Due SEPTEMBER thread 12 - the big countdown ...

[franch]

Here we go

Re aromatherapy in child birth and post partum care I have two excellent books, Aromatherapy for Women By Maggie Tisserand and The fragrant Pharmacy by Valerie Ann Worwood (think i spelt her surname correctly). Used one of their labour blends last time and it was great. Would strongly recomend it. Will probably be lurking again today and will catch up later after dd's friends have all gone home.

raspberry leaf tea - not yummy - apparently you can add honey - not sure if that helps!!

Had a bad night last night lay awake worrying for several hours - hope I don't do that again!

Zoezebra- glad I'm not the only one with a suduko crazed partner!

When I had ds - my show appeared just before the serious contractions started - so could be any time KiwiKate.

Think all our babies are going to make us wait!!

ANDIF - You may need to get someone else to go in and buy the clary sage for you. Most places that sell it are fairly clued up as to the dangers of using it durring pregnancy as it is a uterine relaxant, and will therefore not sell it to pregnant women even when you explain that it is for use in labour.

Has anyone managed to find any underwired nursing bras?

BIL has come round to help look after DS - they have gone out to the park for some active playing of the sort I can't manage any more .

Was sick in the night - not nice . But think it was due to effort over small one's room yesterday, so am being more gentle today.

Is anyone else feeling clingy towards DP/DH? Didn't want him to hgo to work today - he has said he might be able to work from home tomorrow which would be nice.

Bought clary sage from Boots with no questions asked!
All those hating raspberry leaf tea - why not take the tablets instead!!

Still hanging in here. Got diahorea (sp?) and cramps (in back and stomach). Not sure if it is DH's cooking or labour. This is how it started with DS.

wow, kiwikate, sounds like this is it, good luck and keep us all posted. fingers are crossed for you xxx

Thought it was about to happen yesterday but seems it was a false alarm. Have been having occasional period pain-like cramps for a few weeks now but yesterday evening they became very regular - every 8 minutes or so for about 2 hours...and then disappeared. Cancelled meeting friends for dinner in Soho (didnt fancy labouring on tube) and all just a ruse. Oh well.

Had U/S on tuesday and all looks well. Ultrasonographer was very quiet and looked perplexed throughout which was initailly worrying but turns out he just couldnt work out why scan had been booked as all looked so average. My hospital doesnt do routine 38 week scans.

This weather is so changeable. I try go for a 30 min/hours walk a day but found it was pretty grim in rain as can only wear open sandals at present (due to feet swelling) and feet and bottoms of trousers get soaked and muddy. I always assumed pregnant women with their hands on their waistbands where being sweetly protective of their bump in a maternal fashion. Now I know thats not true in all cases. Some are just desperately trying to hold their trousers up! Once they slip down my bump, if I am not quick they are a goner.

Beatie - I got an Anita underwired bra from Blooming Marvelous. Not cheap but worth it. Also like the Bravado ones for support(not underwired). Andif - have ordered a Yes bra from Ebay which should hopefully arrive soon. Thanks for tip!

Good luck kiwikate!!! im off to see my consultant this afternoon to get a date for my c-section! im quite nervous! ooohhh!!

good luck helenemjay

Boompi - I'm with you on the trousers front have a couple of pairs that if they start going can be on the floor in seconds! Not good when I'm trying to hold onto ds1 and 2 at the same time, so I have had to resort to wearing maternity pants and tucking the trousers in! (can't believe I'm writing that down!). I never had any maternity pants with the first 2, but they are very comfortable!

When I had a scan last week they looked at me very strangely at first - they had me down for a 20 week dating scan! and there I was with a 37 week bump!

Can't believe all the signs of labour that are happening here! Good luck KiwiKate!

I'm 38 weeks today and this one better stay where it is a while longer. I'm on my own this week which is lovely but would like this one to wait till ds1 is back settled in pre-school, so he needs to be on his due date or late really. He's 3/5 engaged at the moment so is getting ready.

Thanks bubbles!!! i cant believe how nervous i am! it will be my third c-section but im still really nervous! i feel like such a plonker - like i should be all calm and grown up about it

you're not being silly helenemjay, i don't think it matters how many times you've done it before, you're always going to be anxious. what do you already have? ds/d?do you know what this one is? do you have a preference?

