Due April 2006

[MrsQ]

Hello... Technically I'm due on 30 March, but the March list is already quite long and if DS was anything to go by, we'll be well into April by the time this shrimp makes an appearance (fingers crossed, touch wood, etc etc! - still at the early superstitious stage!!). Shall I start with some stats? I'm 34 (will be 35 just after birth), DH is 33. We've got one DS just turned 2.

Hope to have some thread partners soon, I'm v friendly, honest

Do you work fulltime Allyco? I do at the moment (dd is in year 1 at school). But I may end up still working fulltime after maternity. Good money etc.

yes me still full-time. Think boss would have a coronary if I suggested anything else!!

Glad sonmeone else is in the same boat allyco. Where I live there are few fulltime working mothers, especially at dd's school.
I've already started looking into childcare for this one. Hopefully I'll get 6 months off so I'll need childcare from Oct. Scary thought!

yes am lucky in a way as DD's childminder is absolutely brilliant and DD loves her.

She was over the moon to know there was a new baby on its way to look after (cynical DH said yeah, because it's doubling her money..)

So at least I don't have to look around for someone else to do childcare.

well everyone here we go again I was having contractions again last night, bad enough to have to stop talking and breathe through them.

They've stopped, again, and here I am back at my desk.

DH was muttering about the hospital but I must be getting blase because I said let's just wait and see. He doesn't really like having to take me to hospital anyway because of us not having anyone else to take care of littlest DD (God knows what we'll do when I go into labour for real - anyone want to offer to babysit??!)and of course then there is the question of him, God forbid, having to take time off from work, blasphemy.

Sorry. Am whinging. Someone slap me. Hope everyone else is feeling good.

Not whinging allyco! Blimey to goodness, give him a swift clip round the ear from me. Sounds like it might be good idea to set something up for hosp visits - is the ch/minder flexible enough to do the odd evening if emergency? do you have friends/family nearby? how about your eldest?

Whinge awayu Allyco, it's what we're here for! What are your urrent childcare arrangenments? Anyone who can help you out?

Sorry to hear about your problems allyco, it must be really frightening. Hopefully your little man decides to stay in there a bit longer! Any idea what caused the whole thing? Are you diabetic?

Your posts made me think about our own childcare arrangements - having just moved to another city, we haven't got any close friends or relatives living nearby, either. My mum is due to come and stay with us 2 days before the due date, which is taking a bit of a gamble! Luckily, DS has now started at his new nursery - he had his second settling-in session today, which went really well! They've already said that I can bring him in for emergency childcare if I go into labour early, and an acquaintance here has offered to be our nighttime babysitter if we need it. Not ideal as DS hardly knows her, but what else can we do?

Hi folks, Happy New Year to us all!

Allyco, so sorry to hear what your're going through, it must be so worrying. Here's hoping the contractions fade away and things continue normally.

Homsa, we are trying to think ahead too about childcare arrangements when dd2 arrives. Difficulty for us is that dh is abroad around 4 nights a week (he's an airline pilot).We requested his company allow him 'day flights' in and out of his home base (Leeds) around my due date but they won't allow it. My worry is if he is somewhere in Europe, no way will he make it back in time for the birth. The company suggested unpaid paternity leave, but who on earth can really afford to take this? Instead, we are using loads of annual leave, together with a mixture of paid paternity leave in the hope that he will actually be here. Am trying to put a brave face on things, my mum is trying to jolly me out of it with "plenty of women gave birth alone during the war", she's right of course and it wouldn't be the end of the world, just nice for us all really.

Apart from that, feeling absolutely huge (have gained almost 2 stone already) and finding now my bump is really getting in the way of things. Have really, really cut down on snacking in the hope that I don't resemble Moby Dick by the time baby arrives!

hi - I'm still here. Still having off and on contractions and STILL puking. Have a nasty feeling will end up back in hospital again soon, if for nothing else than to get some fluids back onboard. Trouble is (and this will sound very vain) last time they had such problems getting a line in they said they may have to try using veins in my neck . If they have to do that I will come up looking like I've had a lovebite off a T-Rex, I wil be so bruised . Still, you have to larf.

