Due May 2010: Into the third trimester we go, can the bumps get any bigger?

[MarquiseDeMerteuil]

So here's the continuation of the thread previously known as Due May 2010: Where we get a 'bloom' just in time for the christmas mayhem???
Let's see if this one lasts up until the first birth... Knowing how chatty we can be, I doubt it!

pigley thats awful about your friend. My leaking seems to stop and start. Like yesterday and last nite I wasnt too bad, could def put down to little bit of after wee! Was your friend like that.
I rang m/w 3 x yesterday left a message and still had no reply.... good job im not in labour then! I'm going to ring the private m/w for advise, although if they do need to check for infection etc she cant do it so kinda feels pointless ringing. Got scan on 18th so going to ask them to check the waters then.

Tomlin I think your bil is 'well out of order' as vicky pollard would say! Thats terrible your a mum too. Glad your dh is sticking by you though. Family you cant pick them can you! I cant be doin with my mil so I spend morning with my kids and then I usually go for a walk with my sister to ease the pain of loosing our mum and dh and dc go to see his mum. That way I dont get any grief from her or him! trouble is dcs are getting too an age where they dont want to go. However, as I am walking like a duck now and feel like I am about to explode at any minute!! I am taking my friend to Notts to do a 26k run for Ovarian Cancer.

memorylapse you sound in terrible pain, I think them keeping an eye on you in hospital be best thing. Dont know much about the condition at all, so sorry cant offer any advise. Hope you feel better soon x

Sorry only scanned posts quickly as im at work and should really be concentrating on other things!!!
Hope everyone else o.k?

Schipo Congrats on house
Tomlin I don't think you are being unreasonable I would be very annoyed if my BIL took it upon himself to email me like that.

I reached 9 weeks to go yesterday, back at work tomorrow but going to Centre Parcs on Monday Hoping it will be relaxing but sister and dad clash badly. I was away at Deep Sea World with DD and friends yesterday was so shattered when I got back. Really suffering terrible back pains and last night woke up with tears in eyes again with lower stomach pain. Not sure if it was something baby was dong or if it was braxton hicks.

Question does anyone know of any shops that do decent priced nursing tops? Just want to get a couple of vest tops to start but trying to find them at good price

Re the list...

Thank you for the advance warning! Dinner plates?!?!?!?!??!!! If I wasn't at work I might have done a little weep then The things people don't tell you! While conveniently telling you about the things you already know...

Tomlin - YA so NBU! Presumably DH is a grown up who can choose for himself where he spends that day.

Part of me would like to be recognised for me growing our child this mother's day, but then part of me thinks "but you're not a Mom yet, get over it!" Which bit of me is right?? Any other thoughts? Someone shake some sense into me...

Sorry for belated responses, last logged on sat morning and we?ve filled over 4 pages since then!

MDM ? thanks for great link for NCT classes, I have yet to call them but will do sometime this week. I know how you feel on the bra front, I?m near TCH size, 38I, tough to find good bras our size. Will have a look around for the suggested ones.

Littleowls so exciting you only have 15 days to go till you finish work.

Sweetkitty thanks for tips on maternity pants and hope your SPD not hurting too much. Good luck with architect, you?re a brave woman! Still a mystery why HV coming today, but will ask her outright why and let you all know.

Itshappenedagain I went to my local salon for a ?de fuzzing? as you call it and they told me, ?we only do normal waxing? after I told them I was 6 ½ months pregnant. I did tell them I?ve been waxing for the last 16 years and have continued to do so in the privacy of my own home it?s just now I purely cannot reach/see the defuzzing areas. They didn?t budge, they wouldn?t do it.

AnAngelWithin I?d love to see the cardy you knitted any chance of a pic to show off your work??

TCH We can be a bit isolated together and struggling to find bras that fit (see above)! Shocked at your story about grapefruit size clot after birth tho, didn?t realise it could be that big!

pigleychez How cute with your DD speaking to your belly. THANKS A BUNCH for list, will read it with fervour and keep it near!

