so here it is, a new home for us newly updiffed ladies or still seeking that golden egg after a mc part 3

[mrsb33]

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/conception/1170413-Coffee-lounge-and-bar-for-MI5-interviewees-little-friends-and-other-CM-studiers-post-MC-Part-II

ladies here it is our new home, ive tried my best, im not very good at the witty banter so hopefully this will do, get yourself comfortable it could be a bumpy ride with me at the helm!!!

Evening ladies! Sorry again about lack of posting. Rest assured I am thinking if you all and lurking if not posting. Do you remember badger watch they had on the beeb years ago when they had a camera trained on a pregnant badger? Can't help feeling there should be a sparklywatch as we pace nervously in anticipation of monts arrival! I have also heard of brandy and castor oil helping. A friend said that the castor oil for her certainly ensured a good clear out - might reduce the need for sieveage for dh sparkly!

Glad to hear mini worm is moving around - you're so right about not being happy with level of movements. Can sympathize re parents etc wanting to plan dates etc but stand firm and do whats right for you - you don't need any added stress now or later....

Good to read things are calming down in the nether regions yellow

Oops post too soon.... Re lack of sleep. This was something I was dreading too, somehow you just cope - never thought in would say that though. Make sure you sleep when they don- housework can and will wait.... That is what oh is for, amongst other stuff!

ALL Going well here although i am horrified at 3 am to discover that projectile poo really does exist and it goes everywhere!! Jack doing really well though and is up to 4.33 kg - not sure what that is in lbs but he was born at 3.9kg so it's good.

Love to you all and big squeeze and mountains of hot buttered toast for sparkly xx

Morning all

We def need some kind of tracking devices, it's all very stressful keeping an eye on both worm and sparkly

Hope midwife goes well today, sparkly if she does have a rummage she might be able to tell you if cervix is favorable etc. At the moment I wouldn't fancy her examining my cervix but I guess I may change my mind later.

worm how are the movements, when is your next appt?

wombat thanks for the sleep reassurance, I'm less keen on hearing acout projectile poo, sounds like the stuff of nightmares. How is bf going?

All good here, had an excellent active birth workshop yesterday, we both feel much more prepared now. One couple there had streaming colds and spent the day snorting and coughing and sneezing, how selfish in a roomful of pg people. I was not impressed. I know there are I'll people everywhere but I'm not normally locked in a room with them for a day. Bah!

Morning girls.
I hope you don't get the horrible cold. I hope eye daggers were thrown. I went to a chocolate party the other week and a stupid woman sat there and said her ds has viral menigitus. She got major daggers.
Not at the hosp until Thursday. It's gonna be a long week! Movements are ok, I had 2 lovely reassuring days of loads of movement, more than I have ever had. Now settled back into my original pattern . I keep giving it a poke to which I get poked back.
That sounds like excellent weight gain wombat, you must have gold top in your jugs. [Grin]
Waves as sparkly ........

Why didn't my smiley work ?

Morning,

I am so so very sorry for being MIA for so long. Really been struggling with my pelvis which left me down in the dump and anti-social, plus I can't MN on my phone very well so have been sticking to FB.

sparkly have you got clary sage essential oil?? V good stuff and I swear it got me going with dd when I was 10 days late. Also take EPO.

I'm due on Thursday! I can't believe it's actually here, and now I'm really tearful about it. I feel so guilty that dd won't have all our attention, and she's such a lovely age (although the cat won't agree!). So lots of hormonal tears here!! I have mw on Wednesday for a sweep. The consultant said I could be induced due to pelvis but I don't want that, but I can have the sweep early.

Oh and we have no heating!! Boiler broke down yesterday, waiting for plumber but it's flipping freezing. The fire in the living room in pants, so just have a little fan heater. Hopefully plumber will be out soon.

I hope you're all doing well, off for a huuuge catch up.

Ooh - I think I would have thrown more than daggers at those selfish people worm and yellow.... I am intrigued though by a chocolate party worm - do tell more! Also, what was the best thing you learned at the active birth workshop yellow?

Getting v excited for you 3 who are soooooo close to the finish line although what a stress re the boiler harassed. I see from fb that you're now sorted.

