"D'y ever wonder what Paolo would look like in my shower?" <<because I do>> For FG xxx

[largeginandtonic]

How are the pox today HM???

Cricke, I HATE that, people phoning all the time to ask if the babies have arrived and when you expect them to come!!!!

Good luck with the revision Kelly!

So someone please tell me WHY babies can be calm and lovely all day and then cry constantly from 5pm to 11pm unless stuck to mummies norks (regardless of whether feeding or not!) ! They feed for about 30 seconds fall asleep, stay cuddled to me for a bit, I put them down 5 mins later they wake up looking hungry, feed again for about 30 seconds (may suck without drinking for a bit longer), fall asleep..... are they really hungry? I don't think so. I have enough milk but maybe it comes a bit slowly in the evening.

oh leo, I sympathise, all of mine have done that and you jsut have to persevere. I think the dts did it for about the first 8 weeks, then I started jsut putting them in their cots, and they would whimper a bit then fall asleep. It's so hard those early days when it is all so non stop. It sounds liek you are dong wonderfully though.

fg, it's my exam from the end of last year, I managed to get it deferred, so I don't have to retake, and I'll finish off next year.

Hello ladies, yes I am back to bother you again

Congratulations Leo on the birth of your DT's, they look so cute and tiny.

I feel like I am going to BURST, I haven't grown in size for the past 2 weeks but the babies have and I feel like they are going to burst out of me every time they move, it really hurts. (and yes I am a huge wimp)

I haven't slept for 2 days now as i just can't get comfortable, and I still have another 5 weeks left

It has got to the point that I am actually concidering having SEX with DH just to see if I can't give them a helping hand out.

I know I should feel very lucky etc to be having DT's but at the moment it is a real struggle to feel happy.

Any thoughts on how I can get some sleep, cope with day to day life with being pg and having a raging toddler or just feel comfortable out of the bath would be greatly appericiated.

Sorry to come on here and be so negative, but who better to help than people who have been there and done it.
Thanks

Hi 1b3, I remember that bursting feeling, like your skin can't stretch anymore and like you can't always get enough breath. I loved the swimming pool, floating on my back with one of those long floats (the sausage shaped ones) under my arms felt so good, handy for your wee one too. Have you got a maternity cozzie?

I did't use them but I have heard people swearing by those really long cushions, Kelly did you use one?

I did yoga when pg and just lying on your back with your bottom as close to the wall as possible and your legs up the wall was a great relief off the legs. Be sure and do it when you won't have to get up in a hurry though

I felt immense physical relief when the DTs were born, I felt like I'd had a stick stuck to my spine and then I ended up kind of hunched over once there were out, like a little old lady. Never quite shook that off

I didn't have the long one, but I had one of those v shaped ones that used to go under my bump and between my legs (good for pelvic pain), and about 6 other pillows all around me, and it was nearly as good as being in the bath! Plus, they really come in handy afterwards when bfeeding dts. Send dh to argos to stock up.
I know exactly how you feel, mine put so much pressure on me that a lung collapsed!

I could only lay on my right side too, dt1 was a grumpy little bugger even back then, and would kick like mad if I dared lay on him.

I have a million pillows they just don't seem to be supporting the top of my bump under my boobs, keep getting really bad pains down the side and under my boobs, have even stopped wearing a bra as it seems to help a bit.

Think I will be heading down to the local pool, it can be my new replacement for the bath.

I guess the thing that is really getting me down is the fact that if I can't deal with a bit of pain how the hell am I going to cope with 3 DC's under 2 after a c-section,

I want these babies out but I just don't know how the hell I am going to cope, I can't remember a thing from when DD was first born.
Could just be me having a bad hormonal day but I just feel really down and unready for what's ahead.

1becomes3, I was all over the place during twins pregnancy for the same reason - felt so exhausted, irritated and pathetic that I had no idea how I would cope and it made me thoroughly depressed for months.

But (although you will have horrible c-section to get over as you say) you won't be pregnant anymore!! You may be able to eat and actually keep the energy for yourself instead of having it immediately siphoned off yourself to two little wriggly bodies, and although you will be tired, you will start to feel human again.

Then there's the incredible rush of having two extra family members to love and so many people making a fuss over you because you've accomplished more than most people have!

Keep perspective - it will all be worth it!

{{{{hugs}}}} 1becomes3, you sound a little bit hormonal and tired. Honestly, I felt a million times better once they were out and even with a section wound to deal with, that was preferable to having them still in. And everything will come back to you automatically, you'll be jsut getting on with it and probably won't have time to worry anymore. You will be fine.
It msut be getting sooo close now.

Oh and largeg&t - I have a message for you but I've been waiting for you to reappear and here you are.

Dunno why but I started thinking about you the other day and it made me realise that you will be in the same place as my grandma was - she also had 5 boys and 1 girl. Unfortunately for her, her husband died when the eldest (my dad) was 10 years old and the youngest was 3 months. She also had a chicken farm to run, as obviously there was no single parent funding in those days and she brought them all up herself. She tells some incredible stories about trips to casualty, fights between the kids and times when she would blow her top and leave them all with my dad for an hour while she took off for long walks around the village to cool down and pray.

Anyway, I know your circumstances are different to that, although I still don't know how you cope (I think you're amazing) but just to cheer you up - my grandma now has nineteen grandchildren, five great-grandchildren, and is close to all her kids and they've all done her proud. Her favourite day of the year (and mine) is Boxing Day when the entire family gathers under one roof to have a meal, open presents and hang out together. It's complete chaos with kids running round everywhere but she just beams with pride all day. Her favourite bit is at the end of the day when we get out some hymn sheets, my brother sits on the piano and we all sing carols together, really loudly with all the harmonies and she always has a little weep in the corner because I'm sure there were many times she thought she would never get to that point. We all have so much love and respect for her, and I'm sure that after years of toddler tantrums, teenage tantrums and ups and downs that one day you will be in the same place, with a huge family that are so proud of you for all you've done for them.