TomlinTowers Good luck with strep B thing. Congrast on Getting allotment, how cool is that! Was it all covered in weeds? Good tip about flip flops for hospital, def going to take a couple!

30ish ? hope you?re ok and lumps nothing too worrying?

mustbemadno3 Hope you find out what it is. I have to say I have had to use tena mini for the last 3-4 months now as find I was constantly leaking. I do my kegel (pelvic) exercises but don?t seem to help. Hope it?s nothing too serious, always best to check it out tho!

Schipo congrats on new house

memorylapse Hope you?re feeling better soon, sorry no advise to give you.

On my side I now have the beginnings of strech marks on the ?dark side of the belly? as I call it. It?s the side I can?t see, I have to look in a mirror to see it but they are there! Bio oil and Body Butters abundant but as you guys have said all along, if you?re prone to getting em you?re going to get em. Darn!

I second the at clots the size of dinner plates. With DD I was told to save anything over the size of a 50p piece to show to the doc or mw!

ML - you're still feeling bad, I hope everything's OK.

Pigley - thanks for the list!

Myfirstbump - DH got me a card when I was pregnant with DD and it was Mother's Day. We didn't do much else and I made a big fuss of my mother since it was her last Mothering Sunday before all her children were parents themselves IYSWIM? We felt a bit naff marking it but it did feel nice, especially as it's pretty hard work growing them!

CornishSAMum - It's especially difficult to find big bras down here as well I find, I keep wishing Bravissimo would open in Exeter. Although I don't go to Exeter much either so it wouldn't be much use.

Re clots - they can be quite alarming but not too bad. This is TMI but the huge one I had felt like my uterus was falling out - not painful, just a really weird sensation. Luckily everything was fine though!

I'd also add that I bought some disposable bedmats which were really useful to lie on in hospital and occasionally afterwards. The hospitals have them anyway but MWs didn't always change my sheets regularly (or at all ) so they did come in handy.

Yay, DS seems a bit better today and slept better last night. I am ok too, just feeling a bit off colour.

I love those disposable bed mats too, think Boots are cheapest at about £3.99 for 5. Very handy for feeding lying down at night as well

SK no worries at all about the pram, I have it on ebay too so am sure it will go soon. Good luck with the architect, I agree that the hassle of moving is not worth it nor is the money you spend on stamp duty and removal firms and changing everything round.That was our reason for extending as well.
Have you got your car yet? How are you finding it?

Piglez fab list. My homeopath recommended Arnica in 200c strength but I could only get it online so if anyone is interested look into it now. I have also bought some mixed bags of nuts/raisins for hospital. My MW recommended I do this first time round and I think all the vits and minerals help in those early days.

Hope everyone is having a good day

Schipo- Yay on the house.. Bet your itching to get in and decorate

Tomlin- Sorry your BIL is being an arse. I read that out to DH who said priorities change when you have a family of your own. Its not as if he isnt seeing them at all. So your BIL is wrong! Your a Mummy too so its equally your day.

ML- Hope everythings ok

Mustbemad- If your still leaking and worried then ring the labour ward at the hospital. They will advise you 24/7. They can do a test to check if tis water or wee.

Gils- Enjoy centre parcs! Nursing tops, try H&M and Next.

First bump- Dont get too freaked by the clots. I didnt have any like that!
You are a Mummy in the making, so def enjoy Sunday. You can get Mummy to be mothers day cards

I second the Boots matenrity mats. I used the on the bed abit before incase my waters broke. We had just bought a nice new very expensive Memory foam mattress!

Brightred- Glad your both feeling brighter.

I used Tea tree oil in baths which really helped with healing too.

