Due March 2010 - "Hello Baby... Goodbye Pelvic Floor"

[Arcadie]

Welcome to the March Preggos. Here's hoping we see nearly 1000 posts before anyone pops!

Hi shroomer light blankets are fine, especially if you plan on swaddling. Just ensure that baby's feet are at the bottom of the cot and the blanket is tucked in with their arms free. In the first month they don't tend to move too much in the night, its when they can roll over and move up and down the bed that the sleeping bags come in to their own.

Hello ladies,

Thanks for the continuing get well wishes. I'm actually feeling slightly stronger today (whispers so as not to jinx it) and just had a nice coffee and chat with my two best friends who came round to visit, so that was a nice slice of 'normal' life - although I do still feel very self-conscious of my weird non-moving half-face (I make it sound so attractive don't I...). Just hoping every day to feel a bit more fit and healthy, even if the facial thing takes a bit longer to wear off. I have a BABY to push out of me in about a month's time, for goodness sake - I need to be WELL!!

I want to play Pixie's guessing game too - but I think the 8th might be a bit too soon! I'll go for.....12th February! I reckon somebody might just pip P&P to the post!

swaddling - looks like I'll be giving this a try with DD2 as I've just bought an overpriced but very cute white one with little red stars from Boots. Hey, if she doesn't take to it, it'll make a nice wee blanket anyway!

Also awaiting a little box of goodies from Mamas and Papas...can't wait to see the bits I've ordered

PS Pacific hope your DS calmed down quickly last night and is over his plague fears?? Poor wee thing - it's funny the things they get into their heads, eh?

Swaddling is so great, the midwifes at the hospital dit it on DD and she was instantly calmer. Arms need to be inside so they can't be waved around! Think we kept doing it for about 4 months or so. This time I have bought a purpose made swaddling sheet from Mothercare to make it easier but it's not necessary.

Pixie - Hmm I'm sure it's more fun to be a SAHM with more kids, but I just don't like it... I really wanna work, I so miss having an adult life. I'd like to work in temp & contract jobs though so I can chill and spend time with kids as well in between. We might try to take up modelling at some point (if DD would be accepted again) but I feel we live too far away from London now.

I can't believe some of us will be giving birth soon! So exciting. I think I've changed my mind, I do wanna read about the births (before I've given birth myself) but I still think birth stories should be on the new post-natal board which of course the first person to reach "the other side" has to start.

Hi Ladies.

Mind if I join you? I have been posting on the due in Feb thread, but after my visit to the consultant today, I decided I had maybe better come on here too!!

Quick summary. I am due on 27th Feb with ds2. I have a 4yo ds who was born by elective cs because he was breech. So, I am at a higher risk of rupture because of the cs, and because I also have a bi cornuate uterus.

I saw the consultant today who is happy for me to have a trial of labour. The catch is that they won't induce me if I don't go into labour spontaneously, because that further increases the rupture risk. So, I have been booked in for a section on 8th march (9 days over my due date) in case I haven't gone into labour before then.

My pregnancy has been trouble free, but I broke my ankle on 3rd Jan, and had surgery on it on 14th Jan, so I have the slight complication of being on crutches just now....

Hope you don't mind me gatecrashing. I will go and read back a bit on your thread now.

Hey Mawbroon crash away - I was thinking the other day how I should almost certainly have joined the April thread as I'll prob have DC3 on about 9th April! Sorry to hear about the broken ankle esp the surgery - how do they manage that when you're pregnant?!

The surgery wasn't pleasant. I got a local anaesthetic and no sedation because of the baby. I had to be propped up on my side because of the weight of the baby/uterus/etc/.

Luckily I was allowed to listen to my iPod, but I did have to turn it up at one point when I heard drilling and the suction machine.

Had I not been pg, I would have asked them to knock me out!! The operation took 54 mins, which was probably some of the longest 54 mins of my life!!

I am recovering well though and baby is none the worse for wear.

