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Connect with mums-to-be with similar due dates to share experiences and support.

July 2010: We’re ready to drop; Not long to go until we pop!

984 replies

DesperateHousewife21 · 08/06/2010 11:00

Possibly our last ante-natal thread ladies!

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Jojobil · 08/06/2010 11:34

Just marking!

WickedWitchSouthWest · 08/06/2010 11:34

Morning all!

anifers hope your little pickle is having a good fidget this morning. Sending loads of positive vibes gracie lots of pma for you too * stac* hope your tests go well.

Oh I can't remember any more now.

Nesting nesting nesting...I'm finding it hard to sit still today and I'm off out this afternoon with mum to the mall so I really should rest a bit more, it's a compulsion though isn't it!

Spirael · 08/06/2010 11:40

I'm here! Given how much we chatter and that some of us slowpokes still have nearly two months to go, I reckon we've got at least one more thread before we're all done with antenatal and move to postnatal, though.

NorkyButNice · 08/06/2010 11:43

Morning all!

Another infrequent posting from me although I do read the thread every evening!

I can't believe babies are due next month now - less than 3 weeks for some people.

I had a growth scan yesterday and bump is 8.5lb already at 35 weeks! Am crossing my legs and keeping this 10lber inside.

DesperateHousewife21 · 08/06/2010 11:45

Yeah you may be right spirael!

Ive just spent ages blowing up my birthing ball with the worlds worst pump and its only about 45cm high! Im 5"8 so its WAY too small for my height, do you think this will be a major problem?
I can still sit on it but have to kind of stretch my legs out rather than have my feet flat on the floor IYSWIM.
Quite annoyed as Ive waited ages for the ebayer to send the pump to me

OP posts:
Spirael · 08/06/2010 11:48

Here's the latest list, copied over and with Athrawes added. Welcome to the chaos!

June 24th (-July 1st) Albrecht, 30, Oxford, #1
June 29th (-July 1st) JBro, 30, W Yorkshire, #1
June 29th (-July 10th) MrsDmamee, 33, #3
July 2nd - Mouseybrown, 34, Plymouth, #1
July 2nd - FlowerBee, 27, Hertfordshire, #1
July 2nd - kkfairybrains, #1
July 3rd - Daisy2010, #1
July 3rd - WickedWitch, 29, Bristol, #2
July 3rd - Apuski, 38, Cheltenham, #2
July 3rd - MyLifeIsChaotic, 29, North East, #2 , SURPRISE
July 3rd - violetbubbles, 33, #1, SURPRISE
July 4th - Crabby, 34, #2
July 4th - Orangefizz, 34, #2, SURPRISE
July 5th - Mookymoo, 31, Bristol, #1
July 5th - Gibbon, 36, Essex, #2
July 5th - MumfieMagic, 37, Cirencester, #1
July 5th - Celery, 34, #4
July 5th - GhoulsAreLoud, 31, #2
July 5th - YellowYoYo, 32, #2
July 6th - Tink80, #3
July 6th - Jojobil, 33, N London, #2, BOY
July 7th - Irishfairy, 25, #1
July 7th - randomama, 31, Lakes, #2
July 7th - sleb1, #1
July 8th - FactsAndFigures, 31, #2
July 8th - Fairy472, 37
July 8th - Spidershavearrived, #2, SURPRISE
July 9th - Kapars, 36, London, #1, SURPRISE
July 9th - Memphis83, 27, Leicester, #1, BOY
July 10th - berberis, 36, SE London, #1 SURPRISE
July 11th - Athrawes, 39, #1
July 11th - DeeLite, 35, #1
July 11th - beckyg123, 28, Glasgow, #1
July 11th - Champagneforlunch, 29, #3
July 12th - Page62, 34, SW London, #3
July 12th - yesway, 34, NW London, #4
July 12th - Heated, 37, Midlands, #3
July 12th - GlastonburyGoddess, 24, SW, #3
July 12th - SonSon, 36, Inverness, #3
July 12th - Flexab23, 32, SE London, #1, GIRL
July 13th - LazyEmma, 31, #2
July 14th - TheSecondComing, 36, Manchester, #3
July 14th - MelissaM, 34, Hants, #2
July 14th - tjtheminx, 37, USA, #2
July 15th - WhatSheSaid, 38, NZ, #2, GIRL
July 15th - BettyButterknife, 32, Bristol #2, BOY
July 15th - Firerise, #1
July 15th - grumpypumpkin, #1
July 15th - Bruhaha, #2
July 15th - Viksam, 35, Somerset, #1
July 15th - mumwithbumandtum
July 16th - Norky, 29, SE London, #2
July 16th - Mousemole, 35, Glasgow, #3
July 16th - Amiable, 39, N London, #2
July 16th - Wonderstuff, 30, Hants, #2
July 17th - Stac14, 30, Glasgow, #2, GIRL
July 18th - DesperateHousewife21, Kent, #1, BOY
July 18th - Emmame
July 19th - Tashtastic, 36, North west #1
July 19th - Dairylea
July 20th - iggypiggy, 33, SE London, #1
July 20th - EmsieRo, 28, South London, #1
July 21st - Vickyob, 28, Hampshire, #4
July 21st - Lifeistooshort, 33, Bristol, #3
July 21st - skihorse, 35, The Netherlands, #1
July 21st - RufflesKerfluffles, 28, SE London, #1
July 21st - CurlyCasper, 31, Midlands, #1
July 21st- 2Issy, 35, SE24 London, #1
July 22nd - Kittykat77, #3
July 22nd - Winnie78, #1
July 22nd - TotalRockChick, #2
July 22nd - Chulita, 27, Dorset, #2
July 23rd - Givecarrotsachance, 36, Yorkshire, #2
July 23rd - timefliesby 32, SW London, #2
July 24th - Gracie123, 25, Cumbria, #2
July 25th - Spirael, 28, W Yorks, #1, SECRET
July 25th - Emster30, 29, NE London, #1
July 26th - rockinghertosleep, 32, Glasgow, #2
Jult 26th - Anifersgirl - 33 - South Bucks, #1
July 29th - winjy, #1
July 29th - C4ro, 35, Netherlands, #1 GIRL
July 30th - Kinnies, #3
July 30th - Tobago04, #3
July 31st - mumtoo3, #4