Phew - I know that was cheesey but I hope that will help lift your spirits on the days you feel its all getting too much for you xx

aww estar that is beautiful. That is what I dream of in the future, though I've got some catching up to do first .

I too had days when I worried about not coping. I felt like I was going to start the learning curve all over again. I had a laugh with the girls on my ward because I had no idea where to put nappy cream on a boy even though I'd done it tons of times on a girl and I'm glad to say that after the first couple of nappy changes it all clicked into place again. Even that feeling of handling them as though they were glass lasted only an hour at most.

I spent an evening in hospital with the curtains round my bed, and in tears, because they both kept crying and I could only soothe one properly at a time and I felt I was waking everyone else's babies. I just kept reminding myself that I was doing my best and then, because I had twins, the adorable midwives took them away for a while to let me unwind and sleep.

Most people will feel in awe of you so don't feel anyone is looking and wondering what you are doing. You are having that last minute worry about what is coming, its natural and we're here for you x.

estar, I like that story

fg, you were lucky! My two were little terrors, and screamed most of the night (apparently because I didn't have enough milk ) but they just wanted cuddles. I took one in bed with me, and rocked the other in his cradle, and they moved everyone else out of the bay and left me to it!
When they did eventually take them, they went and gave them bloody formula . Oh well, didn't do them any harm, and once I got home, we could all snuggle up in bed together to our heart's content.

I am getting soooo broody.

The next day, they gave me a HUGE pram and said I could always rock them in that in the TV room.......where it was empty

oh and that awe thing! On the second day they were showing mums-to-be around the ward, and suddenly it was like 'OMG she has got TWO!' and I had twenty of them all crowding round the bed while I quickly tried to cover my norks up.

I feel there's a Catherine Tate sketch in there somewhere, I just can't vocalise it

estar what a truly inspiring story. It sounds like you have a wonderful family.

1b3 - I felt much the same as Kelly...it was such a relief to be able to breathe deeply again and to be able to sleep comfortably, despite a c-section wound and a really bad cough, that any pain I felt seemed insignificant. Make sure you insist on the maximum pain relief you can have. To be honest, I found I felt better after the DTs were born than I had after DD1 was born (long-drawn out induction followed by ventouse - nasty stitches which got infected YUCK) and surprised everyone by how active I was.

Leo - I remember those days well...OH and I used to spend the evenings pacing up and down with our DTs trying to get them off to sleep with me alternately feeding them. I don't think we ate a meal at the same table without at least one baby for a good few weeks. I wish now that I had done as Kelly says and got them used to going to sleep in the dark in their cots a lot earlier. Once they were doing that, things were a lot easier.

Kelly - your trip sounds like my worst nightmare...you're a marvel for managing to stay calm. Good luck with the revision.

Now I have a query which I'm a bit embarrassed about...whenever DD1 sits down to watch telly, she ends up lying on her front, with her hands underneath her, basically playing with herself. I've seen her doing it in bed, but it's becoming more and more of a habit and I can't seem to break her of it. I'm wary of making too much of an issue of it, because I don't want to give her any bad associations, but she's even started doing it when there are guests here. I've heard that this is quite common with little boys, but don't know if the same applies to little girls. Does anyone have any experience of this or any ideas how to break the habit? Am too to post anywhere else!

What age is she tkb? My DD is always there, esp when watching telly, thumb in mouth, other hand up her skirt somewhere. I don't worry a jot. Wouldn't do it personally of course She's 6 btw.

dd went through a phase of playing with herself, it's jsut a comfort thing with little ones, and it's best not to make a big deal out of it. Unfortunately dd didn't limit it to at home so I think as she got older, I explained it wasn't polite to do it in public and she doesn't seem to do it as much now. She is also 6.

She's 3.8 FG. Thanks to you both for your speedy replies. Makes me feel so much better to know she's not the only one! I shall endeavour to ignore it for now, unless she's doing it in public .

Thanks for your kind word ladies, it is a comfort to know that I am not the only one who has had these feelings.

Going to try and have a nap now that DD has stopped bouncing off the walls and is in bed.

Thanks again

Oh estar what a lovely family you have, your Grandma must be a very cool lady! I always wanted chickens you know....spooky! Ohmigod that is a lot of grandchildren, i may move to a very small bungalow when they all leave home, what if they want to come and visit

Leo it will get better, my dts spent the best part of their first year in car seats being rocked with a foot, especially between 4 and 9pm, it was my worst time with them. I used to push them out too, anywhere just to share the screaming with others (only fair i thought) They were really good by the time they were 6 mths though, bearing in mind they were born at 29 weeks and in hospital till they were 3 mths old.

FG you sound better, how is it going?

Kelly...exams, my brain has ceased to function on any level other than nappy changing and Fireman Sam.

Estar - I agree with every one else, thats a lovely story.
FG, you do sound a bit more cheerful, is this the case, is AF in the building?
1becomes3 - Like you I was so so worried about how I was going to cope, and when it actually happened, I don' think it was as bad as I had imagined, so that sort of helped iykwim I had three under the age of 2, and had a C-section, so it can be done But it is tough, so hope you will have lots of support around you.
Leo - you sound as if you are doing really well. I am not sure who else bf their twins, I managed to, so if I can ever be of any help. please free to CAT me. I expect we will now find that every one did so you will have loads of advice

OH and Kelly, good luck with the revision, god, i just don't think that I could study with such young dcs, my hat goes off to you and Mars. I am truely awed