GULP mawbroom well done you!! Very brave! and welcome!! I CAN'T remember her name (sorry) but we had a BrokenShoulderLady join us early Jan who will probably empathise with you and your broken bones...
I'm like arcadie i'm sort of wondering (much as I love you gals) whether the april thread should have been me but hey, frankly, i have enough keeping up with you lot without having to take on more names etc!
I have a physio appointment and...SHOCK HORROR....it's actually come up before the baby is due!! Amazing, this NHS lark is, sometimes... hips are behaving more though i think it's more down to me being careful and resting than a cure...
Apart from the usual nesting stuff that seems to be kicking in (i'm actually contemplating getting the sewing machine out, puree/domesticgoddess I may be in touch..) I also seem to be in the process of Planning DC3 (no i haven't consulted DH). Do kick me in May and remind me of this as I collapse with tiredness glow with new motherhood....
nice quiet day here. will be lurking

by puree/domestic goddess i mean, i think puree is a proper domestic goddess with a blog and everything but i might be wrong in which case sorry (and sorry for typo)

There was no being brave about it MummyElk. It had to be done, and I just had to get on with it!!

IWCAS - bummer about your work. Shove your head under the duvet on Monday and don't come out!!!

I stopped working in the middle of October. I had been childminding since my ds was 11 months, so I though I would take lots of time off to spend with him before the new baby came. We would have loads of time to do fun stuff before I got to big. Then, between Oct and Dec, one, some or all of us were ill in the household constantly for 9 weeks. We had croup, three different stomach bugs, two ear infections, flu, and something else, can't remember what. Then I was like, oh well, we can get back to normal after the new year and do all the fun stuff, only for me to break my ankle. So, we haven't had "normal" in this house for months!!!

Hi mawbroon - I think i remember you from the Feb thread which I was on (due 20th Feb so don't really know what I'm doing here!). What an absolute nightmare re your surgery but glad you are now on the mend and fingers crossed you will have a lovely spontaneous VBAC!

IWCAS - oh you poor thing, you really have suffered this pg, haven't you? Hope the physio can help with the pain. And re your boss ringing you, could you not just pretend not to hear the phone?!

pacific - I also want to know the plague story and really hope your poor DS is OK now

Have had awful pelvic/ligament pain today - you know when you take a step and screech out in agony? Very embarrassing as I have been testing participants on an experiment all afternoon and they must have thought I was some kind of crazy banshee

33 weeks today!!! Pitifully, woefully behind most of you but hey - every milestone. Calculated today that if Tapioca arrives 3 weeks early (earliest possible for homebirth) then I've only got 4 weeks to go.... Nowt compared to Puree's 1 week though eeeeeekkkk!!!!!

hey everyone,

mawbroom i remember you from the feb thread- i joined as i thought my due date was feb 16th but my scan moved it to march 3rd!!!!
sorry to hear about your broken ankle must be so difficult to keep your balance using crutches- my balance is awful with 2 good legs!!!

has a manic day here, its dd's 2nd birthday on sunday so had various family members and friends popping in with gifts!!! my house is a bomb sitre due to other children empying toy boxes and tehn going home!!!!! my one friend also dropped in alot of baby stuff she has soted out so we now have a play gym, swaddle bankets, box of toys and more coats than any child can wear!!!!lol

she also gave me some maternity tops too,

any how off to put ds to bed as dh is out having a much needed hair cut!!!!LOL

Hello, sorry I haven't posted for a few days. I've been ignoring all advice to take it easy and been on a nesting frenzy. Trying to give myself only a few tasks every day though as I"d be quite happy scrubbing the oven/miltoning the baby bath/finding imaginary cob webs 24 hours a day - especially as I too have insomnia!

Welcome mabroon - I don't envy you that surgery at all, but glad to hear you are on the mend now.

Soooo exciting that puree and mumbot are due to give us our first babies so soon. I'm secretly hoping mine will come a bit early - any time after 37 weeks is fine with me - as I feel I've already been off for so long.