Bit concerned today as I think baby has gone breech again! Keep feeling very low kicks like before
Trying to limit my sugar intake ready for seeing the diabetic consultant on thursday and have been quite shocked as to how much sugar is hidden in foods that you really wouldnt think of.
Not really looking forward to the appointment on Thursday

Hi all

I've read all the posts since beginning of March and its took me over an hour . Love the list of tips, will check it out and add anything I've got to offer. Hope all of the poorly tots are feeling better and poorly/itchy/weepy mums too.

Haven't been on for a while as I've had a busy time at work (as usual) but also been feeling really poorly. I've got an infected sebaceous cyst which looks like a golf ball under my skin. Its really painful and not budging even after three courses of abs. The ab's are also quite strong and so have been given a weeks sick note to try and pull myself round. The next step is to have it lanced without anaesthetic or if it spreads further i.v. abs in hospital. Its really starting to worry me now, my ds's lo passed away because of an underlying infection which failed to respond to abs and in the middle of the night when I can's sleep this is all I can think about.

Sorry this posts a bit me, me, me but I need some perspective on this.

Hope everyones well though and sorry to bring the thread down again.

I think the copious use of lavender oil is from me pigley funnily enough I ventured up town today and stocked up on Raspberry leaf Capsules, lavender oil, spatone and multivits. A few drops of lavender and tea tree oils in the bath are lovely after the birth, lock the door and soak! Oh and need to get Arnica as well.

Also bought some little romper type suits in Boots (half price)

Re clots I passed one that was the size of a tea plate with DD1, I remember it falling out on the floor and me saving it for the MW to check she said it was fine! It is a weird feeling but honestly it's nothing to be worried about. Was also going to second the Boots maternity sheet things coming in very handy.

Am off to get the DDs hair cut tonight (whilst mine looks horrendous) DD1 wants hers cut to her shoulders (sob) it's very long but as it's curly it can look scraggly and tangles very easily.

Right sorry for non personal replies no doubt I will be back later though.

Hi All,

Tomlin I agree your BIL is being silly and YANBU - sounds like your DP has his plan worked out well!

Myfirstbump my DH was lovely to me on the Mother's Day before our DS was born, made me breakfast in bed, flowers, card, chocolates. In fact, don't think I've had as nice since! Also, I didn't have too many big clots after the birth of my DS so you may get away without it this time, too! I am hoping to be second time lucky!

Hollyoaks so sorry that you're dealing with this sebaceous cyst, it must be horribly uncomfortable! It would be really painful to have lanced without being numbed I would imagine, but do you think the pain would linger for long? I had a tooth pulled in January and the dentist used a local anaesthetic and I was nervous about that, but everything seems ok now. Would no anaesthetic be your choice or the gp's recommendation? I too think of the worst possibilities in the middle of the night when I can't sleep, it's so hard to stop from thinking that way, isn't it!? How horrible for your DS to lose her LO. I know scenarios like that always creep into my mind at the slightest suggestion. I guess it's our brains going into protective mummy mode!

Schipo congrats on the house!!!! That is brilliant!

Pigleychez I'm loving the list! Hope the baby doesn't stay head up for too long, kicks down there are enough to double me over! Hope your appointment with the diabetic consultant goes well on Thurs and that your careful eating pays off!

Memory sorry you're still feeling so rubbish!

I love the Boots Mini Mode range for baby clothes, they do such cute things and I have found that they are extremely durable!

We've finished painting the nursery this morning, and the carpet will be fitted tomorrow. I'm relieved it's done. I should be glad we have a place for me to nest in this time around, but I got in a row with DH over what a half-arsed job he was doing with the painting. I know I can be a bit of a perfectionist but it's also frustrating when I just want to get on with it and do it myself and he chooses that time to treat me as a "precious vessel" - I could see that he just thought I was taking too long and wanted to rush through it. So I got stuck humouring DS and letting him paint a little bit whilst I watched DH making streaky skirting boards with bristles stuck on! though I suppose it wouldn't be DIY without some arguing thrown in the mix! Nesters beware! LOL!

Loving all the tips and hints. Thanks for putting my mind at rest about the clots. I didn't even consider it (wilfully avoiding thinking about labour for as long as I can...)