And just to pick up from the end of the previous thread... Can anyone enlighten me about the purpose of the health visitor that's coming to visit me at home next week when I'll be a little beyond 34 weeks? She comes bearing a mysterious Red Book, by all accounts!

Do I prepare the hot oil above the front door, or put out the tea and biscuits? And do I need to tidy my house from top to bottom and lay out the white gloves for her to test the dust on the mantlepiece... Or do I close the door to the upstairs and whistle innocently?

Spirael · 08/06/2010 11:58

I have the opposite problem, DesperateHousewife! I'm only 5'2 and can barely touch the floor when I'm on my birthing ball. My DH has to stand nearby, ready to catch me when I lose my balance and topple over.

Anyway... Maybe try pumping the ball up a little more, if you can? I've got the pressure in mine high enough that it doesn't squish down that much when I sit on it. It seems sturdy enough to take it - it hasn't burst on me yet! That should make it slightly higher for you, if it doesn't give all that much.

If that's difficult with the pump you have, maybe a friend has a different pump you could borrow for a bit? I have an electric pump I keep in my car boot for pumping up the tyres, and that has an attachment to do other things like air beds and such. Maybe see if a friend or neighbour has something similar you could borrow briefly.

Chulita · 08/06/2010 12:14

spirael the little red book is the health record for your baby. It has growth charts/height charts/milestones reached and a load of other bumpf that gets filled out (jab dates and serial numbers) as your LO gets older. Often the HV will want to pop in just to introduce themselves and let you know where the weigh in clinic is etc. I wouldn't worry about doing anything to impress, with DD the HV noticed a bruise on my arm (5 days post cs) and asked if DH hit me she was a bit odd...it was actually an injection I had in hospital that the nurse didn't do very well!

dh try pumping it up a bit more, I think it takes a lot for them to pop I'm only little but I've not pumped mine up enough cos it goes very flat when I sit on it. Just got bored of pumping...

kkfairybrains · 08/06/2010 12:22

bookmarking!

Jojobil · 08/06/2010 12:25

Spirael it's a bit odd though that a health visitor comes before baby is born... Usually they come after? To make sure mother is coping and inform of where to go for check ups.
As Chulita says the red book is what you always take to the GP with you and where they write all vaccines, height/weight etc...

Gracie123 · 08/06/2010 12:33

My health visitor came before birth with DS1. She also had a bit of a nose around, but I wasn't sure if this was standard practice or just being nosy?

She only wanted to see babies room (which was also our room at the time!) and check that we had somewhere safe for baby to sleep/bath etc...

They did the same for my friend with her first and she was told the room was too cold and they would have to put an electric heater in there, much to her husbands annoyance!! In fairness though, HV also put her in contact with a local charity who gave her one for free

Gracie123 · 08/06/2010 12:35

memphis I lost some of my mucus plug with DS at 28 weeks, then a bit more around 34 weeks, then ended up being induced at 42 + 3!!!