Wondering is mw rummage was successful for our sparkles as she's been a bit quiet today - maybe this plate of white choc and cranberry cookies will draw her out....

Re b feeding - def getting

.... Better all the time. We dont get the latch spot on every time but we are both learning still, Inc Jack who has got the hang of leaving his mouth open longer which makes life soooooo much easier.

One tip I read here on mn was to get the largest cotton wool pads you can for cleaning bottoms etc instead of those silly tiny cotton wool balls. Would whole heartedly agree. I have also found the boots organics rectangular ones are best for not leaving fluff behind. Annoying as they are more expensive but worth it IMHO.

Morning all

Good to hear from you harassed sorry that you've been in so much pain but the finish line is in sight! Not a good time for a boiler malfunction, glad you are all cosy again.

wombat the whole course was v good, you should have seen the shock on DP's face when the teacher simulated a woman in labour, hilarious! He was indignant "she could have warned us!" we went through the different labour stages in detail with the model pelvis and baby and acted out different positions and massage techniques and noises (!) that might help with each stage. It really helped DP to see how he has an important role in supporting the positions, helping with breathing, massage, getting drinks etc. It has made it much clearer to us both what may actually happen.

Keep your tips coming, v handy!

worm glad you are getting movements and that the baby responds to pokes, thurs must seem ages away but I guess you can go in again sooner if you need reassurance.

My little one was more active than ever yesterday, not sure what that means if anything. I'm seeing the midwife today which I'm looking forward to as I haven't seen her for 6 weeks, just silly doctors who don't seem to know a great deal!

Yoo hoo sparkly give us a smiley if you're still hanging about. So exciting that the three of you could go at any time, place your bets!

Still here, iron taste in mouth, heartburn raging, bump huge and tightening, and have a cold. Plus dh has just found out he has failed an important exam so sets him back six months waiting to resit and finally qualify.
Woe is me!

I have cheered myself up with some new Kurt Geiger boots in the sale, black bikery ones for winter. I'm looking forward to feeling attractive again, and have made a couple of new clothes purchases, as realised haven't looked at clothes for months unless they are elasticated!
Anyway, midwife was useful. It was the flaky lady ("Where's my trundly thingie?!") but she seemed a bit more sane qualified this time. She did a sweep quite reluctantly, as the policy is apparently to wait to 40+10 and I was 40+5 yesterday, but the Christmas period is creating a bottle-neck so she was keen to squeeze me through it. I am 2cm dilated and soft, but cervix is posterior, which essentially I take to mean in the wrong bloomin position. She said things were on their way but I have a long way to go, and she didn't seem confident that anything much would happen of it's own accord. I am booked in for induction on Friday 23rd, so highly likely that Monts will be a Christmas Eve or Day baby! Not bothered about the disruption to Christmas, I'd have been more stressed to leave things for +14-16 to be honest. Also, it's quite nice to have a date where something will definitely happen, gives me a bit more focus. Had a bit of a show this morning, rang Triage to describe my mucus and all seems normal, but it hasn't kick-started anything further.
So, looks like Wormy or Harassed or Mrsb may beat me to it! We're going to have a rush of little Christmas cuties, keep the tips coming Wombat, I'm relying on you to find things out the hard way and then pass on your wisdom to make my life easier Hey to Yellow, you are going to be super-prepared!
Right, off for a hot lemon and some toast and honey I think, then rethink the hospital bag (unpack the cocktail shaker and bikini, pack pads and granny nighties )

Hey sparkly 2cm and soft sounds excellent to me! I was only 1 cm when I went in with full labour pains! I can't see you needing that induction, despite what the MW said. Did she say if Monts was engaged/effaced? Get twiddling!!
Sorry about DH's exam hope he not too disappointed.

All ok at the midwife yellow? The active birth workshop sounds fab.

wombat the chocolate party thing was a bit like a tupperware/Ann summers party depending on what kind of friends you have. Basically it in a friends house via a sales lady who has a catalogue filled with chocolaty goodies of the more induldgent kind. Not a mars bar in sight........... You get to pig out try lots of the stuff and they are put together in luxury boxes. http://www.chocolate-parties.com/ link

It sounds like you and DS are doing fabulously at BF, did you need to top up at all with formula when at the colostrum stage? I hear milk is sometimes slower to come in after a CS?

