Issys girls.....10 down, only 4 to go! :-)

[Bubblebell1]

So here it is... our shiney new thread... hope you all see it soon or i will be here all on my own.

bubble so sorry to hear you've been through such hell, I do hope you recover soon.

I've just popped on to tell you I've managed to get some pics uploaded for you....

blue I'm co sleeping quite a lot too, my sleep is far more important than any silly rod/back interface

Will be back soon for longer chat!

xx

woweeee
GORGEOUS photos. you must be so proud. what a beautiful brood.

Lovely pics Head, so adorable! xx

Blue - I'm really not supposed to co sleep with Eira because she was so prem, but I too usually give in at some point. She seems to really suffer with her colic in her moses basket and there's only so long I can stay awake holding her, so I lie awake next to her instead.

issy does that mean that Eira is home with you now? If so you must be so so pleased.

My community midwife came over yesterday. My iron levels are back up, the LO is 3/5 engaged in the right position. Birth pool in a box is here. a hired tens is here. So I'm all set to try for a home birth.

Still have some bits and bobs to buy and some work to finish but am finally starting to feel like I might be something approaching ready for this. At least as much as anyone ever can be .

How are you getting on Wasabi? Any rumblings yet?

ps come and give me your tuppence worth on the baby names thread if you are at a loose end - which you are very likely to be if you have a newborn baby

oooh good luck bella, sounds like you're all set!

issy i co-slept with all 3 of mine before they got near 7lb, not recommended but just wouldn't have got any sleep otherwise.
Am v proud to say ffion now weighs a v respectable 9lb 6oz (at 7 weeks)- the HV was v impressed- so it seems all the lard i'm eating must be passing through to my milk! she's still struggling with wind quite a bit, but beginning to settle a little earlier in eves- like now rather than gone 1am...
going to try her with a bottle tomorrow as found out i have my phd viva on 3rd feb! arghh...so she'll need to be taking a couple of bottles then. just finding it hard to find time to express at mo.

must get to bed myself really, but never seem to get online if i don't sneak on with her cradled asleep on me...!

good luck all, thinking of you... head & blue your photos are gorgeous! will try to upload some soon myself. hope you're all keeping warm too- it is currently -15 here!
xxx

Hi girls,

Been offline for a couple of days while DH installed our super duper fast new PC .

Head - Francesca is just GORGEOUS!! Love that photo of you in hospital with her and your (equally gorgeous) DS. Got quite emotional looking at them as we've been on such a long road since we first 'met' on the August 09 bus, via mc threads and onto here - I just want to raise a glass and say "WELL DONE "

Bella - you sound all set - 3/5 engaged is great! Will pop onto your name thread, still think your having a boy but my predicition guru status was revoked after I got my own prediction wrong .

Jumping - yay! to Ffion's weight - your (.)(.) are obviously gold top too .

Thanks for reassurance re: co-sleeping. Like Issy, Benjamin is v. colicky in the vening and will just not go down in his carrycot at bedtime. I'm just trying to trust my instincts (rather than be a slave to the routine books) this time around and he just loves snuggling into me so a co-sleeping we will be...

wasabi - any twinges from you?

Thanks for posting on the name thread blue we have our boys names agreed more or less. The main difficulty is finding something to sound ok with DP's silly surname...

Re the co sleeping thing. Obviously yet to be a parent myself but i tend to think if your instincts are resulting in a happy baby then that's got to be the right thing, non?

Think it might have engaged even more as can't walk without needing a wee now and have a weird wave of anxiety though that may be the fact that DP has had to go off for the night. An hour and a half away. Where lots of snow is forecast. gulp. please all cross your fingers that I do not go into labour tonight! xx

Hope you're all nicely snuggled up all cosy with your newborns those of you that have them and to those still cooking them - make the most of your own personal central heating system. I know that is something I will miss when it's out!

And Bubble if you're lurking. Really hope that you're recovering from your hideous ordeal xx

Hi there all,

Head I've just looked at your pics - your family is just adorable. The one of you, your DS and Francesca is just so lovely.
Hope you're all having fun together!