And thanks for your thoughts on Mother's Day too. I thought I was ok to think that, but having other people tell you is even better. Lets hope DH actually does something now, a card will be plenty - I'm not his Mom after all . He's out on Sunday so I'm spending the day with my Mom (her last one as 'just' a mother ). We're thinking out for lunch and cinema, just the two of us. Lovely!

Hollyoaks - you are so brave facing that procedure with no pain relief! I hope it goes ok. Sorry I can't offer more insightful advice, but I am thinking of you.

Fruitloop - we haven't even started baby's room yet. It's almost empty now, which is progress, but no sign of painting or anything yet. Although the new furniture is being delivered next wednesday, and that's DH's deadline. Guess what we're doing on Saturday . Have you got pics?

hi everyone,

well I had my scan today at 32+1 weeks to see if placenta has moved and it has so I don't have to have a cs. I'm so happy. The babies head is right down low which is good. She weighs 4Ibs 11oz by the scan so lets hope she doesn't grow to much more in next 8 weeks or she could be massive! hope everyone else is ok xxxx

Hollyoaks - sounds like you're having a terrible time No wonder you're worried, your poor DS. When will you find out if it needs to be lanced?

Lizzie9442 - yay for the placenta moving! That must be a nice feeling

Myfirstbump - really don't worry about the clots, it's just an odd sensation, nothing scary.

Rachel - DIY arguing sounds familiar!

Can't remember if it was on the list but I found witch hazel quite nice for healing/soothing after the birth as well.

Hi all

The gp said the cyst is too big for effective pain relief but to be honest theres no sensation in the top layer of skin anyway. Still dreading it though, no pain relief is definitely not my option. Hopefully, this course of abs will take effect before next Thursday when I have my appointment.

Can I also ask, where's the list of tips, I thought it was on fb but its not. Only wanted to add that it's normal to loose bladder control for a few days after the birth. I didn't realise that and was horrified when I found I couldn't hold it . Thankfully it all went back to normal pretty quickly.

Lizzie - well done!

Pigley, thanks for the list - certainly and eye opener!

I'm not sure i should ask really but i'd like to how these clots are kept for the midwife? in Tupperware or something? do they need to be frozen?? mind boggles...

Thanks for all the congrats re house. it is very exciting, not least because of the long wait and the failed attempt to buy another one. Luckily this one is mostly in a fairly good state of repair and has fairly neutral decor so not planning to embark on any major work right away. Not personally anyway. I am planning on getting all the carpets cleaned before we move in, and will get some help cleaning after we've unpacked. Hopefully that will make it feel cosy enough for a while.
Not sure which room will be whose yet, but planning to keep baby with us for a while. That takes some pressure off arranging a nursery apart from anything else. I am definitely looking forward to be able to order things like his new mattress and bedding (and some for us too). Roll on march 19th

Hollyoaks, sorry to hear you've been feeling low. I have deep sympathy re your cyst. I had one on back of neck a few years ago. It was unbelievably painful when it got infected. I'd be woken up in night as soon as painkillers wore off. The doctors couldn't really do anything about it when it was infected either, and when they did it was not a pleasant procedure at all - even with local anaesthetic. I keep my fingers crossed that yours settles down soon - although i'm sure it won't affect your baby. Lots and lots of rest and fresh fruit and steamed veg might help the abs! Keeping fingers crossed for you

ML - so sorry to hear about your latest diagnosis! I hope it doesn't become a severe problem.

Tomlin - if it were my in-laws I'd be furious too...

Found out today that I can't have a home birth the NCT classes are tempting me towards without moving hospitals. Not sure I want to do that...

Thanks for the list pigley! I am feeling a little more prepared now for the aftermath...I cannot hear enough about this. Cornish- I realised I could no longer see 'down there' and am planning on a trip to the salon...is this wise? They did skin me last time though!