So I am having a down day today, no particular reason, baby is moving around fine, if a little less rigorous. I keep trying to tell myself that had I not gone in for the monitoring which turned out to be fine I wouldn't have had the scan and would still be bumbling along just fine. I was in tears this morning when DH went to work he asked why and all I could say was "I just wish it was thursday"
We had a nice night last night watching some of the home videos from when we had DD. I can't remember doing it but DH filmed this whole thing with music in the background showing the pregnancy test result and various different stages of pregnancy, decorating the nursery, until she was born. So sweet. DD loved it.

Right off to keep busy in the hope it fast forwards time.....

again

so midwife went well.....she's really nice. She was quite shocked by my whole herpes drama (the notes hadn't made their way through the system yet) and thought I should complain to the surgery. Not sure I can be bothered tbh.

All good with me and baby, the head is engaged or down or something but she is slightly towards back to back so she told me to spend more time on my birthing ball and on all fours and less time laying on the sofa.....boo!

Sorry you are feeling down/tearful worm I think it's normal with all the hormones rushing around etc...it's almost the end of tues so you're getting towards Thursday. I guess you do need to focus on the fact that you are getting regular movements now. Big hug to you and here are some quality street in case you've had enough of the posh chocs.

sparkly that does sound like good progress, 2cm and soft sounds excellent. And you've got the back up on a date if you need it.....so exciting that you are now so close. I find it so odd how all hospitals have different policies, mine will be wanting to give me a sweep more or less on my due date and recommending induction at 40+10 at the latest.....it's all a bit random isn't it? Sorry to hear about your cold and DH failing his exam......I think eating and shopping are def the best cures for this kind of thing. I really want new boots too but my calves have swollen up (yes I'm hanging on to the extra fluid explanation rather than the extra fat explanation) and so my normal boots don't even fit now so I need to hold off on the shopping front.

You guys better come back and talk to me once you've popped or this thread is going to get very lonely!

Agh worm - you shouldn't have sent that link - all I can think about now is chocolate and I was even tempted to lick the screen - the background color is so realistic! Sorry to hear you've been a bit down - the vid of your dd sounds a lovely way to help time pass.

Still typing one fingered in iPad at feeding time so I'll post in bits as i would be one grumpy wombat if I lost stuff as it takes an age!

Thanks ladies, for your very kind words and lovely support.

Sparkly it sounds as though it's all systems go! My sister had her baby on Saturday night and the lead up was as follows: period pains on Wednesday, upset tummy on Thursday, a show on Friday morning, contractions started late Friday afternoon, continued through the night and baby arrived on Saturday evening. So according to that, the next step for you is contractions!

My sister's experienced reinforced for me not to have a birth plan at all, especially as her plan originally was a water birth at home and ended up being an epidural in hospital! She hadn't been at all keen on medical interventions but said the epidural was AMAZING and that she'd ask for it in a second next time.

Good luck to worm and harassed, exciting times for you soon too! worm I do hope that your next appointment is reassuring.

Has anyone had to buy a travel system for a tiny car? Mine is weeny so I'll need a compact system and was going to splash out on a bugaboo bee (as recommended by nice John Lewis lady) but I keep reading terrible reviews about problems with the wheels....

X posts with yellow and wombat - yellow don't worry, I'll be here for ages! And wombat is fab at her one handed posting now so the arrival of the bubbas doesn't mean the end of the thread :-)

Arrgh I'm in blinking agony and it's not even sodding labour!! I had chiro yesterday and because it doesn't matter if I start now she gave me a good going over. It's really stirred everything up, although I feel lovely and straight now. Can't take my cocodamol now either . Off for a sweep today, so hoping baby H will shift soon.

sparkly sounds very promising! I wouldn't worry about the posterior bit, it can move pretty quickly once things get going. Sounds like latent labour to me. Just keep going, and if you make the induction I can see it being just fine as things are already on the move. Don't slob on the sofa! Prop yourself up with cushions if necessary.

