Pregnancy post mc: Totally's grads continued part 4...

[SamanthaB123]

Our shiny new thread - all welcome!

effi so pleased baby Arlen is home- hope you are all getting on well

Louise at going back to work- both for you and your dh. Good to hear you are getting some support- just take it easy and do what feels right for you.

happy think samb had nausea and diarrhoea from about 35 weeks too? But she hung on for quite a while! Can you ask your mw?

osch welcome back!

wobble hope you're still feeling sick

unbuffy lol at mad cleaning ! I remember getting obsessed with odd cleaning tasks and also with making sure I had lots of milk in the fridge. I used to get v stressed if we were running low -WTF?
oh dear re poo in the pool!!!! What did you do? Was the pool evacuated?!

gi1da not long now... Are you going to get a birthing pool at home? make sure mw has plenty of canisters of gas and air other than that it sounds like you've got a good plan in place, good to keep tur options open re getting in to hospital as you just don't know how you're going to feel.

Waves to alba afternoon naps sound good! I'm completely brain dead by Fridays and end up on bed for most of Saturdays which is not ideal.

Hope everone else is ok x

Loopy I would have been due 22nd and I am very aware of it but not exactly sad, not quite sure how I feel actually I do keep visiting the Nov thread though, to see how they are all doing....it makes me feel better somehow to see their babies coming. Maybe it would be different if I wasn't expecting now.

Morning ladies.

Had my 16 week appointment with the MW this morning and it was lovely to hear the heartbeat especially as I had started to get my paranoid head on again!

Gi1da go for the homebirth if you think it's the right thing for you. Never had the option myself but know a friend who had a really good experience.

Congrats to Effi getting home - great news

Unbuffy have never had the mad cleaning urge or the poo experience - poor you!

Big hugs to Louise

Off to my goddaughters birthday this weekend - complete with fireworks!

Have a good weekend everyone!

Friday's List

Unbuffy - baby#2 (1 DD) - 36+6 wks EDD 27th November
HappyGirl - baby#1 35+2 weeks EDD 8th December
Zayja - baby#1 34+4 wks EDD 11th December
Goodluckbear - baby#1 33+6 wks EDD 18th December
Malteser1981 - baby#1 33+6 wks EDD 18th December
Gilda - baby#1 - 32+6 wks due 25th December
BunnyBaby - baby#3 - 32+6 wks due 25th December
sparklyrainbow - baby#1 32+2 wks EDD 30th December
AlbaDeTamble - baby#2 (1DS, 3yrs) 31+4 wks EDD 3rd January. Next scan Nov 6th
toomuchteaching - baby#1 31+2 wks EDD 5th January
Redheadgal - baby#1 31 wks EDD 6th January
diggingforvictory - baby#4 (DS 1) 29+6 wks EDD 15th January
WestYorkshireGirl - baby#1 29+4 weeks EDD January 18th
Dorcas111 - baby#1 28 weeks EDD 28th January
Ba8y1 - baby#1 27 weeks EDD 4th February
Clareanna - baby#2 one DS 26 weeks ADD 3rd Feb 2011
Muser - baby#1 23+5 weeks EDD 27th Feb
Northerngoldilocks - baby#1 21 weeks EDD 18 March - next scan 12 November
Magic8ballhastheanswers - babies#3&4 20+3 weeks EDD 22nd Mar next scan 16th Nov
Liahgen - baby#6 19+4 weeks EDD 23rd March
Hopefully - baby#2 19+1 weeks EDD 2nd April
stuffedmk - baby#2 18+4 weeks EDD 4th April
Osch - Baby#3 17+5 weeks edd 10th April
Ivysedai - baby#2 16+1 weeks EDD 21st April
PenguinsMummy - baby#3 16+1 weeks EDD 21st April
VivClicquot - baby#1 14+2 weeks EDD 4th May
Loopymumsy - baby#? 14+3 weeks EDD 5th May
Tigerbear - baby#1 12+4 weeks EDD 14th May
HairyTriangle - baby#1, 9+5 weeks, EDD June 5th
Wobblewatcher - baby#2, 6+3 weeks, EDD June 27

