Anyone due in April 2004?!

[dot1]

Hello!

I found out last week I was pregnant, and although I've not been to my GP yet, various websites and Miriam Stoppard have told me I'm due on March 31st/April 1st! (poor little april fools baby - let's hope it's late...).

I know it's early days, but wanted to start this thread as I've already got lots of questions - like, is anyone else having quite bad pains? I've been getting bad period-type pains, which have been worrying me, but I understand people do get (this is my first pregnancy by the way!).

Right, that's it - hope I get some company soon..!

Feeling much better today - got some sleep due to new heartburn medicine from GP. Its called Mucogel and tastes just like the mint Gaviscon but is much easier to swallow as its just like milk, rather than that nauseating consistency of melted toothpaste. Highly recommended!!

Still have stubbornly transverse baby. Udar, i have been trying the suggestions to move him & he sometimes goes around to feet down but never head down. No earthly idea why. Pig headed i assume (from his father's side)

Am still having very disturbing nightmares. These are not about the baby but rather about distressing or traumatic things from my past. I also seem to find it very hard to come out of them when i wake up, despite lots of reassurance and TLC from wonderful patient husband. Is this a sign i'm going mad?

I had expected to get wonderful sexy dreams about George Clooney or dreams about leaving the baby outside shops.............

Lesley, I have had some disturbing nightmares too lately (mostly about things happening to dds). I think it's common. (did manage one highly charged erotic dream too which was more fun)

Midwife tells me my baby is currently breech. I am only 34 weeks so plenty of time for it to turn but am now having fantasies of an elective caesarian at 38 weeks! I must be such a wimp. don't know whether to spend my time on all 4s to encourage the baby to turn or to lie back and hope it settles as breech!

I had midwives all the time in both labours.

Thank you Fennel, thought I was going mad. Its the fact that even when I've woken up and KNOW it was all a dream, I don;t seem to be able to shake off the feelings.....IFKWIM

If it's any consolation, stingrays are pregnant for two years... Ok, not much help I know but it made me laugh when we went round a Sealife Centre yesterday with ds and I read that. He likes fish but it was a waste of money because he was more interested in rampaging up and down the stairs and ramps! Mind you, he's only 16 months so one fish probably look much like another. He had much more fun on the beach afterwards throwing stones into the sea.

Had a bit of a scare last week with lots of itching so spent the afternoon in hospital being monitored. I had a cholestasis scare at the end of my pregnancy with ds which started with itching and have been having liver function tests all the way through this one so I was worried it had come back. Luckily all was ok.

My worst symptoms are still the heartburn and tiredness though the breathlessness is pretty bad too - have to stop halfway up the stairs!

Will be seeing my consultant at 39 weeks to discuss options is baby is overdue - given my advanced age (40) they don't me going more than a week over. Induction sounds scary but being overdue is probably worse.

Fennel - like the sounds of erotic dreams. Mine are just plain weird (that's when I can actually sleep - I always feel like I'm not completely asleep at night, if that makes any sense).

I'm apprehensive about this birth as ds was back to back with me and the pain was APPALLING! Will definitely use pool for early labour if it's free as that did help. Baby currently head down but still tangoing round my tummy most of the time.

March tomorrow - maybe the month some of us get to meet our babies!

Am a bit worried as I'm not having half these symptoms everyone seems to be having apart from some wierd dreams.
Baby is doing the tango a lot but is generally in an identical position with the bottom to the right hand side of my tummy button so it is mostly just kicks and punches I get. No rib action yet, no breating problems or heartburn - strange huh?
3 weeks to go at work now - hopefully baby will come about 39wks...

Udar, my symptoms are not very serious at the moment either, I don't think that's anything to worry about as long as the baby keeps moving. Have discovered that the plus side of baby being in breech position is that it's not digging it's head into my pelvis so I'm feeling much more comfortable than a few weeks ago - can walk and swim faster etc, less breathless. Even heartburn has gone.
However am feeling a bit hormonal again, annoyed with people at work (justifiably) but feel like doing a total screaming rant at everyone which I know would be embarrassing afterwards.

ps I only had the one erotic dream in many months, unfortunately.

actually had a goody last night - involved dh which I'm sure he'll be happy about.
Measuring 38 around the middle now - just seem to growing so much...when does the 'weight loss in the last month' start?

I really wouldn't hold out for that "weight loss in last month" if I were you.
though I haven't put on weight for a month really, I did it all in a burst over christmas.