yellow appointment sounds good. Have a look at the spinning babies website for tips on turning a posterior babe. I delivered ds1 in a posterior position and it wasn't great! Dd was posterior until a couple of days before hand, made such a difference to the whole experience. Oooh your acupuncturist may be able to help too.

koolthe ladies on the Pushchair board will be able to point you in the right direction re a small buggy. They're great!! I kind of agree with you about not having a birth plan. Well I have one, but it's kind of a wish list plus also contingencies if things don't go my way. You just can't tell!!

worm I think tears are normal now!! I'm constantly on the verge of bursting into tears and any sense of being rational has gone straight out of the window. Poor dh doesn't know if he's going to come home to me laughing, dinner on and all organised or a tearful puddle on the sofa.... My movements have changed too, but there's no room left now!!! I sat down last night and realised I hadn't felt much movement all day (was busy), but then had really jerky poking out movements from 10pm-1am..... very little sleep here last night.

Right off out for lunch with dh and dd, just in case it's our last chance!!!

"Don't slob on the sofa!" Too late Harassed, it has a serious Sparklywine-Monty shaped dent in it!
Been waiting in all day for my sodding Kurt Geiger boots, having selected and paid extra for next day delivery, only to see an email from them just now saying the boots have been dispatched but will arrive tomorrow earliest as they cannot guarantee next day delivery over this period! Then why offer the option and take people's money for it! I am fuming, and will now have to wait in tomorrow too, as otherwise I'll have to trek out next week with a newborn to pick them up from the back of beyond. I have sent a strongly worded email (ending 'Happy Christmas' as realise it's not the bod's fault who has to answer me) and want my postage refunded, it will be my mat leave mission to hound this company until I have it!
No developments here, I think my posterior cervix must still be long, so looks like induction will be necessary. Keeping an open mind and hoping that as something has started it will not be as interventionist as I have read about. Saddened that a water birth is now unlikely but I need to go with the flow now, and just look forward to meeting my lazy boy.
Oh, I'm still slumping, useless at this malarky. Got a raspberry tea in hand though so not all bad. Just writing Christmas cards, had put it off hoping to say from Sparkly, DH and Monts! but now putting from us and bump, pah!
Sorry you're in pain Harassed, the end is in sight, and it's lovely to have you back, you are very wise.

Am very excited -am sitting here at the laptpop using all my hands and fingers! Here's hoping young Jack will stay quiet long enough to let me do a proper post!

First off, sparkly m'dear - I love your obsession with your non-delivered boots. I think it's an excellent way to keep your mind off imminient arrival. Sorry that things don't seem to be going the way of the waterbirth, but you never know - I'm sending natural vibes your way (not much good that did me though!)

Glad you had a good session with the mw yellow and that you're engaged already - long may it stay that way.

Are you hanging in there harassed? Your pelvis sounds dreadful - is it one of those things that go away as soon as you stop being pg? I do hope so for your sake. Hope the sweep went well.

Thursday tomorrow worm - hope your appt goes well - thinking of you x

Great to hear from you too kool -didn't get a chance to say sorry to hear about DH - sending hugs x. Can't help with the car / buggy thing I'm sorry to say - we are lucky to be poncing about in 4x4s here so space not an issue. Having said that, we got a 2nd hand bugaboo cameleon and have had a blow out with one of the tyres..... we got a replacement here but it was double the price of getting in the UK - ouch!

A couple more tips for you (not that I am any sort of expert!)
Water retention - comes out in the most extraordinary ways -night sweats and extraordinarily copious amounts of wee (yours that is, not bubs!) - do keep drinking though, it does help. I have just managed to get my wedding ring back on and the flip flops I bought in the height of summer are terribly big now, resulting in a near nightmare half way across a busy road when one came off!

I'm still just bleeding tiny amounts, 3 weeks post birth but what they hadn't told me (or I didn't hear) is that b/feeding makes you bleed a bit - which actually makes sense as it helps your uterus contract.

Another thing I didn't know about is the extraordinary shoulder pain....you're using muscles when breastfeeding, picking up baby, rocking baby etc. that you just don't normally use. It's shoulder pain for me, but for others it's upper back pain or neck pain. I have kept some Ponstan Forte to hand that I was given in hosp for the c section that has come in v handy and one of those heat packs you stick in the microwave that really helps.