Blue Well Benjamin sounds like he is getting on a treat I co slept with DS as well as he wouldn't settle in his moses basket either! DH and I decided that our sanity was paramount and if you observe the co sleeping "rules" I think it's pretty safe. THis time round I have bought a proper "earth mother" type sling - a Moby wrap instead of the Baby Bjorn I had last time because I wasted so much time fretting about DS "never wanting to be put down" rather than just going with it. He eventually started to become more independent of his own accord at around 3 months. Don't believe all that rod for your own back b*llocks. The only thing I would do differently is buy one of those little boxes that they sleep in between you to make sure they don't wiggle anywhere they shouldn't.

Jumping Great to hear from you too and to hear Ffion is doing well and plumping up nicely!

Issy Are you both home and settled now?

Bella Glad to hear you have all the kit required for your home birth. It's all very exciting. Being 3/5 engaged is good - although yes, the effects on the bladder aren't great!

I'm a bit grumpy at the moment actually. It's been a somewhat trying week what with being snow bound, our boiler packing up not once but twice at the beginning of the week (now mercifully resolved), DS's nursery being shut and his usual day at my parents being canned because the roads are just sheet ice. I'm so uncomfortable and the skin on my bump is quite sore and tender. The baby keeps kicking, wriggling and stretching all of which now are really quite uncomfortable. PLus loads of BH's, periody type pains but no actual action. AAAAAAAAAGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

DS has been a real little handful as well. Not sure if it's due to pregnancy or just standard terrible 2's but the way I normally handle things (slinging him in the buggy and going for a walk to the park or wherever) hasn't really been viable this week. Neither of us likes being cooped up.

Sorry for the rant, I do feel better now though. Off now to check out Bella's name thread.

Nothing to say except that it is my due date today!
[gulp emoticon]

oooh, Bella - how exciting!!!

Hi Y'all!!!

How exciting for you bella! I hope things get moving for you soon, I only went a week over but boy those days don't half drag!!!

Thanks wasabi we are indeed having fun (mostly )

Sorry to hear you're feeling down. I know how you feel about being snowbound. I still can't drive because of the cs, but even if I could today has been the first day that the roads have been even remotely passable round here. I hope you're feeling a little more comfortable.

Thanks for the raised glass blue (I've been doing more than a little of that lately... it's so good for the breast milk supply don't you know!! ) It has been a long road and I think we both deserve a glass of something sparkling!

issy I hope Eira is well and thriving.

I'm still part co sleeping with Francesca. She doesn't take kindly to being put in the cot, but she's slowly getting used to it, so I have high hopes she'll be able to sleep in there full time soon. I don't get a heck of a lot of sleep when she's on my chest or beside me because I'm so aware of her being there.

Mind you I don't have to worry about her being under 7lbs now.... had her weighed yesterday by the community midwife - the first time since she was born, and she's put on 8oz in 11 days. She's now 7lbs 7!!! It's a big relief because ds lost 10oz after birth and took 6 weeks to put it back on again, which really shook my confidence wrt to brestfeeding.

I hope everyone else is fine and dandy... I must go because I've got to get a couple of hours beauty sleep before Francesca wakes up for her first feed!She'll do one around midnight, then another at about 4am, then again at 7am, then ds is up for the day!

xx

Hi again - no rumblings or nothing yet.
Actually just writing because i very dappily forgot to reply to Wasabi's posts to me here and on name thread. I had in my head though, honest!

How are you doing? any stirrings?
I have been told that sex and nipple twiddling is the only thing that makes a difference. I have been asked to have the baby on Friday so will hold off on such shenanigans for another day

Hi to everyone else

irish have you been scanned yet? Hope all ok x

Hi guys,

Bella How exciting to be "officially" due! No stirrings here either. I can imagine that sex and nipple tweaking possibly help but to be frank, I am in the mood for neither! I have to say I also tried both of the above along with clary sage, curries, walking etc. to shift DS after my waters went last time and he did NOT take the hint. It's always worth a go I guess especially if you are overdue but I am convinced that in my case I just have to wait. Pah. I hope you have more luck! I hope you are practising your affirmations and balloon breathing!

Head Good to hear that the weight gain is going nicely. This weighing in stuff can really hit a new mothers confidence with bfing. I had to stay in an extra night with DS because he lost too much of his birth weight and he then had to be tested for salt levels and all sorts. When the community midwife who weighed him when he came out said there must have been a mistake as there was no way he could have gained so much so fast. I had an extra 24 hours in hospital and loads of worry for nothing basically because a Healthcare assistant cocked up the weighing and I was too frazzled to notice.
Lesson learned.

