July 2010: Our babes are due! Within the month, they'll all début.

[Chulita]

Thanks to spirael for the title, hopefully we'll all pop before this thread ends!

wonder my DH is also planning to quit smoking when the baby comes - could wish he could do it now to hopefully get the stressful part out of the way first, but no, he says he has always known he won't have another cigarette from the day we bring the baby home. We shall see!

congrats kitty how are you?

Can't remember who asked about induction and stitches. I was induced with ds and due to the hormone drip the pain comes in thick and fast. It may be because its speeding up the labour therefore intensifying the pain. I opted for the epidural lol. Regarding the stitches i had a swimming ring which i took everywhere far comfier than sitting directly on that area. I did get an infection and had burst stitches so i took far longer to heal. Just be careful and keep it clean x

Hope that goes well emster My dh was going to quit when we moved into our first flat, then when we brought our own home, when he turned 30, when we got pregnant, when dd was born.. Now the quitting smoking has been down graded to only smoking tabacco Don't think its ever going to happen myself.

Well it is a miserable day here today I hate drizzle, though at least it is cooler! Got hair appt at noon, then no point coming back here until i pick up dd, so mooch round town, tomorrow is the only day we don't have a childcare plan if I go into labour, so i reckon that might be the day!

Did wake up and wonder if I was in labour a couple of times last night, only to realise that it was constant pain and I had to get up and wonder round. My bump has got even bigger, now definitly as huge as I was with dd and really low on tops that cover me up.
Finding washing up a real nightmare as I struggle to reach the sink and keep bumping into things with my tummy.

Kitty congratulations, great news!! Hope u have got some sleep now and ur ready to tell ur story soon.

wonder strangly i had a simelar thing last night. I had had a few twinges yesterday then when I was reading my book at bed time I had like a period pain type pain for quite a little while, obviously it came to nothing I would be quite happy if the baby came today........well after I have put the wshing away and done some Ironing and cleaned the edges of the doors(i know that one sounds a bit mental but anyone who had cats will understand!!)

I got my new car yesterday. Its in very good condition and isnt too big so im happy with it, i just need to drive it as much as possible before the baby comes to get some confidence up.

It seems much cooler here today and Im quite relieved tbh. I might go get those jobs done and then see what DH wants to do.
Have a good day everyone xxx

just popping in from the july 2006 thread - good luck to anyone with twinges today, or if you're stuck in hospital (like I was), or overdue and being induced.

DS1 was born on 14 July 2006 and the time has flown!

Congratulations kittykat.

That's a great birth story Orangefizz. Sounds like walking is the key to moving things along. Must keep that in mind on my big day....whenever that will be.

I went to the midwife yesterday (my EDD) and she was utterly dismissive of my expectation that I might go into labour any day now. She said that 70 - 80 % of first time babies are born around the EDD+10 day mark. I feel thoroughly disheartened and disappointed now. I know we shouldn't get hung up on due dates but it's hard not to .

Anyway, all the birth stories here are keeping me going so please keep 'em coming!!!

DeeLite my firstborn was born at 39+4, her stats still leave 20-30% of first time babies being born earlier.

Got to muster the energy to go to town now, really, really would rather go back to bed, so shattered.

thislittlesisterlola I feel your pain, Ive got 2 stitches at the top and bottom so one hurts when I wee and one hurts when I sit on ANYTHING! Im taking neurofen, midwife said this was ok whilst breatfeeding. Also Ive got tea tree oil for the bath and pouring warm salt water over them every now and again throughout the day soothes them. Fingers crossed they heal up soon for us. Mine were only 1st degree/grazing.

Breastfeeding is going well for me, he seems to wake every hour throughout the night though so not really getting much sleep having to try and catch up during the day.
However I never realised how much milk I would leak, I woke up in a big wet patch this morning, when hes feeding on one breast the other will leak literally like a tap I have to hold a muslin over it the whole time. Its getting a bit ridiculous.