The babies are arriving! Huge congratulations to:
Totally with daughter Faith Juliet, 9lb5oz born Tuesday 16th February 2010
Amyboo with son Matthew James, 4.714kg (10lb3oz) born Tuesday 30th March 2010
Hoops with son Benjamin Scott, 7lb4oz born Friday 2nd April 2010
Memorylapse with daughter Olivia, born Friday 16th April 2010
Jacanne with daughter Lotta Eliza, 8lbs 5oz born 20th April 2010
Becky78 with son Thomas Christopher born 22nd May - 9lb 1oz
Meita with son Ianto born 23 August - 7lbs 4
Boodleboot with daughter Alice Elizabeth born 10 Sep - 8lbs 2oz
LeeWT with son Andrew Anthony born 28th Sept 7lbs 14oz
TFLS with son Charlie born on 30th September, 6lbs 8oz
SamB with daughter Ruby Mae born 19th October 7lbs 10oz
Effilump with son Arlen born 16th October
Sarahlou8 with daughter Emily Isabella born 21st October, 7lb8oz

In our thoughts and prayers:
Louise with daughter Georgie born asleep on 10th October

We share the pain and mourn the loss with:
Jollster, Cheepz, Freezing, BarrenBrook, MsJL, LadyBee, Moofold, Banana87 and BatteryHen

Hi ladies, hope you are all geared up for lots of fizz pop bangs this weekend!

Lovely hearing babes heartbeat isn't it penguin?!

Gi1da good news on your homebirth - go for it. Nothing like the comfort of your own home :)

Good to hear you are getting lots of support Louise, I hope the counselling is helping. xxxx

How are you feeling today Happygirl?

Welcome home Arlen (beautiful name Effi)!

Off to tend to sick DD :( I hate this time of year bugsaplenty!

Well, Good Afternoon!
I am rather rubbish at posting these days, I don?t know where the time goes, I don?t ever get anything done...I read all the news though during late night feeds. Interestingly it seems like a million years ago that I was pregnant and all of your ailments and news seem surprisingly attractive. We are talking about the possibility of dc#4, weird as it may seem I could quite look forward to being pregnant again.

So, we are doing ok. Fundamentally everything is great, Ruby is gaining weight, I am breastfeeding and in spite of tiredness we are all still sane. We have has some minor niggles ? piles, constipation, thrush in my nipples (ouch!) and in Ruby?s mouth and quite a bit of tearfulness. I wouldn?t change it for the world, I love her so much I feel that I could burst!

Now, some name checking ? it?s been such a long time so forgive me for those that I miss.

Louise I hope you are ok, I think of you and Georgie frequently and wonder how you are getting on. I still find it hard to comprehend what you must be going through and the unfairness of it all.

Effi Congratulations on the birth of your baby ? so long is it since I posted that I don?t think that I have welcomed your little boy!

SarahLou How are you getting on? Our babies are very similar in size and age ? do you have screaming if you put her down? I think that my arms might fall off for carrying Ruby around all day! I hardly mind at the moment, baby cuddles are just so yummy.

Penguin It is so lovely listening to the heartbeat isn?t it? I always found that they didn?t do it for long enough I could have listened all day.

Loopy I thought that I would feel awful as the due date approached but actually in the end I was so wrapped up in this pregnancy that I actually forgot . One day I thought ?it must be the day the baby was due about now? and realised that it was a couple of days ago. I did do a lot of grieving at the time so maybe it was well and truly out of my system? I don?t know. I did have a little cry on the day that I remembered.

Gilda I am all for homebirths and would have had one but my DH was really really not keen. He was worried about the carpet ! In the event my birth would have been perfect for a home birth, however the shouting during the actual delivery may have disturbed my neighbours a little . That and the swearing...

Buffy I am thinking of you at the top of the list, can?t be long now! How are you feeling, I was really fed up at the end.

Happy My sickness came back at the end of the pregnancy, it wasn?t as bad as the first trimester but was still tiresome. I thought part of it for me was nerves and part was excitement.