Big up to everyone else - this thread is getting progressively quieter as the babies appear!

Hi guys,

no news yet from Bella?... wasabi - had to at you not being in the modd for either nipple tweaking or sex - really?!!! sorry to hear you had a hurrumph week with the weather and no relief from DS. Its bloody snowing again here - WTF!!!

The day before I went into labour I had a very active day of clearing out the fmaily room of all DS1's old toys. Lots of bending and stretching and convinced it got things moveing along ...

Head - well done Francesca and the weight gain . Benjamin gets weighed tomorrow - he is a wee pudding already and I hav eto check his double chins for milk when I clean him - fatso! He's still co-sleeping and (touch wood) settling alot quicker the last two nights.

Irish - how's things with you? did you get a private scan?

Bubble - how are you honey?

Sunnydale - helloooo? where are you hiding!

Savouring my last few days with DH - he's been off since 22nd Dec and goes back on Monday - howl! We need to get back to normality I s'pose, just wish the snow would feck off so I can at least get out and about with pram/sling...

Love to all xx

my spelling!

nothing from me yet...not even a rumble! i feel like i can hear the collective finger tapping of all my friends and family.

i'm quite happy chilling and pottering for a bit longer though. love love love not being at work.
if only i could have the whole year off...

hi to everyone else
blue so pleased to hear little b is thriving. It wlil be tough when DH goes back but how lovely to have been able to enjoy such a nice family love bubble

wasabs hope you're feeling perkier. i have been avoiding sex and nipple tweaking not because i don't want to - i really do actually - but because i have been trying to keep it in to fit in better with DP's work schedule!

Hope little Francesca and Eira are thriving xx

just saw from my earlier post that i am supposed to have it tomorrow...that's come around so quickly. better get DP back from the office pronto then!
eek but i am actually too scared to do anything to initiate labour. have only just managed to sip gingerly at a couple of cups of raspberry leaf tea. i am such chicken...i'm not scared about labour as such. more that my whole entire life is about to change beyond recognition.
[deep breaths emoticon]

Hi everyone. Sorry for absence. Apologies for lack of personals but we're back in hospital, so on mobile. Eira had swollen feet which has spread right up to waist. Doctors baffled - all tests clear. She has massively swollen, purple labia and puffy, mottled legs. Hope they work it out soon. Hope you're all well. Will keep reading to see if balloon pops. Take care, Is x.

Oh no what a worry for you. you poor things. Hope they work it out and and hope it goes very soon. xx

Issy I really hope Eira improves soon and its nothing serious. Big (((((((hugs))))))))

Bella I know what you're going through so well.. I was like that with ds and dd. I remember being at a friends wedding when I was pg with ds and everyone there was giving me their labour horror stories (of course... why wouldn't you terrify a first time mother with hellish stories of agony? Just my instincts too!!!) Anyway one woman at our table leaned over to me and said "don't worry about the labour, yes it hurts like nothing else, but if you're lucky it's 12 hours of excrutiating pain. It's the rest of your life you want to worry about, you never stop worrying or fretting about your children" All I could muster was a wan smile as I suddenly realised how much life was going to change. But of course looking back despite the fact that it has changed massively I haven't missed anything of my old life.... even as I look at my dried cracked hands, my throbbing nipples and my unkempt hair!!

Good luck with trying to get things moving.... the first few weeks are very special, everyone treats you like some kind of genius for having a baby... subsequent babies get totally ignored (as I'm learning - sob!)

Just a quick post -

Issy so sorry to hear Eira's back in hospital - hopefully they'll figure it out asap.

Bella hope you get your LO really soon

Hello to everyone else - sorry for no personals, am in work and furtively typing. No Internet at home for the past 2 weeks - some builders broke the pole that my line is attached to and they have to fix it - rather than the phone company.

have my bloods etc next Thursday and a private scan a week tomorrow so happy days.