DH glad BF is going well for u. Every hour sounds grueling though, does he feed every time he wakes? And for how long? Im sorry im asking questions but im slightly hung up on feeding at the mo and i havent even gone through labour yet!! Could u catch the milk coming out and use it? When i mentioned mix feeding a few days ago i meant with breast milk in a bottle so DH could feed too, anyone got any experience of this?

dh and vik you can buy these fab little collection cups that sit in your bra from boots. I used to slip one in on whichever side I wasn't feeding from and it always gave me a few extra ounces. You can stick these in the freezer (ice cube tray or bags available from boots) and then defrost for dh to feed with a bottle or spoon feed if you prefer not to mix breast and bottle.

It keeps in freezer for up to 6 months, so label it and use it in order! We found we were able to wean ds onto one booby feed at night and still give him just breastmilk for at least a month in bottles by the time I wanted to wean. When we started running low we slowly mixed in formula so that he would accept it and we didn't have any tantrums at change over (formula and bm do not taste the same - I am reliably informed by my friends 2yo!)

Thanks MLIC and Wonderstuff for your reassurance and for the tips about keeping active in labour. I guess I should use this time now to relax and store energy so I have lots of it for labour.

That's a great idea Gracie about mixing formula and BM before weaning.

Ooh, just had a delivery from John Lewis. I bought a Grobag swaddle, some cot sheets and a little cloth book. Off to wash it all now!

Quick update - baby boy born at 9.51 this morning after 3 hour labour! Got to hospital at 8cm and went into birth pool but had to get out to deliver as he's BIG!

11lb 3oz!

Hang in there everyone having BH - they obviously help speed things up!

congrats kittykat

wonder and emster my DH gave up smoking when i went into labour! He only took it up again a few months ago and that had been causing massive tension, mainly because i couldn't stand the smell on him anywhere near me...we'll see how it goes this time, but at least they have positive intentions for the new baby so you can't knock that.

gracie those milk cups sound brill - i've never seen them before - are they with the breast pads etc in boots?
Sam is feeding about hourly at night too, its knackering, he's typically doing the sleeping all day thing too - still, he's so gorgeous i'll let him off for now!

anyone giving birth today?

aha! just as i was asking! congrats norky wow he is a biggun - well done!

congratulations norky on the weight! And good news for the BH sufferers, I'm still getting loads!

Flipping heck norky! that is huge!!! Well done you.

In case anyone can't get to boots
www.amazon.co.uk/Breast-Shells-Breastfeeding/s?ie=UTF8&rh=n%3A60208031&page=1

Congratulations norky! Does he fit into any of the clothes you've got?

mlic leave the ironing, baby cuddles are the way forward!

tsc am a bit of your sweep, they don't even consider one here til 41 weeks.

Wonder how memphis and kkfairy are getting on...

Chulita was just logging on to see if there had been any news from kk or memphis - not yet then!

Norky congratualations! welldone you Hope you are ok and not too sore!

gracie thanks for the info on the cups, i remember one of the ladies i work with telling me about them but then totally forgot! might just order from amazon

I'm feeling very anxious about being induced on sunday. Just called the hospital to ask someone to go through the procedure with me so i understand a bit more of what to expect. The MW on phone was lovely and explained things well but i'm still agitated!
She said that I wouldn't get a sweep as its a first time pregnancy and its unlikely my cervix will be low or open enough to do this... has anyone else had a sweep with their 1st?

She said when i go in on sunday afternoon i will be examined and then given prostaglandin tablet, then on monday if nothing has happened the same again and they will break my waters, then on tues if still nothing i'll be taken to labour ward and put on oxytocin drip which will get everything moving fast!
It all sounds so medical and overwhelming! I hope baby comes before then and i'm worrying over nothing! I really want to use the birthing pool and know i won't be allowed to if i'm induced! I know they are only doing whats best for me and baby but still, feel so vulnerable!