Friday?s List
Unbuffy - baby#2 (1 DD) - 36+6 wks EDD 27th November
HappyGirl - baby#1 35+2 weeks EDD 8th December
Zayja - baby#1 34+4 wks EDD 11th December
Goodluckbear - baby#1 33+6 wks EDD 18th December
Malteser1981 - baby#1 33+6 wks EDD 18th December
Gilda - baby#1 - 32+6 wks due 25th December
BunnyBaby - baby#3 - 32+6 wks due 25th December
sparklyrainbow - baby#1 32+2 wks EDD 30th December
AlbaDeTamble - baby#2 (1DS, 3yrs) 31+4 wks EDD 3rd January. Next scan Nov 6th
toomuchteaching - baby#1 31+2 wks EDD 5th January
Redheadgal - baby#1 31 wks EDD 6th January
diggingforvictory - baby#4 (DS 1) 29+6 wks EDD 15th January
WestYorkshireGirl - baby#1 29+4 weeks EDD January 18th
Dorcas111 - baby#1 28 weeks EDD 28th January
Ba8y1 - baby#1 27 weeks EDD 4th February
Clareanna - baby#2 one DS 26 weeks ADD 3rd Feb 2011
Muser - baby#1 23+5 weeks EDD 27th Feb
Northerngoldilocks - baby#1 21 weeks EDD 18 March - next scan 12 November
Magic8ballhastheanswers - babies#3&4 20+3 weeks EDD 20th March
Liahgen - baby#6 19+4 weeks EDD 23rd March
Hopefully - baby#2 19+1 weeks EDD 2nd April
stuffedmk - baby#2 18+4 weeks EDD 4th April
Osch - Baby#3 17+5 weeks edd 10th April
Ivysedai - baby#2 16+1 weeks EDD 21st April
PenguinsMummy - baby#3 16+1 weeks EDD 21st April
VivClicquot - baby#1 14+2 weeks EDD 4th May
Loopymumsy - baby#? 14+3 weeks EDD 5th May
Tigerbear - baby#1 12+4 weeks EDD 14th May
HairyTriangle - baby#1, 9+5 weeks, EDD June 5th
Wobblewatcher - baby#2, 6+3 weeks, EDD June 27

The babies are arriving! Huge congratulations to:
Totally with daughter Faith Juliet, 9lb5oz born Tuesday 16th February 2010
Amyboo with son Matthew James, 4.714kg (10lb3oz) born Tuesday 30th March 2010
Hoops with son Benjamin Scott, 7lb4oz born Friday 2nd April 2010
Memorylapse with daughter Olivia, born Friday 16th April 2010
Jacanne with daughter Lotta Eliza, 8lbs 5oz born 20th April 2010
Becky78 with son Thomas Christopher born 22nd May - 9lb 1oz
Meita with son Ianto born 23 August - 7lbs 4
Boodleboot with daughter Alice Elizabeth born 10 Sep - 8lbs 2oz
LeeWT with son Andrew Anthony born 28th Sept 7lbs 14oz
TFLS with son Charlie born on 30th September, 6lbs 8oz
SamB with daughter Ruby Mae born 19th October 7lbs 10oz
Effilump with son Arlen born 16th October
Sarahlou8 with daughter Emily Isabella born 21st October, 7lb8oz

In our thoughts and prayers:
Louise with daughter Georgie born asleep on 10th October

We share the pain and mourn the loss with:
Jollster, Cheepz, Freezing, BarrenBrook, MsJL, LadyBee, Moofold, Banana87 and BatteryHen

Hello to everyone else, I hope that you are all well and have lovely weekends, SB x

Hi Magic We x posted and both did the list! Hope you are well, how are the babes?

Hi Sam glad you are doing well despite the niggles! And talking about No4 already!

I'm good thanks, babes are kicking about in there :) and over half way now! Yay!

