Pregnant with no. 3 / 4 / 5...?!

[LimeLeafLizard]

Just wondering if anyone else is pg with their 3rd, 4th, 5th, or more?!

I am newly pg with baby number 4 and finding it a bit different this time.

Yesterday I flicked through a couple of magazines but the content didn't seem that relevant to me. I am quietly happy but not nearly as excited or nervous as I was before, especially the first time.

I know what kind of birth I want (same as the last two times) and I don't need to buy any stuff, so there doesn't seem so much to think about, at least until the scan.

I am also a bit worried about how other people are going to react when we tell them. There seems to be a general view that wanting 4 children must make us mad.

Hope I am not alone?!

Hiya, can I join? Currently pg with #3 and am just over 9 weeks, due in June. I have 2ds (4 and 2.5).

Have already gotten the "oh my gosh, was it planned!?" comments from SIL (who has 1 and doesn't plan on any others) and very shocked looks on faces from the rest of DH's family when telling them the news. The only people who have been excited and smily are my 19 and 17 year old sisters! Still haven't told my own mum.....

Welcome bringon :)

Welcome Bringon :)

If anyone says anything about having a large brood, just tell them you like sex (said with a straight face) and just stand there and wait for their reply. Someone asked me if this one was planned (not a friend), I told them that neither one of us was pissed at the time and there was no contraception, so I would take it that is deemed as planned, wouldn't they? Never spoken to me since, how rude Like I said, I really enjoy putting nosey bastards in their place and watch them squirm right in front of me!

I found going from 0-1 horrendous, 1-2 no bother, 2-3 no bother and now with an 8 year break it's back to babies again

Hello Everyone

I am the most hopeless member of the group and lurk but never manage to post. I've added myself to the list...

ShellyBobbs - DC4 10/11/12
Peterpie - DC3 12/11/12
SeymoreInOz - DC3 06/12/12
Cherrypiew3 - DC4 10/12/12
CODwidow -DC5 12/12/12 girl after 4ds
Annelid - DC7 20/12/12
SpringFlowers DC4 18/01/12
Icequeenkate - DC4 21/01/13 (will be ds4!)
AppleCrumples - DC4 22/01/13
LimeLeafLizard - DC4 8/2/13
Pinkpeony4 - DC4 01/03/13
Ood - dc4 18/3/2013
DontSweat - DC3 15/6/13

...and will try much harder to post in the future. There are a few familiar faces here too and it's nice to see how you are getting on Ood and Lime and I recognise Apples from the January thread (a much better poster than me!).

I haven't had many comments about having too many children as DD3 and DC4 are like a 'second family' as I have remarried. I think everyone was expecting us to have children. I get a lot more comments about the size of my bump (vast) and how low it is (I'm thinking that baby is probably partially engaged due to the need to wee, the lowness and the feeling that it might fall out at any time).

I'll be 30 weeks tomorrow and am off work but not on maternity leave - a lot of stress was not good for me or the baby and I've been signed off for a while. I feel much better at home but am also feeling a bit isolated as I don't seem to know anyone particularly where we live.

I've hardly got a thing ready for the baby and haven't bought anything yet. I've written lists but must really actually do something about them!

Hope everyone is well today and I will try to catch up a bit later

Welcome bringon.

Hello spring. All my dcs are at school now and am a SAHM so i have plenty of time to come on here (I'm not trying to get away from the housework oh no)

Have been quite good today and tackled ds room :) nackered now and a bit achy.

spring how old are yours? Dcs good for meeting new people. Will you go back to work or are you signed off til mat leave starts? nosey

Hi Apples I have three dd's; dd1 is 14, dd2 nearly 12 and dd3 2. The older two are obviously at school and are pretty independent. They love their sister and are really helpful so the transisiton between 2 and 3 was easy. Dd3 is usually at a childminders as I work full time. I've been off for about four weeks now and she has continued to go although we have dramatically reduced her hours there. It feels a bit odd at times that I'm at home and she is not but she does love going and I am a bit decrepit so can't do as much with her. We can't just stop the cm as we need her to look after dd3 for the birth and we have to give notice in any case. I would like to be signed off until maternity leave starts (and don't mind you being nosy at all), I don't know if that will happen yet - my next doctors appointment is on Thursday next week. My gp was very understanding and sympathetic last time so I am optimistic.

Well done on the bedroom, teenaged girls bedrooms are quite an experience. Best to just close the doors...I tidy them once a week but they are so messy I could spend hours in there every day.

spring do you know boy or girl? You've 3dds ATM same as mine haven't you. Think they were similar ages too!
Are you expecting to be back at work before maternity? I'm hanging on to work st the moment but not far off being signed off. It's strange being home all the time.

X-post I just shut the door too on dd1/2 room. Though I need to venture in there later to help dd2 find her PE kit & funeral clothes for tomorrow. They are on the top floor which makes it easier to ignore it harder to her there.