I haven't had many symptoms either udar - no heartburn, no cravings, no breathlessness. I am feeling huge though, and walking along so slowly no. Baby feels very low down - digging into my pelvis too. I've only got 3 weeks left at work too - hurrah ! Fennel - I am constantly feeling mardy with the people at work and DH too. It gets worse after lunch too. Sometimes I have no explaination why I feel in such a bad mood - I just am and want to take it out on anyone nearby!

I've never heard of weight loss in the last month. I read somewhere that in the last few weeks baby puts on 0.5 pound a week which I thought was rather worrying !

I've heard both sides of the story in the last month - lots of gain and some people have a bit of loss...I can always hope.

Isn't it going quiet on this thread as people go off on maternity leave?

Bluecow surely 40 isn't seen as old these days especially for a second child?

Is it just me and hewlittsdaughter planning homebirths on this thread? I am feeling much less freaked about childbirth this week and assuming the breech baby will go back into a good position for my planned quick easy home birth. People keep suggesting waterbirths to me but somehow I don't fancy it, don't you get awfully shrivelled up being in there for many hours?

Turns out my urge to have a screaming tantrum at work was not my pregnancy hormones, my colleague was even more annoyed than me and is threatening to resign. It's hard not knowing whether to trust your reactions to things.

Hi Fennel, I'm not going on maternity leave yet... although I don't usually post when I'm at work Mon to Thurs (day off today, coming down with a cold).
Not going for a waterbirth myself - had planned to try the pool at the hospital first time round but then had ds at home. I was more comfortable moving around in labour than having a bath like the midwife suggested on the phone before she came round.

Saying that, I don't think people always stay in the birthing pool for long - I'm sure there was someone on mumsnet who had a baby recently who just used it at the end and it was helpful to them.

Yes hasn't it gone quiet - 2 weeks today to go for my maternity leave, I'm quite glad I'm working through quite late.

I suppose with it being first pregnancy, I sort of want to keep options open for what seems to work for me (as obviously everyone is different) so figure that it'll all be a bit of an experiment. One thing I'm sure of will be that I'm sure I'll want to move around as I'm hyperactive at the best of times anyway - it is one thing that I have written in my birth plan.

Is anybody else getting a sore left neck from sleeping on their left all the time. My back pain seems to have minimised a bit (hoorah) but now the neck has kicked in.

Hello!! this laptop is so frustrating - I've tried logging on loads of times but it's just not got enough memory and keeps crashing...

Anyway, our move went OK, but it's a bit depressing trying to fit all our stuff in - and the baby/hospital bags still aren't packed...

I had just over 3 hours of regular contractions in the middle of the night on Thursday - they were coming every 20 minutes - not very painful, but just enough so that I had to breathe deeper and concentrate on counting my breaths in and out, which seemed to help. Then they just stopped..! All very strange - they were definitely different to Braxton Hicks, but since then there's been nothing really. I really must get the bags packed..!

We went on a tour of the delivery suite at St. Mary's yesterday - looks good and there's an anaesthetist on call on each ward all the time, much to my huge relief - sorry, but I'm already practising the phrase "GIVE ME AN EPIDURAL..!"

You can pay for your own room - £25 a night - and again, shame on me but I'm going to... (and I work for the NHS ). I know, it's a huge sell out, but I'd just rather be on my own.

Anyway, hope everyone else is well - anyone else had contractions/funny pains?

Hi Dot, glad to see that the house move went ok and that you are well.Was a bit concerned to read about your funny pains in the night. I haven't even got my stuff to put in the bags, let alone have them packed. Also we have workmen in the house at the moment (plumbers, joiners , electrician) so have three bedrooms out of action (ours,DSS1 and the baby's). So I cant possibly have the baby for weeks yet.

I haven't had any Braxton Hicks that I've noticed, although have had very weird pains/feelings after frolicking with Dh for the last few nights. Does anyonehave any idea what these might be ( apart from my body trying to tell me to have a cup of tea and read a magazine in bed instead as i am too old, fat and pregnant?)

Fennel - no I suppose 40 isn't that old but psychologically it's a big barrier to get through! I have to say I'm glad I've passed it - in fact I'm 40 and a half now! However they wanted to induce ds when I was expecting him in Oct 2002, just before my 39th birthday. Mind you I think at the time the conversation - though it was never said in so many words - was more along the lines of 'you may not conceive again so we don't want anything to go wrong'.... As it is, despite my polycystic ovaries and bountiful figure (!) I managed to get up the duff on the second attempt both times and consider myself very blessed indeed.

