roll call for any Aussie mums in London who want to meet up?

[quokka]

Been here 7yrs now have 2 ds's 2yrs and 6months and am married to a pom so looks like I'm here for the long run! The closest I get to an aussie now is watching neighbours (I know its quite pathetic). Anyway if there are any others who fancy a catch up, I'm in west london?

You can always stay in the bath as long as poss? I would try to avoid induction as much as you can. The hospitals usually try to convince you otherwise but if you're feeling healthy then I don't think theres a need - as long as your monitored regularly.

Go and get some clary sage oil, mix a couple of drops with some carrier oil then rub it in your belly 2-3 times a day. Shame your dad missed out, but at least he got to see you preggers!

Yeah i might just get in the bath there and refuse to come out!

Am going out to look at some shops so will check out the holland and barret for clary sage oil........

Kaybee the bath is excellent for the early stages of labour at home. I also had this fantastic long beanbag thingie which I got from Neal's Yard (Covent Garden). It was filled with rice and was lavendar scented and you heat in microwave and put on your back/neck wherever. Not for pregnancy necessarily (I originally got it for dh's sore neck) but it was excellent.

I know that Homerton in Hackney has a couple of birthing pools that are used regularly, but I guess it's far too late for you to be changing hospitals! I was originally booked in to Homerton as we lived in Bethnal Green, moved to Fulham at around 35 weeks.

Quokka I've lived in a few places also. Grew up on a property west of Bourke, then spent high school year in Wauchope (NSW mid north coast, only claim to fame is turn of the century theme park called Timbertown!). Also lived in Sydney before moving to London.

Ha ha ha you haven't seen the size of our bath Mellin! I had one last night just to relax, but wasn't the most comfy, I only just fit in it!! Still worth a try I'm sure, and the hospital have a big bath you can use if it's available...

lol kaybee, I actually do know what you mean. The hospital baths are bigger

Mellin Timbertown sounds like a laugh, we had Pioneer Villiage close to us (you could pan for gold)! Did you grow up on a farming or cattle property? Eastern suburbs or North Shore in Sydney? Tell me if I'm being too nosey.

I was off line for a few days last week, computer broke down. It was hell.
Kaybee, so long as you are still feeling plenty of movements and your being monitored regulary I would hold off the induction too. Speaking as a person who had a 'failed' induction, apparently 50% of inductions in first time mothers end in ceaserean. So wait a little if you can.

I am from Newcastle NSW originally but more recently (like 10 years ago) Sydney.

Good to see your back online Cori, I would be devastated if my computer wasn't working!

Have you ever had a prob with your wrists/hands post pregnancy? I have to wear these extremely uncomfortable wrist and thumb splints at least half of the day and all night! I had to take them off about 2am because it was cutting the circulation off my thumbs . Apparently I can't have the op to loosen the nerves because they wont heal very well because I have kids that need lifting and wont be able to rest for 6 weeks post op (after each hand). Have to wear these stupid things for 2 months and see if it makes it better!

I have a feeling kaybees having a baby!

Oh I hope so, how exciting! My waters broke in the morning but I didn't get contractions till about 5pm so I was walking up and down stairs all days cos I read somewhere that it can stimulate labour!

I grew up on a sheep and cattle property - red dry countryside and red dirt. As kids we ran wild all over the place, which must have saved Mum's sanity with 3 kids. Wish I had more than a tiny garden here for the little one!

Lived in the eastern suburbs in Sydney, Randwick mainly. Never went to the Randwick races strangely enough even though I lived around the corner.

Quokka your wrists sound painful. I know someone who got carpel tunnel (sp?) during pregnancy but never heard of it after. Is it from lifting the kids or just happened spontaneously?

I wish I was off having the baby, but no such luck just yet !!!

Your wrists do sound painful quokka, esp with having to lift the boys around

My waters broke right at the end just before they came out, so I wasn't sure I was in labour with ds1 so went to a friends house for dinner and had 2 large glasses of wine . Which I then threw up and the midwife gave me a very disapproving look

Wrists have been a pain and are quite sore. They stopped for a while because didn't have my periods for about 3 months, but got them last week and the pain has started again.

Mellin my auntie and uncle had a farm which we were shipped down to alot to help with shearing etc. This too was dry and red in the summer, but had a ball on horses and motorbikes when I was young. My mum was a single parent so thats why we went down so much - so she could have a break.