Oh thanks bubbles, i have 2 boys, charlie is just 5 and jake is 2.5, we dont have any idea what this baby is! - although i have a feeling its a girl! - i was right with the other 2, but dp thinks its just my want for a girl, and i should accept the odds of me having another boy are higher! lol!!! bless him, what a killjoy! xx

For those who do not know what you are having - what is your personal prediction? I thought girl for a long time but the past few weeks I have been thinking boy. I already have a DD and have a slight preference for another girl but will be thrilled with a son too.

PiccadillyCircus - I've clingy with dh for some weeks now - its starting to realy scare him!

and zubb - you sexy beast - trousers with your pants tucked in! I can talk - I'm still Pat Butcher! I hate all my clothes and wish to burn them!

HelenEmjay - completely understand your worry - c-sections are so common now but its still an op - which is a worry to any one. I found I recovered from mine really quickly - did you?

I bought some clary sage from Holland and Barrett AGES ago and no one asked me any questions! I've got that one, lavendar + marjoram, which are supposed to relaxing (the clary sage is good for contractions apparently). Have an oil burner which uses a candle which I'm planning on taking in, but if not allowed to use it (naked flames and all that) I have 3 different coloured face cloths that I can just damped and then put the oil on to sniff it...

Kiwikate - hope this is it for you! All very exciting!

Got my nursing bras from Mothercare, not underwired tho. They are scary, the sort of huge things I've only seen hanging on other people's washing lines!

beatie - If I don't have a girl I'll be very shocked and ds2 will have lots of pink clothes to wear! I'm quite convinced its a girl and mw etc has hinted at a daughter!! The scan lady also hinted at a girl as we left the room (as I wanted to know and dh did not!) but all the same I don't know for sure- but ds's do love their mums!

redhelen, my dd is a total mummys girl. and so adorable too. i would love another dd, i do know what i'm having but not revealing it, it's lovely to personalise your bump with the name but totally understand people that don't find out too. i had a prediction of what this baby is and was totally 100% right but was wrong when pg with dd.
zubb, i wouldn't get too paranoid about how you look, i'm sure you look just lovely for the stage you're at. you should see me,dp wanted me to have my hair cut shorter than usual and now if i don't straighten it asap, i look like i've been dragged through a hedge which is how i look right now. LOL

i will also apologise in advance if when our babys are born mine has the same name as someone elses as i have discovered that the name we have chosen is quite popular. not impressed by that but can't change it now.

bubbles - I just had my pre-labour haircut. I hadn't bothered to go to the hairdressers for ages so it had grown quite long and shapeless. The hair dresser put a lot of shape into my hair and now I am forced to style it or use straighteners on it to avoid the 'dragged through a hedge' look. I'm wondering if I can take hair straighteners into hospital. I'm not incredibly vain but really, I don't want photos capturing the hedge look!

I've just moved into the most comfortable maternity trousers ever. A friend gave them to me ages ago and said I'd love them at the end. She's so right. They're just old, baggy, burgundy stretchy trousers from mothercare and DH was horrified to see me wearing them but I have decided I will live in them for the next fortnight

thanks redhelen and bubbles! Luckily all my maternity tops hide everything! The main problem is that ds2 has a habit of wanting to touch my bump, especially when he's tired. He says 'bumps name' over and over as he attempts to lift up my tops to get to him - if it's in public then I have to check my trousers stay up!
Its quite sweet really, first thing in the morning he says hello to the bump, and waves it goodbye when he gets of my lap at any time. We named the baby very early on and there is no way we could have changed it as everyone refers to him by name already. Will be very interesting to see how ds2 reacts to the baby, or whether he'll still have a fascination with my stomach!

MrHal here to let you know our surprising news that Sarahhal had little boy Thomas Alexander 6lb 13 at 3.32am Thurs after very quick and very positive labour!

Am sure she will be on here soon to tell you more! Home from hospital already, Mum and baby fine.

Wow! Well done Sarahhal! CONGRATULATIONS!!! Looking forward to hearing all about it! You've scared me slightly, as your due date is a couple after mine!!!