My boobs are enormous. Anyone know where to get some reasonably-priced maternity bras that can be used for BF?

My little cat was spayed today, she's all sore and sulky but at least I won't have to deal with a young female cat on heat once DC arrives.

How long has everyone got left at work? I finish on April 23rd, only just found out yesterday whether I was entitled to SMP, such a relief. Now we can look for a house!

Pigley - thanks for posting the list - lots of food for thought! We covered some similar post-birth stuff in our NCT class today, so I was able to sound quite knowledgeable in class after having read your list! Good luck for Thursday's appointment. MFB - As a first timer too, I was also quite shocked at some of the things on the list!

Hollyoaks and ML sorry you're both suffering. The itching sounds incredibly frustrating and demoralising ML, and the cyst sounds painful. I hope you both find something to ease the pain soon.

Heffa and BRB - thanks for the tips about the bed mat, will definitely get a pack of those.

Lizzie - that's fantastic news about the placenta and not having to have the cs, must be such a relief.

Kaffa I finish on 23 April too! Really can't wait. It's not that work is awful or anything, it's just that I'm finding it really hard to maintain my interest in it at the moment and am too easily distracted. The weeks seem to be flying by at the moment though.

We had a tour of the birth centre at our hospital this evening, which was really good. It's made such a difference knowing what to expect. We got shown one of the 'home from home' birthing rooms (where you go if you're just having a straightforward labour), which are really nice with amazing views over the houses of parliament, tv, games console, internet, en-suite bathrooms, sofabeds for the birthing partners to sleep on etc. You get to stay in your room for 24 hours after the birth, so I definitely want to have the baby there if possible. If you have complications, or want an epidural or anything you get transferred to the main hospital birth centre (on the same corridor, but with more medical stuff in the rooms) but if you have the baby there you get transferred to the postnatal ward afterwards, which isn't ideal. Has made me completely determined to try to avoid an epidural if possible. It was so quiet and calm when we were there, not too busy at all, and neither of the two birthing pool rooms were in use. Has made me quite impressed with the NHS!

Didn't manage to see OBEM this evening as DH's parents were watching some football when I got in, but have sky+ed it for tomorrow evening. Hope it was a good one!

Thanks for all the support everyone - am now taking high moral ground and refusing to discuss further with BIL. If he can't be assed to respect the fact that his brother has his own family life, then that's his problem!

I thought of another tip today (since we started this list I keep thinking of extra tips and thinking "ooh shall I post that" - not sure what they says about my mind?!) which is this - I took my hairdryer and my straighteners into hospital so I could do my hair for all post-birth photos, only to find to my horror that you can't use our own electrical equipment because of health and safety - it all needs electrical testing by the hospital maintenance staff which takes at least two weeks. Cue screams of horror from me as I realised that hair would look like frizz ball on all photos. So, two tips really - don't waste space in hospital bag packing electrical items, and second, get yourself booked in to the hospital hairdresser for a blow dry before visiting hours start so you look half-normal for when relatives turn up!

Re clots - I passed two that were both tear-drop shaped and as big as my clenched fist. I just fished them out of the loo (yuk yuk yuk) and saved them in a plastic box for the MW. MW said they were actual bits of placenta which freaked me out no end, as I started thinking I would have to go back in to hospital due to infection or for a "scrape" (yuk yuk yuk again). But I was absolutely fine, so hoping that everything is OK this time round.

Hollyoaks - that sounds awful, I hope the abs kick in soon.

Lizzie - yay for moving placentas!

Pigley - good luck for Thursday, fingers crossed. Good tip on the maternity mats - will be investing in some as I have also just bought a new mattress but hadn't thought that waters might break at night.

ML - hope you get the itching sorted out soon. Not long to go now!