Hi Ladies,

Hope you are all well

SamB great to hear from you - sounds like you are taking it all in your stride - sounds amazing

sorry for the rubbish name check, got quite bad period pains here and shattered - barely able to keep my eyes open in work. had a rather big contraction last night (not BH ones - tons of those which are grand) and i was useless totally useless, forgot all my breathing etc - slightly worried now about labour but hopefully all will go well.

hope you all have a good afternoon and sorry for me me post just so tired

Hi all hope everyone s well.Thanks for kind thoughts SAMB,LOOPY.PENGUIN and GILDA .Not a good day went in to town for some jeggings [been convinced by my sis i m not too old for some] and some mittens i d seen in new look.Of course couldn t get either.Ever feel like the whole fuc**ng world is against you? I do its one thing after another.

This is all soo hard wish it was this time next year i m soo unhappy.Me and DH snapping at each other he doesn t know what to do.

Sorry for the depressive post just soo fed up.

Oh Louise, I'm so sorry you are finding it tough. Go easy on your other half, try to remember why you are together and why you love him. It will be easier if you can take solice in him rather than on your own. He loves you, but has his own grief to deal with too. Much love, Sam x

Thanks Sam i know, and mostly we ve pulled together but this is just soo hard.If Georgie was here like she should be everything would be so different.This is just soo horrible to feel i have no life or anything to look foreward to again.Everything is so empty now our house is just bricks and mortar not a home anymore [and i used to love our house].

No interest in anything, everything i used to enjoy doesn t interest me any more.

Louise, your feelings are usual for your circumstances. You will find joy again in small things first, maybe in your home. No-one can explain why such sad things happen or justify the unfairness. Out of the most horrific events people often emerge stronger and find genuine happiness. Although it sounds trite, try to turn every negative thought into a positive statement. Iit takes enormous effort to do and will be quite exhausting but the benefits are significant. At the start it will feel ridiculous making positive thoughts that you simply don't believe are true but, over time and with practice, those thoughts will increasingly become your reality and will positively influence your mood and outlook. I hope I'm not overstepping the mark in trying to help, I have had some experience of using this technique and although I thought it ridiculous it does work. I hope you are sleeping and not reading this!

Oh Louise of course you feel down, you're going through the most awful nightmare any of us can imagine. Do keep up with the counselling, it's so important to be able to talk and cry and be angry and let all your feelings out to someone not in your direct family so you don't have to filter any thoughts. And of course your DH is going through his own hell, and people so often react to grief in different ways which makes it so hard to do it together.

You will get through this. Remember that you love each other and need each other. And that you will get through this.

Thinking of you x

Hi everyone, hope you are all doing okay,

Louise you are still in my thoughts every day, it must be so hard to pull together and as Gi1da has said, people grieve in different ways. I felt every emotion going after my mc from sadness to anger that the baby didn't fight to stay, and at the time I felt I had to deal with this on my own, it was like being in a bubble, despite a supportive family and DH. I find it impossible to imagine losing a term baby when I look at Emily and you really are never far from my thoughts. Take care.

Loopsy I found the anticipation for my due date far worse than the day itself - we were actually at a Scouts open day and although I had a few tears first thing, it really helped to be busy on the day. The day I mc is imminent dow (17th) and I'm not sure how I feel about that. On the one hand I have my beautiful little girl, but on the other I still feel really sad for what never was.

Sam great to hear from you and that you are getting on well, I think these early days are always full of niggles but hopefully they will improve over time.
I am bf too, all going okay except Emily has been making a funny clicking noise when she feeds and has been making me a bit sore after previously getting her latch spot on, so I'll give it a couple of days and get some advice.She must be getting enough milk though, she was up to 8lb 3oz on Wednesday and the HV was really pleased with her.
And yes, she is impossible to put down! She hates lying horizontally so I'm carrying her pretty much all the time. But I get some gorgeous faces pulled at me this way, so I don't really mind!!