Your aunt & uncle's farm sounds just like ours - were was it? We had the whole shearing thing as well, we loved it because it meant no school for 3 weeks while we helped out! We had horses but my Dad never let us have motorbikes (3 girls) which when I think about it now was totally sexist of him!

I'm knackered today, don't want to scare you off Kaybee but babies are a handful! The little one is nearly 5 weeks now, yikes! Her latest nickname is houdini baby because no matter how tightly we swaddle her at night she manages to get both arms free in secounds.

My boys were the same with swaddling. I gave up and just did an underarm swaddle so they could move about.

Kaybee's been off for a couple of days so I'm sure she's had ds or is having him as we type!

Sometimes I feel guilty that I can't give the boys the kind of lifestyle I had as a kid. Once I got stuck down a crevice of all the wool bales for ages - I thought it was great! Even spraying the sheep for fleas was fun. Their farm is in WA inland from Perth, but kinda on the way to Margaret River. We usually stop off at the farm before heading off to taste some great wine, well we did before we had kids!

Is Kaybee having a boy? I seem to be surrounded by people having boys at the moment. I have a girl although today she is wearing a boy's baby grow (it's green with a picture of a dump truck on it). When she was born she was small birth weight so no clothes we had fit her. So when we got back from the hospital I sent DH out to mothercare to get tiny baby clothes and he returned pleased as punch as he got a 2 for the price of one deal. Never mind that he got one girls set and one boys. Ahh bless.

I know what you mean about your kids not having the opportunities to run around as in oz. I am feeling a bit homesick at the moment because all my family is in oz and I would love to have them closer, especially in these early months.

Hi girls... it's been awhile! Kaybee, hope you are doing ok - sound impatient waiting for your bubba to arrive. Relax and enjoy the last few days . Shame about your hospital and their birthing pool. I must remember that, although I think we have as good as decided on a home birth.

Ngati Ranana (London based NZ Maori club) have their Christmas concert tomorrow. Looking forward to a taste of home .

Mellin - hi and welcome I was in Brisbane recently and couldn't believe the size of the yards. All I could think of was how glad I was not to have a back yard to mow. It was always a nightmare chore!!

Hi kiwibella, concert sounds great! I wonder if theres any aussie things like that?

Mellin, is anyone coming to meet the LO? We went to Oz when ds2 was 5 weeks and ds1 was just under 2yrs. It was weird as it was the first time anyone had met my family! Unfortunately I was still in the "baby haze" so don't remember much

c'mon Kaybee, I'm itching to hear the news! Have 3 friends all due now and only one's appeared so far, and they're in NY so can't see them and get all gooey over the baby.

Seriously Kaybee I hope all is going well for you and your new little family. If you need anything you can always text or call me . If I don't hear from you will just assume your recovering.

quokka: an afternoon at "Walkabout", perhaps??

I have a local one but haven't had the courage to go in . Last time I went to an aussie bar like that I was child free and single - don't think it'll have the same appeal now! They do do burgers with beetroot though .

I also seem to remember that toilets didn't have seats so you had to squat!

Zak Christopher Neilson finally arrived into the world kicking and screaming on Thursday 30th November at 19:39pm, weighing in at a healthy 8lb 13oz!!!

Birth was horrific and can't face reliving it quite so soon

oh Kaybee well done you! How are you feeling - exhausted? Let me know if theres anything I can do What a big boy, you always had quite a little bump as well ! Love the name.

Congratulations Kaybee!!! Now the fun part begins.

My LO is 5 weeks old and has only just reached 8lb so you have done fantastically well, think of it as having a month's head start!!

Quokka - my mum & dad are coming over at the end of this month and staying with us for January, am really looking forward to it (2 extra pairs of hands around the house!) and they can't wait to meet their first grandchild. Wow can't believe you went on that horrendous plane trip to Oz with a toddler and a 5 week old! We are planning a trip back to Oz next year but probably when she is 6 months old.

Hi Kiwibella - agree that there are downfalls to having a massive yard. Whenever I speak to my dad on the phone he is always talking about mowing the lawn (and he even has a ride-on mower). When is your LO due?

Congratulations Kaybee, What a big boy no wonder it was difficult for you.

Ditto about the big yards, we have enough trouble looking after our itsy bitsy garden.