Arcadie - not long now eh? I feel every week is a milestone at the moment.

MummyElk - the nesting thing is weird isn't it. It's like a compulsion. I've started making curtains for the baby's room on a complete whim and am also recovering a chair in there.

IWCAS you may have to tell work to bugger off at some point. I did do quite a bit of work in my first 2 weeks on maternity leave, but realised that if I didn't stop they would NEVER stop calling em and wasn't keen on being on a conference call in labour. I know it is easier said than done, but there are always ways for them to manage. I run a team, my immediate boss was also on maternity leave and my maternity cover couldn't start until mid-Feb, but they worked something out without me.

Sarah hope the house gets back to normal soon!

Bluey fingers crossed for the interview.

I know I've missed some people out (gulp) but have just spotted another cobweb and simply must remove it and sterilise the area. Ahhhhh losing my mind!

Arcadie yes happy 33 wks to you and I!

I am wishing it was 36 or 37 weeks..and before you all say it, I know I will be wishing to have this time back again all too soon but I feel like I am in limbo.

Not much to add from me. No new ailments (thankfully), just longing for a good nights sleep. Surely the law of averages says that sooner or later I will get lucky on that score?!

Evening, ladies!

In no particular order:
I am not sure about whether baby's head can engage and then unengage - but do not really see why not?? It is all just muscles and ligaments and other soft[ish] things (not a vice ) so should be possible... how likely however, I really do not know, sorry!

Welcome, mawbroon, hope your ankle heals quickly, you poor woman! I was also told I could only have go at VBAC if I went into labour myself and did everything I could think of to make my chances as high as possible (evidence based or Old Wives Tale, didn't matter ). Well, I had lovely VBAC 12 days over dates , so fingers crossed for you.

IWCAS, oh poo at working more at home than previously at work, how rubbish for you! Will another mat replacement be found for you?? Surely that cannot be your responsibility? Hope things settle down for you soon.

CPS - gah! Sympathies; I had it bad last time round but not v much in this pregnancy which is just odd...

Heckle, I am sure your smile is just charming, or at least unique !! Hope you continue to improve.

Thanks for asking after DS1 - he seems ok today, but I have not menitoned the "P" word. He saw some educational program on Discovery History or similar at the CM's and it scared the Bejesus out of him, poor guy! This is the child, mind you, how used to stand trembing infront of Postman Pat because, oh I don't know, Jess the cat was trapped up a tree or similar ... He was my screamer of a baby and still remains (now almost 7) the world's most dramatic overreacter. I hope he will channel his strongly felt emotions into a highly successful well paid career as a Hollywood Star !

2 more weeks to go to my mat leave, sigh. I am currently dealing with a really horrible, sad situation involving a termination request and a poor woman who clearly feels v v ambivalent towards going ahead with it and I think whatever she does she is in danger of damaging her mental health . Why or why are there just sometimes no right or wrong answers/solutions? Anyhoo, will have to try and put her situation beside for the weekend.

Hope to ge and visit a friend in the Trossachs this weekend - v pretty part of the world, so looking forward to that.

Have a nice one!

Welcome to mawbroom you're certainly welcome to our mad house thread; as has become evident, we're a mishmash of due the 'end of feb's, 'marches', and 'beginning of april's.

It seems the last few days that my bump has taken on comical proportions and I'm not really sure, looking at it, how it can get much bigger. I mean, I know that if it has to, it will... but wow. Thank goodness no stretchmarks (yet! ) again. Most perplexing that I shouldn't get them in pregnancy when I did in puberty.

Evening all -
manda with you on the huge bumpness (tho i suspect pixie should be able to trump us all - with due cause ) i'm waiting for the 37 wk stretchmarks which took over my entire bump last time....