Happygirl get some rest! Even just a few minutes in the day. Do it while you can! I had a really supportive midwife who told me in no uncertain terms to slow down in those last few weeks. Hopefully you haven't got too much longer at work. (or too much longer before you hold your baby .

times up for me, small person stirring.
Much love to all xx

Saturday?s List
Unbuffy - baby#2 (1 DD) - 37 wks EDD 27th November
HappyGirl - baby#1 35+3 weeks EDD 8th December
Zayja - baby#1 34+5 wks EDD 11th December
Goodluckbear - baby#1 34 wks EDD 18th December
Malteser1981 - baby#1 34 wks EDD 18th December
Gilda - baby#1 - 33 wks due 25th December
BunnyBaby - baby#3 - 33 wks due 25th December
sparklyrainbow - baby#1 32+3 wks EDD 30th December
AlbaDeTamble - baby#2 (1DS, 3yrs) 31+5 wks EDD 3rd January. Next scan Nov 6th
toomuchteaching - baby#1 31+3 wks EDD 5th January
Redheadgal - baby#1 31+1 wks EDD 6th January
diggingforvictory - baby#4 (DS 1) 30 wks EDD 15th January
WestYorkshireGirl - baby#1 29+5 weeks EDD January 18th
Dorcas111 - baby#1 28+1 weeks EDD 28th January
Ba8y1 - baby#1 27+1 weeks EDD 4th February
Clareanna - baby#2 one DS 26+1 weeks ADD 3rd Feb 2011
Muser - baby#1 23+6 weeks EDD 27th Feb
Northerngoldilocks - baby#1 21+1 weeks EDD 18 March - next scan 12 November
Magic8ballhastheanswers - babies#3&4 20+4 weeks EDD 20th March
Liahgen - baby#6 19+5 weeks EDD 23rd March
Hopefully - baby#2 19+2 weeks EDD 2nd April
stuffedmk - baby#2 18+5 weeks EDD 4th April
Osch - Baby#3 17+6 weeks edd 10th April
Ivysedai - baby#2 16+2 weeks EDD 21st April
PenguinsMummy - baby#3 16+2 weeks EDD 21st April
VivClicquot - baby#1 14+3 weeks EDD 4th May
Loopymumsy - baby#? 14+4 weeks EDD 5th May
Tigerbear - baby#1 12+5 weeks EDD 14th May
HairyTriangle - baby#1, 9+6 weeks, EDD June 5th
Wobblewatcher - baby#2, 6+4 weeks, EDD June 27

The babies are arriving! Huge congratulations to:
Totally with daughter Faith Juliet, 9lb5oz born Tuesday 16th February 2010
Amyboo with son Matthew James, 4.714kg (10lb3oz) born Tuesday 30th March 2010
Hoops with son Benjamin Scott, 7lb4oz born Friday 2nd April 2010
Memorylapse with daughter Olivia, born Friday 16th April 2010
Jacanne with daughter Lotta Eliza, 8lbs 5oz born 20th April 2010
Becky78 with son Thomas Christopher born 22nd May, 9lb 1oz
Meita with son Ianto born 23 August, 7lbs 4
Boodleboot with daughter Alice Elizabeth born 10 Sep - 8lbs 2oz
LeeWT with son Andrew Anthony born 28th Sept 7lbs 14oz
TFLS with son Charlie born on 30th September, 6lbs 8oz
SamB with daughter Ruby Mae born 19th October, 7lbs 10oz
Effilump with son Arlen born 16th October, 8lbs
Sarahlou8 with daughter Emily Isabella born 21st October, 7lb8oz

In our thoughts and prayers:
Louise with daughter Georgie born asleep on 10th October

We share the pain and mourn the loss with:
Jollster, Cheepz, Freezing, BarrenBrook, MsJL, LadyBee, Moofold, Banana87 and BatteryHen

Thanks hugely for the encouragements on homebirthing. Am I mad not to be planning a pool? I'm not sure we have taps suitable to fix a hose to and I can't really see where it would go (plus worried that our seriously knackered floorboards might splinter it!) I figured I would use the bath to help during labour if I felt like it, but be out for the actual birth. Midwife was talking of making a nest of blankets for labour etc, which I said I thought sounded like a cat having kittens. Hmm yes she said and some ladies do try to lodge themselves in a quiet, dark, inaccessible corner somewhere...