Mustbemad - I presume it is just your friend doing the 26k and not you too?! Don't want to worry you, but my labour started by not being able to control leakage - I thought it was just my bladder giving up the ghost in the final weeks, but it turned out when I went to AN unit that it was a small tear at the top of the sac and my hindwaters had gone and therefore had to be induced as DS1 no longer protected from infection. Everything was fine, but worth getting checked. I didn't even know there was such a thing as hindwaters!! The registrar who examined me said the way to tell if it was waters or wee was that if you were leaking when sitting down, it was likely to be waters, but if leaking only on standing or moving position, likely to be wee.

Oh the glamour of the third trimester...!!

MDM - sorry cross posts - the birthing rooms sound fab! My hospital had tv in the labour room but that was about it. Felt surreal to be hooked up to drip being induced and then on epidural and watching News 24! Can't remember for the life of me what the headlines were, but must have seen them at least 20 times during the course of labour!

Tomlin - thanks for the hairdryer tip! That was one of the items on my list of things to take, so will remove it from the list and free up space in the bag.

Have been meaning to post a 7-month bump pic for a week now, finally got round to posting it this evening on my profile page. Seems to have grown quite a bit in the last month!

MDM your hospital sounds great. I've got to wait until the end of March for NHS anti-natal classes & hospital tour but not expecting anything like that.

Having read the 'list' after watching Jo Frost & OBEM this evening I'm having an 'OMG what am I thinking' moment about raising a child, not to mention giving birth !!

Morning all, thanks for all the kind messages, feeling better this morning after a full nights sleep and finding that although its still sore the infection isn't spreading. Been thinking about lancing the bloody thing myself though as can't wait till next thursday, thats not wise is it .

Schipo - congrats on the house.

Lizzie - congrats on the placenta moving.

MDM - hospital sounds fab, I guess my tip for the bag would be a book or magazines. My hospital was meant to have tvs in all rooms which it did, except mine for some reason, and as dd slept a lot I was very bored.

Moggmum - supernanny always shows the worst kids, it shocks me every time, but its always solved with rules and boundaries that the parents have to apply consistently. Don't worry though, you won't need to implement the naughty spot for another two years yet . As for giving birth, that may be happening a little sooner.

Tomlin - good for you, bil sounds like he's not worth the time it would take to get him to understand.

Hope I haven't missed anything too important, hope everyone else is well.

Maternity leave - don't go till the 14th May, some of you will have babies a few weeks old by then .

OBEM - I thought the young mums both did really well last night, especially the younger girl who had the vaginal birth with only g&a. She seemed to have a really mature attitide, despite only being 17.

MDM- The top photo?? Thats never 7mths! I feel like a right Heffer now!!
Glad you enjoyed your hospital visit. The low risk rooms sound lovely. Our hospital doesnt have TVs at all... It was soooo boring on the ward afterwards.

Hollyoaks- Hope the cyst responds to the AB's. Poor you
Def with you on the tip about bladder control. I rememeber leaking abit for the first week...mainly when bending down but it shocked the life out of me, thinking I was ruined forever!

fruitloop- Thats why I end up doing the painting! DH hates it and would just rush it so he now just leaves it to me to save the arguments.

Lizzie- Glad the placenta has moved. Thats great news

Went to bed in tears last night, felt really hormonal. Bad idea but been reading about birth options if i am diagnosed with GD. Basically its everything I didnt want Induction, drip, stuck to the bed etc I had all that with DD and hated it. Had a horribly long high intervention birth and just wanted a better experience this time. Guess thats not likely to happen
Begining to dread the whole birth now.

Lizzie - That's great news!

Schipo - ROFL at tupperware I've got visions of DH scratching his head at the freezer thinking 'now which one's my tea and which one's for the midwife?'

Hollyoaks - The list is a few pages back if you haven't found it yet. As someone who has been through it already, you'll probably recognise most of the stuff, but I still recommend a cushion to hide behind in case it gets too much

I really enjoyed OBEM last night. They were both so brave and actually quite inspiring! Told DH to take notes from the paramedic mum, I thought she was fab. But I'm coming to the conclusion that birth partners are slightly helpless during the whole thing.