mo)
27 Devotion (DD 6YRS & DD 3YRS)Faran for boy / Sylvie for girl so far...
27 Mama2b5 (DD-15,DD-8,DS-10,DS-4) - S London - Isaiah !!/Aaron ??
28 Brasso4 - Peterborough - girl - 1st baby
28 Maygirl(DS 3)- surprise
29 yangymac (DD 4) - girl
29 Mama2moo (dd 19mo)
30 GetThePartyStarted
30 nervoussara - Brighton
31 IrrationalMother (DS 18mo)

ARRIVED
1st Dec - Missmarjoribanks - boy Thomas William Francis (33+4)
10th Dec - ClaireDB - girl Mira - 5lb 11.5oz (36+5)
11th Dec - Alibobins - boy Jacob, 6lbs 1oz (37weeks)
14th Dec - londonlottie - twin girls Juliet 6lb 1 and Eve 5lb 6 (35+5)
15 Dec - Whensmydayoff - girl Olivia - 6lb (36+6)
22 Dec - Liskey - girl Ellie - 5.5lbs
24 Dec - timmette/shinybaubles - boy Oliver - 7lb
25 Dec - Fakeplastictrees - boy Luke Edward
29 Dec - CantThinkofFunnyName - girl Olivia Iris - 6lbs 2 1/2oz
30 Dec - Liny - Nottinghamsire - girl Elise
1 Jan - TheMinnieBauble - boy Freddie - Weight TBC
2 Jan - nomorebboze - girl Megan - 5lbs 12oz
5 Jan - Fraochsmum - girl, name TBC - 6LBS 2oz
5 Jan - FlightofFancy - boy Edward - 6lb 14oz (37+3)
6 Jan - salvadory - girl Imogen
7 Jan - MistletoeKisses - boy Nicolas - 6lb 8oz
10 Jan- crumpette- boy 'babycrumpette'- 8lb 15 oz

crumpette congratulations

cantthink is it really 8lb 15oz?? OMG!!! crumpette passes out in horror!!!

I think it must be written on my discharge summary which I haven't got out of envelope, that is truly SHOCKING !! DD was only a dainty 6lb7oz!

So that's why I'm in so much pain down there!!!

big congrats to crumpette!!!

sounds like you had a rough birth, hope your doing well????

Hulllloooo!!!!
Sorry I have been so remiss - have just got back online after several busy, busy days! I have 6 pages and hunners of babies to catch up on, but just dropping in to say hello and marking my place. I'll be back with the details later (good ones I promise x), just going for our first dog walk now. Oh, we called her Cara Elise Macpherson, after 2 days and shamelessly nicking Liny's name xxxx

HELLO ALL -MAMAS

quick catch up, but first CONGRATS to Crumpette wow big boy - but Thankful its all over and now you can enjoy LO xx
Nomorebooze- hope megans eye get better!
Totalmisfit - all the best for your birthing plans.
Bethoo- i had mad pains in fanjo last nite DH was on stand by! false alarms!
Skidodle - sometimes things are out of our control and we just have to accept it and be in total control and ease of everything!
MrsVik- Good luck - is all well?

Mistletoekisses - Thanks for your labour story.

Baby Shower went well thank you xxxxx glad its over had wonderful gifts and loads of vouchers given xx

Fraochs - luuurrrrve that name! Gorgeous. Enjoy the dog walk and look forward to hearing from you soon.