PS - SamB at the shouting / swearing, that seems to be my DH's main worry about me birthing at home. "But what if the poor neighbours are having their Christmas dinner and you're yelling and effing???" PS - is it ok that I've promised DH he can try the gas and air? This is a squeamish man who can't even stomach Holby City so may need some help in being a birthing partner!

Am not so much worried about choice of homebirth itself, but am getting nervous of the birth process itself. Have listened to the hypno cd a couple of times, think its quite good (only a couple of cheesy bits), but I don't think I actually go into a trance. Hope it still works!

Happy I hope you are feeling better today and are planning on keeping your feet up!

Will be keeping all things crossed for your scan this week Carimoof and hope to hear yours was all tickety boo today Alba.

Hope things are a bit quieter at home Buffs - run out of things to clean yet?

Waves to Sarahlou with cuddle baby Emily, and SamB and lovely Ruby. Aaawww xx

Hope the weather is kind as can be for all of us off to see the fireworks, here's hoping for a clear and mild evening (with maximum sparkles and whizzbangs)!

Love to all x

PS Penguin - congrats on the baby badaboom beat. It's just lovely isn't it?

Ooh PSS - I don't have a birthing ball - should I get one? What is it for? Any recommendations? Thanks!

I got a ball today. We use them in pilates and it's lovely. They're good just for sitting and bouncing on, more comfy than slouching on the sofa. You can also use them when you're in labour. Our teacher said sitting and bouncing keeps your mind off things in the early stages, as you're concentrating on staying on the ball.

You can lay over them as well, either in labour or just when you feel like it. We were flopped on ours today and it was so comfy, supports your bump, eases your back, very nice.

Don't feel you have to get one that's marketed as a birthing ball. I bought a £6.99 one from Argos. It needs to be a 65cm one so you sit in the right position (possibly 75cm if you're very tall). There really isn't any difference between a regular gymball and a birthing one. The birthing balls say they have special anti-burst stuff, but all the balls take a lifetime to deflate.

Thanks everyone again for your words of wisdom and caring...not much to say today seem to have lost the ability to communicate just can t be bothered.Bled slightly after sex this am don t know if i m due my period [is noe 3 weeks,6 days since giving birth] or just after sex.Haven t bled before and we ve had it over the last week [quite a few times!!]

Don t want my period as it reminds me i no longer pg but OTH its reassuring to know my body is heading back to "normal"

I too bought a "ball" from argos and at the latter end found it more comfortable to sit on than the sofa!!!

I do totally appreciate my DH he is lovely and i do love him.

SAMB will try what you ve said XXXX

Thanks all for thinking of me, hope you re all well.Those with new babies enjoying them and those pg ,again, enjoying pg.[sorry not to namecheck my memory at the moment appalling]

Nothing useful to say louise just big hugs to you.

Loopy the due date for my ectopic was back in September. I was very anxious in the run up, but the day itself was fine. It was a weekend, we spent it quietly. I found out a very lovely online friend who had been trying for 3 years was finally pregnant. It's a bit circle of lifey, but it just felt right that a life was starting for someone else on the day one should have been starting for me.

just quickly popping in, still living out of boxes, and got no computer, really.

Bump has popped out and someone asked me the other day if I was going into labour when I rubbed it. lool. Still feel sick. Oh well.

hugs to everyone, sorry not to namecheck.

Can't sleep. Having flashbacks to day in hospital in January, a month before MMC confirmed, when they told me it was all just fine, but we discovered a month later the baby probably died 24 hrs later. I had to go back in to my least favourite hospital this evening for checks (? waters gone... turns out it was just combination of late pg weak bladder, carrying heavy 3 yr old and breech baby with one foot down strategically placed for bladder kicks... But it did feel odd, and maybe tmi, but completely odourless, and bump was suddenly really squishy and flat at the top... In hindsight probably breech baby trying out transverse having been squished by DS... Big solid head was back just under my ribs by the time we got to hospital) anyhoo, Dr on delivery suite was the same chap (or his twin) as the chap who told me back in January not to worry, everything was just fine. And I remember what happened next and it's just putting me in a bit of a bad place tonight... Reassurance kind of, but not quite...