I really don't have any childcare. My mother in law died a few years ago and my mum died on 7th September last year. My eldest is at uni in Edinburgh. I can't really ask anyone else because dd is a pretty poor sleeper and I think it would freak her out going elsewhere at night time. No. What I really need is someone to come here and be here for her. I know, what I need is

a MIRACLE!!!!!!!!

Allyco, poor you. I wonder if there are any childcare services that might be able to offer soemthing on a one-off basis? I'm thinking the likes of Homestart, but there may well be private nursesries or whatever that offer overnight babysitting for a fee, and might help you. Could you ask your ch/minder? for extra money? Would seem the most friendly option for DD, and she (c/m) might feel sorry for you too! It's really only for one night isn't it? as dh would presumably be back on board overnight after baby was delivered?

Also extremely sorry about your mum - that must feel very raw at the moment.

Has anyone read '3 Shoes, One Sock and No Hairbrush' by the way?

re adhoc childcare, there's a company called 'Night Nannies' in london that does that sort of thing. If you're in/near London might be worth a look. I've had a lot of luck with a company called 'Sitters' that offers, teachers, nannies, njrses etc as babysitters for even very young children.

I have gained 1.5 stone - I don't even feel that I've been eating that much.
Spots - haven't read that book. Always assumed it was more for at-home mums and would make me feel even worse (being an evil working mother type!).

I think I may well have to ask cm - I suppose I am thinking along the lines of a middle of the night dash to hospital and mad panic, but it's not going to happen like that is it...!?!

Hopefully he will start to make his presence felt late one night/very early one morning, enough time to get others off to school and littlest dd to cm and then a leisurely trip to the hospital, he's born, and I'm home in time to pick dd up from cm.

Well I can dream

And just to nake you jealous I now weigh less than I did before I was pg! Don't recommend this as a weightloss method though, oh dear me, no.

How long before your due date are those that you that work planning to stop work? I'm thinking 3 weeks which will take me to the end of March.

I'm planning to stop end of March which is about 2 - 3 weeks too.

Started a thread today about homebirth following c/section following terrible night at the hospital last night and general insane rant at everything (see thread for details). God I hate my hospital. If I was that incompetent I think I'd have been struck off by now

Hello everyone,
Allyco, so sorry to hear about your traumatic christmas, if it's any help I suppose every day the baby stays inside is a huge bonus at this stage. I have a friend due in late March who's on bed rest at the mo as her waters are leaking and 28 weeks seems to be the key target for her - she's had the injection to mature the baby's lungs as well which is apparently the most important thing if they think it's very early.

Tonton, I work 3 days a week with a horrid commute to the city so I'm giving up absolutely as soon as poss! My co seem very generous with holidays so as I've booked a year off (will worry how we will afford to eat later on...) I get my whole holiday entitlement for the year. I go "on holiday" on 17th Feb but mat leave doesn't start till 27th March - about 2 1/2 weeks before D Day. Also means DS can stay in nursery for the first 2 months to give him some continuity in a time of upheaveal.. (she says hopefully )

Is anyone else due to have a glucose test in the few weeks? Mine's next Wed.

glucose test. Is that where you drink lots of lucozade and then they stab you in the finger over a few hours??

had that done with second dd and got day off work . Was v. boring though so if had it again would take book or something to pass time.

And the Lucozade was horrible!

Yes, nasty drink then a blood sample exactly 2 hours later apparently, not sure if you get the results immediately as they've made me a hospital appt the following monday as well - might give me one more weekend of cake eating . I had diabetes last time so fully expect to be on rations thereafter...
Was just going to take DH but if it's that boring shall take a book as well!

if you got diabetes last time did you have to inject yourself every day?

Sorry, am a big ignorant about these things!

No, it was diet controlled luckily, I had to stab my finger and test my sugar levels after every meal and then take the diary thing to the clinic every two weeks so they could check my readings. I had a bleeper number to call if I got 3 scores of over 8, but looking back that might just have been to scare me!
Was soooo cross to be on a diet when PG, seemed v unfair. Have actually had to be good all the way through this time in case - biggest risk seems to be big baby and ds was only 8lb 13oz after all the scaremongering so hopefully sensible eating will sort it out..
Am v happy baby is due 3 days BEFORE Easter so still get to eat easter eggs

Hi all.

I also have a glucose tolerance test to take, as the bump is big for dates.

Unfortunately I am going to have to leave work by 34 weeks as I am a care assistant, and can't physically do it any longer (am struggling now!)