Have progressed form nausea to full on sickness so not too worried about LO. Can't eat very much though good in one way - not so much in the other. I'm sure I'll make up for it after this trimester.

talk to you all asap. Wil be lurking for news.

irish i was like that too and then when the puking stopped the only way i could control the nausea was if I treated life like one long graze. I think I put on a stone in 5 days or something a bit gross like that. it all evens out though. i really wouldn't worry about it but do keep eating. For some reason it really is the only thing that works and the longer you leave it the worse it gets.
stick to whitish things. They tend to be the easiest on your throat on the way back up.
No tomatoes or citrus. WAY too burny. Oh poor you. It's just awful but means that your LO will be a genius or something - apparently - cos you are so good at protecting it form nasty toxins. it sounds a bit like a bird shitting on your head being good luck I know but made me feel better for a while there!

head i have heard that about second babies. No pressies neither and in fact you need more help if you have a toddler running round the place.
A friend just came over with a gorgeous but unstoppable 18 month old. He destroyed my house within about 2 seconds. Am knackered and he was here for 1hr. Serious hats off to those of you who have dealt with pregnancy and a toddler AND WORK. I have no idea how that is possible.

Can you tell that I am on maternity leave without any bambini? Averaging a post every half hour now or something aren't i!

Hi girls,

I'm checking in for news as well!

Issy I'm so sorry to hear Eira is unwell. You must be so worried. I hope by now you have had a diagnosis and that things are under control.

Irish What a puketastic time you are having you poor thing! Still, it's reassuring too although utterly miserable at times as well. I like the "protecting it from toxins" theory that Bella quotes Ice lollies is my only advice - although perhaps not overly appealing at this time of year.

Bella Glad to see you are chilling and enjoying some MN time! I sometimes quietly sigh when I read those "I am annoyed because I am getting advised to rest while on maternity leave" sort of posts. Now't wrong with enjoying a little down time. And yes, your life is about to be turned upside down but in a good way I promise! Like Head I don't miss my old life either. I think you spend year one of your babies life slowly adjusting. The reason the 18 month old was such a whirlwind is that you haven't had time to build up to it! Trust us, it's great

Head Sorry to hear your lovely DD isn't being greeted with as much enthusiasm as your DS was! I hear it's pretty standard although I can imagine I will feel pretty miffed as well. I suspect that if I have another boy nobody will be interested as it will be third grandson in a row - 4 if you count a slightly more distant cousin. However, if it's a "girlbaby" as my DS says it will get a lot more attention!

No news from me as you can probably gather. Sill huge and a bit grumpy. Apparently measuring 2 weeks ahead size wise which is just dandy. Less engaged than it was 3 weeks ago. Hey ho.

Hi girls,

Issy - poor Eira . What an awful worry you must be having especially if docs are baffled. RE
eally hope its something easily fixed and you get to go home soon. Thinking about you loads tonight xxx

Bella - savour the mat leave before bambino time - the last time evah you can just potter . As Wasabi said you don't inherite them when they're 18 months but have grown to love and adore them by then. I don't miss my old life either. DH and me had one last year of good holidays and lots of nights out before I fell pg and I remember lying at the pool in Cyprus in June 2005 saying how I was making the most of this time etc. and one year on to the date practically DS1 was born!

Head - how dare they not fuss over Francesca . Benjamin has been getting lots of attention probably because there's not been a new baby to cuddle since DS1! He got weighed today and is a sturdy 9lb 9oz - gold top mummy milk at work .

Irish - yucko re: sickness - I can sooo empathise. It won't be forever and try ANYTHING that makes you feel better. Great to hear you've got your scan booked .

Seeing me has sent a few of my friends down the third child wobble road i.e. they have two, youngest at least two years old and seriously debating whether to have another! I even had a momet last week - yikes - think its because I do have moments of as I will never have a daughter... DH and me only ever wanted two, I'm 39 next year, pregnancy is so so stressful and horrid and frankly I know my limits and two is plenty BUT mother nature picks away at your brain doesn't she? DH has been so lovely saying how he feels for me as he has two sons and would feel a bit wistful if we had 2 daughters. I'm just going to go gun ho and be soccer mom from hell and a dab hand at the wii/PS3 when the time comes .

DH is sleeping in spare room tonight as he is totally knackered as DS1 has been woken by Ben and DH has ended up in with him etc. We've moved the monitor to DS1's room so I can close his door. Gives Ben and me a bit more room in our bed too but don't want to get used to that..

Of course I am totally knackered and then some as feeding twice during the night, settling him which can take up to an hour etc but it will get easier and he already goes longer between feeds than DS1 ever did.

Blimey I rambled on a bit there .

Off downstairs for my once a eek glass of wine - lovely jubbly.