Sooo, I've cleaned up the kitchen after DSS and his friends late pizza-fest... Growled at them all to be quiet at 3am... Had a very active baby who's probably just trying to reassure me, or get back the right way up... So now I'm wide awake with a cup of tea catching up.

I feel a bit crap about that rant given everything you're going through Louise big hugs, can't imagine how many nights you must have been sleepless and feeling a lot worse than I do just now.

Sam are you awake with me or did I miss your night feeding slot? I'm trying to replace my January flashbacks to 3yrs ago up in the night with DS... Maybe late pg insomnia is just to get us ready for what's about to come??

Gilda with you on Brian going AWOL. I have a month left to work and seriously wondering how I'm going to get through it. I have a colleague a month ahead of me who's working up to her due date who I feel is setting the 'it can be done' precedent, so I'm doing my best not to slow down but it's tough!
I'm also hoping for homebirth, so I need this baby to get his head back down! The actual active labour and delivery bit with DS the only decent memories I have of our local hospital... I used the bath a lot for pain relief in early labour and found it great. Have similar worries as you re weight of pool and floorboards... But unlikely to be a problem... Have a party and stand ten people where you want the pool to go, if the floor can take it you should be fine! As for hypno stuff, I don't get trance like either, generally end up daydreaming, but it is v relaxing. And I do remember counting breaths through each contraction last time helped me zone out and get through them. So true, as I read in the hypno book, that it only really hurts when you're distracted or anxious and not zoned out (please please don't let me need to go to local hospital, anxiety levels will be hideous.... But, I have my lovely doulas who I'm sure will help me deal with that if need be)

Sorry you're feeling sick Ivy, hope you start blooming soon... Don't know how you're doing the house move thing too!

I'm with Loopy on the slings... I couldn't have coped without mine when DS was little, they're fantastic things, often the only way to calm him.

Unbuffy, wow, you're term today! How did that come round so fast?? Hope you're also a little more zen now and having a relaxing weekend

Clareanna afternoon naps.... Not quite. Lunchhour with alarm set, never long enough! I hear you on the fuzzy head by Friday (for me it's Weds pm and getting earlier)

Happy, hope the pains are subsiding for you. Exciting though that your little one just might be imminent! Calm thoughts for you too.

Special wave for my lovely doula Lia

Hi everyone

No name checking as such but I just want to send special thoughts to Louise. I can't imagine how hard it is for you, and you are often in my thoughts.

Waves to Alba - late night/early morning... blimy... Aren't we sposed to be taking things a bit easy?

Also Gilda, very jealous of homebirth plans, glad all seem to be going to plan as it were...

Hang in there Happy, I'm with you and really hope it eases soon (for us both!!)

Hi Clareanna (hope you're out of bed by now), Loopy (must try the comedy thing... where are all my I'm Sorry I Haven't a Clue tapes?), Bouncing Muser (me too, except can't lean over the ball as boobs hurt too much) and everyone I've missed out!!

So. Buffy Checklist...
Nausea check
'loose stools' check
ridiculous emotionalness check
period type pains on and off all night check
squeezy stomach pains check
increased, ahem, 'snot' check
need to pee every two minutes check
lots of branstons* check

*I know i know but someone on here said that they called them branston pickles and the name stuck this end! (Bring on the branston pangs)

hmmmm....

Anything else I should think of? This symptom spotting is as bad as ttc... Have not done this labour thing before and it was all very different with dd...

Fortunately dispite the odd 'argh I can't cope' moment (eg witness last post) lovely spa break has managed to leave me somewhat Zen in the in-between times and much more relaxed than i would otherwise be. Main worry atm is dh having an assessment at work on the 17th (plus i have a haircut - certain to make it all happen early)... torn between wanting to get it all over with and wanting to make life easier for poor hardworking dh. It will happen when it happens i suppose [wobbly zen emoticon]