Hi all
I had the glucose tolerance test yesterday but will not get result for 2 weeks (why? bloody NHS) Dont eat for 14 hours, they take 2 tubes of blood, drink yucky sweet drink and sit in waiting room for 2 hours then have more blood taken. I was not bored as met a mum 2 b, at same stage as me and new mum with 10 week old baby so we chatted and time flew.
Am now 28 weeks +4 and HUGE - bumb size is "90th percentile" but then baby boy is also 90th percentile for head and thigh size so guess it all adds up. Have put on over two and a half stone (yes really ). Was a bit overweight to start with too.
Am a civil servant so good maternity arrangements and planning on finishing work at 35 weeks or so but to be honest am struggling already. So tired and cumbersome, with heartburn and bad wind Not good in office !
Also think I have "stage fright" - suddenly seems amazing that I really am going to have a baby in maybe 10 weeks time. Does that sound daft?
Was a bit upset as met a good friend for evening meal the other night and she sent me a text message saying she was worried about me as I "had lost my sparkle" and where was the "fun" me she used to know. I know her intentions are good but I just feel cross - makes me feel that I have to "perform" to fit in with other peoples expectations even when I am not feeling 100%. I had clinical depression a few years ago and although loads better now think I am scared that I may get PND (or AND)and am being oversensitive? Or just hormonal and normal at 29 weeks pg?
Anyone any good at updating our statistics list (otherwise I may have a go)?

Hi Firsttimer 40, I am huge too (well, I think so anyway) and have gained 24lbs (am currently 25 weeks). All ok, thankfully my back seems fine and feeling less tired and able to do some stuff with dd1 which has been on hold recently like swimming, etc.

Hopefully dh will be around mid-April to mid-May we are praying baby will come early. Bit cheesed off with his company insisiting we book parental leave now to fit in with their plans but trying not to get too stressed.

I would choose to ignore unhelpful comments like the one you mention from so-called friends. Does she have children? Sounds to me like she doesn't so maybe has no idea how pregnancy can make you feel. Take some time out for yourself, who cares if you have lost 'sparkle'? I'll challenge anyone at this stage of pregnancy to say they are full of 'fun' and 'sparkle'!

Hi to everyone, hope all ok with us all. xx

Oh, and sorry about my festive name, must remember to change it back (makes me sound like we are still doing Christmas here, I swear the tree actually came down New Years Day)!

Hi everyone, Happy New Year. Am now back in the States and my Dad is on the mend at home, thanks for all your good wishes.

Allyco - what a nightmare for you, you poor thing! If it makes you feel any better, a friend of mine here started having contractions at 23 weeks and continued to have them on and off until delivery, some stronger than others, some requiring hospital trips and some not. Anyway, after all of that the cheeky little blighter was a week late!! So hopefully your little man will stay in there a while longer too. She was put on bed rest though, can the docs not sign you off so you don't have to go into work but still get paid?
Hope you start to feel better soon - and far from moaning, I think you sound remarkably chirpy considering everything!!

Not sure what we'd do about childcare if baby comes in the middle of the night. My folks are supposed to be coming out (although it may now just be Mum, will have to see how Dad is nearer the time) for the birth, but were planning to arrive a couple of days after my due date cos dd was late and all my nieces/nephews were too, so seems to be a trend. If baby decides to come early we may be stuck - I think I'd just have to ask one of my plygroup Mums to do it. I'd happily do it for any of them - it's only one night isn't it.

Have actually done pretty well on the weight front so far, I lost 7lbs in the beginning and have only gained 8 back so far so only weigh a pound more than my first visit. I'm not getting too cocky about it though since I was a good bit overweight before I started, and last time stacked all my weight on in trimester 3, so time will tell!! And it hasn't stopped me feeling giant, uncomfy and breathless in a way that didn't happen until the last month with dd!

Oh and FT40, ignore your rude friend. Let her try being preggers over Christmas and watching everyone else get drunk while you sip the one spritzer you are allowing yourself for the night, whilst wearing weird pouchy clothes and feeling uncomfy - see how sparkly she is then. I think it's totally normal to feel a bit upset about something like that hormones or not. I've had various bouts of clinical depression throughout my life too and as you'll know from your own experience it's a lot different than just losing your "sparkle" so try not to worry.