Quick selfish one from me please.....
So, last time we wanted an active birth but didn't really manage it due to induction/big baby/not big baby etc etc
This time we haven't really paid the poor blighter even half as much attention as we did for DD....[neglected child emoticon] so on the suggestion of a friend (who had an AMAZING 1st time birth) we have the option of a birth partners workshop with a local active birthy person.
Hw...it's the last weekend of Feb which coincides with..an engagement party in london, a christening in london and friends bringing new baby to visit on the sunday... so all in all it could be a VERY busy wknd. Not to mention the childcare implications....(won't bore you even further with those)
So - is it worth it? £80 for the two of us, it'll cover the usual physiology of birth but also DH/Mummyelk/elkybump bonding, active birth positions, self help breating, etc etc.
The next one is about 8 days after my due date.....so not practical.
Anyone had good subsequent births with or without workshops like this?
God it's like Whether to Write a Birth plan isn't it....it all gets thrown out the window anyway?!!!
help

Elk FWIW I wouldn't bother with it - just ask us what is/was/would be useful on here and you'll probably get every response you need without the hassle of the child care and the cost. (Although if you want to bung a few quid my way for my words of wisdom my sort code is.....)

I've had DH be birth partner. Had a friend be second chair birth partner and been birth partner to said friend as well so I can give you some ideas of what was useful. What specifically would you like to hear about active birth?

Thanks Pixie...

Manda - I also have no stretch marks from pregnancies but lots of old ones from puberty on my boobs, hips and thighs... strange. Maybe we grew too quickly?

MummyElk - the workshop sounds good, I'd probably go if I was you!

Pacific - that sounds hard about the woman, I guess she has to try and decide herself what's best for her...

On that subject, I'm already terrified of getting pregnant again by mistake! We think we will stop now at 2 kids as we are getting quite old (DH is 10 yrs older than me) and we have no family around for help. But if I did get pregnant again I would find it hard to have a termination. This subject has also come up in Desperate Housewives if anyone is watching that! I don't really wanna take the pill anymore. Have heard about the coil but don't know too much about it, will definitely investigate. Why is there no contraceptive for men except bloody condoms. Oh and the snip. Last time, we had unprotected sex when I was BF and I never got PG, but probably don't wanna risk it this time...

lisbapalea sit on birth ball/chair wrong way round so your leaning forward. presumably your sleeping on your side. crawl on all fours?

IWCAS just don't answer the phone! you can always do a 1471 to find out if its a friend!

Blankets - Ive used them with all 3 of mine - as long as room temp stays around 18 degrees I think the guidelines are to use 2 and 1 sheet (its usually somewhere in the mothercare catalogue) but TBH I just felt down their back and front and if they weren't warm enough added one or took one away if clammy. I used sleeping bags from ??few weeks old - had about 3 max - even with sicky baby - swaddling didnt work for my DD she FOUGHT her arms out and the room got really cold middle of night.

pixie nope earliest I can realistically say is 6 weeks thats 2 weeks before my dates 1 wk before scan dates as my 2YO would say 5..4..3..2..1..blastoff

ELK active birth as far as I can make out means you don't sit/lie when your having contractions, and keep moving positions/walking, etc doubt if you;; be walking when head starts to appear though

sorry if missed anyone out feeling bit faint and comp swimming before my eyes.

MummyElk, I have no real idea about "Active Birth", but in general I do not think that courses can teach you all that much TBH... I was all intent on kneeling/squatting/on all 4s for last delivery and I found all those positions by far the most uncomfortable of them all - I was flat on my back or on my left side the entire time, by choice, not because I was made to .
Go for you active social weekend instead, sounds like great fun .

Re future contraception: it is v likely that menopause will save me from the need for this in the v near future , however to allow for a hormone free happy sex life until then (sex?? what's that again?) DH has been volunteered to be fixed . I figure, and to be fair he agrees, that after 8 pregnanies and hopefully soon 4 DCs it is his turn with taking responsibiity for our family planning, or rather no-further-family-planning.
annamama, info on Mirena, copper coil, Implanon; all 3 methods popular with women looking for medium/longterm methods of contraception.

mawbroon, are you Scottish?