Oh, and remember experimenting with pillows to get you comfy in bed while pg? I would say it takes the same amount of experimenting to get comfy while b/feeding and it's probably a different combo for different people. Low sofas are easier than high sofas as your knees can be at 90 degrees , if not, do get something to put your feet up on.

Don't want to bombard you with too much for now, and you may of course find the opposite of all of the above works for you!

Waves to all and leaves fresh baked mince pies with double cream, custard, brandy butter and ice cream! xx

Hi all,

Had my sweep and all looking good! Was 2cm dilated (but you never go back to 0cm after baby no. 1) but cervix was thin and soft and she felt the bugs head..... I always think that's a tad weird. Poor bug must be wondering what the hell happened! Had lots of braxtons, so just resting now while dh has taken 5yr old dd to Tesco to do the big Christmas shop (madness!). I'm having another one on Friday if this doesn't work.

Just to add to wombat's post birth info, I really, really recommend that you go and see a chiro/osteo. And preferably baby too. All mine have seen a cranial sacral therapist or cranio osteopath afterwards, it's well worth it.

Excellent news harassed its a race to the finish line between you and sparkly

I never win any races, and Harassed seems very focused. I think I'll just bounce on the sofa (didn't invest in a ball).
Bastard boots were in Coventry just after midnight, no word yet from K**t Geiger.

Had a proper show last night after a shag bath, felt something and actually said "Ugh!" out loud
Half expected things to get moving last night, but apart from a tight and quite uncomfortable bmp, nothing doing.

I shall use today to tidy the house and make sure everything is ready, and then eat chocolate. Thinking of shaving legs and dying roots today too, still convinced I won't get a moment to myself for about 15 years!
People keep ringing and texting now for news, getting annoying, and my mum rang last night to say UncleScottishPerson was worried about me, which made me worry about me! Not helpful, why are people worrying? Andy's Gran rings daily and is then annoyed when he picks up, "Oh, you're there then!"
I've been surprised by how much I've needed my parents and dsis for support (and free coffee and cake ), they've been great so far and it's made me value them in a way I don't think I did before this pregnancy. I actually think I may be less selfish antisocial than I thought!
Anyway, had meant to say good luck to Worm, Thursday at last. See you at the finish line Harassed! x

Hi Girls,

Just to add to the annoyance...."any news sparkly or/and harrased
So I've been for the scan. The sonographer was very upbeat said water was fine and doppler was normal. Then I went through to see the doc who was not so upbeat, the wording on the form says......"umbilical doppler displays diasolic flow throughout, A B ratio of 3.2 on upper limits of normal"
"liquor volume still raised AFI 17.5" presuming this is the wa
She booked the ELCS for the 5th January but then was very very keen to stress any drop in movements to go in straight away. Got to have another scan next thursday to check again so I still feel just as in limbo! Everything I look at on google regarding this just points towards babies being smaller than usual rather than anything more drastic.

I'm off to start a thread about it..............

No!

Bit more 'show' no contractions, water breaking, baby appearing, nothing. The body is weird. Trying not to get anxious about tomorrow, and also the fact I don't like to be away from home/dh/cats. Don't know how long I will be in for so severely over-packed, even got my waffle slippers fitted in (was going to pack the matching robe, a turban, and a pedicure kit, with my Jackie Collins book )
Goodness, this is weird, not got a fancy phone so next time I post I should be back home with a baby!

Either that or the buggering boots have finally arrived. No sign yet, but did get an apologetic email and my postage refunded, which goes some way to assuaging my pissed-offness at having waited in for two days to no avail.
Hope your new thread yields some good advice Worm, sorry things are not fully resolved and that you're still in limbo to a certain extent; it's awful constantly on the look-out for movements, and freaking out if there isn't any for a while. I then forget when the last burst was and start worrying all over again, it's like one long, arduous, fat, unsexy groundhog day.
So incase I don't post again for a couple of days, a big festive hug to all, good luck Harassed , thanks for the list of post-birth ailments Wombat, mince pies and a cheaky snifter of brandy for all xxx

Not got a fancy phone??? how very dare you not update us with every detail
Good luck and look forward to hearing from you and your snuggly new baby.