It doesn't always mean labour is imminent. Just worth wearing a pad from now on. You never know if there'll be more or whether your waters may begin to leak!!

Spirael · 08/06/2010 12:35

Thanks for that, Chulita and Jojobil. I'd not heard of the Red Book before! Will have to find a safe place to put it. Apparently the HV seems to be proactive in my area and wants to visit ahead of time!

I'd like to think it's because the antenatal care in my area has been very good so far - I've seen the same MW each time and she's bent over backwards to accomodate me for appointment slots, including staying late on a Friday! However the area I live does have a definite 'wrong side of the tracks' area a mile or two away, so it could also be that the HV wants to get involved early on in case there are issues.

I'll be intrigued to she what she makes of the fact that both DH and I are covered in scratches at the moment! It probably looks like we were fighting with knives or something, but the truth is that we de-wormed the cats at the weekend and were duly mauled by the disgruntled kitties.

Spirael · 08/06/2010 12:43

Ooh... That's useful to know, Gracie. Guess I'd better tidy my house up this weekend, then! It's not in too bad of a state at the moment, but I might just give the appropriate rooms a once over. I'm pretty much set up now, so I doubt the HV will find too much to complain about.

However not sorted out a baby bath yet... My plan was to just use a bowl of water and some cotton pads initially. Then use the sink or big bath later on, depending on how obliging LO is, and probably buy a bath support at a later date.

Do you think that'll be ok? Alternatively I can always put a bucket out by the hose in the garden and show the HV that instead.

stac14 · 08/06/2010 13:05

hey girls, just bookmarking thanks for doing the thread dh wow not long till lo's start joining too lol. Will pop back later x

Chulita · 08/06/2010 13:38

I got this off ebay for pennies. Had a plastic one for DD but didn't want to store it for a year so sold it on. This one looks good though imo. You don't need one however, we just don't have a sink big enough and I've got a bad back so leaning over the big bath killed me last time!

Gracie123 · 08/06/2010 14:20

spirael we never had a baby bath!! Baby just came in the bath with us and HV was fine with that.

I don't think there are set rules. They just want to reassure you and give you a chance to ask any questions. She'll probably want to know you have a cat net or are planning on getting one if your cats have done that to your arms though!!!

I'm just off to the hospital. Had my MW appt, and she is not happy. Measured babies heart rate and said it's not good. They are going to monitor us for a while and then decide what next.

Keep fingers crossed for me!

Jojobil · 08/06/2010 14:36

We also found baby baths not practical and bathed our DD with us in the bath.

kkfairybrains · 08/06/2010 14:42

oh gracie hope everything is ok. let us know how you get on.im thinking of you anyway xx

DesperateHousewife21 · 08/06/2010 15:10

No probs stac

Quick question for everyone, what do people wear when actually in labour?? Do you wear a big t-shirt/nightie or are you naked??

OP posts:
memphis83 · 08/06/2010 15:35

ive bought a bath but only because i cant sit in tepid water myself and dh doesnt bath ever, i cant see hv moaning if you havent got all provisions in place so many people leave it all til last minute ot keep stuff at a relatives house, mine is all at fil house.
dh ive bough a couple of big nighties, apparently room you labour in is quite warm in oreoaration for baby so you want something light and airy, i know a girl who wore a hospital gown and as they do up at the back she was so off her face on drugs she kept taking it off and her mum covered her back up she shouted if i want my tits out while im pushing my baby out my fanny i will!!!(she is normally very shy and quiet and never swears!!)

stac14 · 08/06/2010 16:07

dh I started off in my own huge nightshirt, but nmy waters broke over them so I was changed into a hospital gown, which I didnt feel too bad making a mess of lol. Unfortunately, while I was standing naked the doc pulled the curtain next to the bed and flashed my naked body to the woman in the next beds hubby, needless to say I was passed caring lol. This time due to c-section I assume I will be wearing hospital gowns but I have big pjs for afterwards as I dont like nighties.

Welcome athrawes not long till all the madness starts eh? How have you been throughout?

Thanks again to everyone for your support and kind words

Wonderstuff · 08/06/2010 16:09

Marking my place, seems like its been an eventful few days. Will try to catch up this evening - soo tired

memphis83 · 08/06/2010 16:09

stac how did you get on today?

Gracie123 · 08/06/2010 16:29

I went to Asda and bought a giant man's T-shirt for £2.50 because I didn't care about throwing it in the bin afterwards. I actually didn't make a mess of it, but it was very sweaty so I just chucked it out anyway!

Hospital was very reassuring. They want me to rest more (not really sure what else I can do - I spend most of the day on the sofa making poor DS watch movies with me!) and get monitored regularly.