I've had strong Braxton Hicks all afternoon - aargh.

Am not planning a home birth because I like the idea of being on hospital (am I weird?). But then the hospital I am going to was just fab last time and I am looking forward to going back there. Espesh if I get the (male) head of midwifery who called me flower and petal all the time!

Am hoping pool will be free again for use in early labour. I didn't use it for too long though with ds because I did find I was getting very hot and bothered and felt a bit like a cooked lobster after a while.

Udar - I don't sleep on my left all the time but I do try not to sleep on my back.

Poor ds (16 months) has had horrible chest infection all week so that's been tiring and worrying.

Udar - what a pain your baby turning round - I didn't think they could at this stage - hope it spins back again - lots of crawling around might help??

Yes, I'm hoping baby will at least be on time - can't stand the thought at this stage of it being late - it's just too uncomfortable and I feel like I'm counting down the hours, never mind days..! I think it's 'cos there's so much to do in the house and after about half an hour of doing anything much I'm knackered and have back ache... dp is being so wonderful - keeps sending me off to bed for naps, but then she ends up working like a slave - and looking after ds.

Moan, moan - at least we're in the house and bags have finally been packed this morning..!

dot1 - your dp sounds like such a star. I'm so jealous I want to borrow her in fact Glad to hear that the move went well and hopefully you'll have your internet connection sorted too.

After saying I had no complaints I reckon I tempted fate as I did my back in last week so I am all stiff at the moment. Thankfully a visit to my oestopath has eased things a bit but I had to stay off work for a couple of days last week. I am still at work for another 2 weeks and have loads to do but little incentive now to do it.

I have so much still to do in getting things ready for the baby though - I haven't even got half the stuff for my hospital bag let alone everything else. I am hoping to sort out as much as possible when I'm on maternity leave. Hopefully baby won't come too early or I'll be stuffed.

I get the odd braxton hicks - almost once a day too but its not too bad.

Dot1 re private rooms - I say go for it. When I had dd I shared a ward. The only good thing was the other new mums with me were all 2nd time (or more), mums and were really helpful when I was struggling with dd. The nurses on duty were useless and no help whatsoever. In fact it was another mum who helped me get started on breastfeeding rather than a nurse. The bad thing on the ward is that I found it very very noisy. dd of course slept through it all but I was exhausted. I couldn't wait to get home.

Dot, Just to add to the general congrats on your house move. Udar - sorry to hear about the swollen ankles, and your bad back Metrobaby....

By contrast I feel great today! - I've been anaemic in this pregnancy and several weeks ago was asked by my GP to attend surgery to pick up some ferrous sulphate tablets. Well, I've been meaning to and meaning to and never finding time, but eventually collected them last week and I'm now taking them. The change is enormous - I can manage a flight of steps without having to have a 10 minute lie down at the top!

Geez it sounds like we might need to join the thread for 'being fed up'. Apart from my ankles everything is fine and I'm particularly glad that the baby has turned back around...just don't want to encourage it to turn back too often.

metrobaby can I ask what all the 'stuff' is that you don't have for your hospital bag? Mine's been packed for a while, now I'm worried that I've forgotten something.

dot1 I'd use a private room if I could - I asked at my hospital and they said that first option is for staff and then people with scbu babies (which I can understand) so they couldn't tell me if I could get one or not.

My hospital bag (not packed yet) will consist of:

*a couple of sleepsuits, vests and a cardigan for the new born
*usual toiletries for me
*some heavy duty sanitary towels (1 pkt should suffice until you get home)

• circa 10 disposable nappies for new born (if you are in longer due to unplanned c-section or baby swallowing meconium etc, your significant other can bring you in some more) *1 night dress - no other outdoor clothes other than the ones I arrive in

From memory I didn't need anything else last time I was in...

OK - doesn't sound like I have forgotten anything - figure I'll add the outdoor clothes for me upon leaving as if my waters break at home I may need to pack a pair of trousers to wear home, if not I'll be wearing home whatever I wear in.
I've also added moist toilet tissue for me, evian spray (comes recommended).

There was a thread a few weeks ago on packing a hospital bag, which might be worth checking out.

I had more packed than metrobaby, including changes of clothes cos I bled all over my nice new pyjamas immediately. biscuits or cereal bars or similar in case you get hungry - several people have complained to me that if you give birth at night you dont' get fed til breakfast and can be ravenous.
Also ear plugs.

Met two first time mothers this week who had quick (5-6 hours) easy labours, one at home and one hospital. there's hope for you all, even if I am just jealous.