Hi bringon

spring I am a rubbish poster too. But I've had a bit of a rough/lonely time too recently so have started posting on here and the lovely ladies are very lovely!!

lime and apple your comments re supermarkets made me laugh! I too take all 3 ds (aged 8,6,2) with me as they quite enjoy it, and let's face it are useful for reaching all the items at the back of the lowest shelf which is where all the things I want always seem to be. The checkout ladies now know me by sight - and always enquire where the boys are if I'm on my own. They are very sweet checkout ladies, not the boys and are increasingly offering their help as I look even more cumbersome.

Anyone got any ideas on how to meet mums with new babies - as opposed to new mums with new babies iyswim? The majority all of my local friends are now well past the baby stage, and I want dc4 to have his own friends? And it would be nice to have some people to go through the various stages with.

Oh, and seymore and enjay going from 1-2 was far more knackering that from 2-3 for me. DS3 just slotted straight in had no choice, so don't worry too much!

My dd1 is in the attic so I can't see the mess which is a relief as she's the worst. It is odd being at home like this. Finishing work to be on maternity leave is acceptable somehow yet being off sick is not. Attitudes to me have been very poor even though I am in a senior position and I feel that I can't go out in case I am seen in Costa Coffee. It will also be very strange going back to work if I don't go back before my maternity leave starts.

We are having a surprise this time - if the baby is a boy he will be either be naked or in pink

Ood Our girls are very similar in age. Are you still working in social care? I seem to remember that you had work problems and terrible SPD last time.

Yes I am , I'm on 2 weeks leave at the moment but the SPD kicked in at 13 weeks and I've been on crutches since 17 and getting more dependant on them (21 now). When I go back there's going to be a few adjustments but case wise it's a bit difficult as we have a few staff off sick/less posts than we need/vacant posts so I'm upping others work load though I've covered a lot in the last few months for people it's a shame it's not them picking up my work they are aware I'm unlikely to make it past Xmas and I'm not sure I'll make it there!
Ive had PND three times now and the anxiety I get with that is now appearing so that may tip me over to unable to cope anyway.:(

icequeen can only suggest local toddler groups, there must be some mums there who also have older dcs. Won't be a problem here due to our schools mini population explosion everyday women waddle to and from the school exchanging sympathetic looks and comparing bumps!

Re the boys bedroom I do try to just shut the door on it and last week I did get them to have a go at it but since dd started school I almost feel like I have to justify being at home so I feel like everything should be clean and tidy during the week! I worry about looking lazy
am still happy to lie on sofa watching crap most afternoons

sorry about your work spring. I can never understand why employers are not more sympathetic as surely they're only human too?!

Cheers ladies! Adding myself:

ShellyBobbs - DC4 10/11/12
Peterpie - DC3 12/11/12
SeymoreInOz - DC3 06/12/12
Cherrypiew3 - DC4 10/12/12
CODwidow -DC5 12/12/12 girl after 4ds
Annelid - DC7 20/12/12
SpringFlowers DC4 18/01/12
Icequeenkate - DC4 21/01/13 (will be ds4!)
AppleCrumples - DC4 22/01/13
LimeLeafLizard - DC4 8/2/13
Pinkpeony4 - DC4 01/03/13
Ood - dc4 18/3/2013
Bringonthetrumpets- dc3 10/6/13
DontSweat - DC3 15/6/13

Still haven't told ds 1&2. I think I'm just avoiding have to explain how and why it got there. DS1 is 4 and is very inquisitive. Anyone had the talk?

Trumpets DD1 is 14 and she had the talk with me .

Welcome Bringon ds2 just turned 6 and he thinks that me and daddy made a wish and that's how baby happened. Dd(10) never asks although I think she knows and I really don't think that ds1 cares how she got there.

Shelly how are you feeling?

When I was in the supermarket last with all the dc an old lady walked over to me touched my belly (I don't normally like belly touching) and said "good luck dear" she made me smile so the belly touching was forgiven.

Well have finished all the baby shopping today so we are ready.

I have been trying to work out if dd is still transverse I can not feel anything at the bottom of my stomach it is just very flabby . Does anyone know how I would be able to tell?

cherry I don't know how to tell for sure but baby was poking something large and round (it's head maybe) out of my side so I figured it must be transverse :) I think it's moved since then though as I definitely have limbs coming out of there now!

Ds1 has had lots of questions this time and ds2 as well. I just answer questions as they come up. Ds2 is slightly obsessed with how painful it will b when baby comes out .

Yeah, cherry where have you been feeling most of your kicks and movements? Up high, down low, right in the middle? Check out spinningbabies.com for tips on how to determine baby's position. Gail Tully also gives awesome advice for optimal fetal positioning.

Ok Apple I'll just have to prepare for it and answer the questions as they come (praying this doesn't happen in busy and very public places).

Thanks for the re-assurances I did find going from 1 to 2 a bit of a nightmare. I expected far too much from ds1 who was only 2.5 when ds2 arrived, which didn't help. I think hope that the ds's being alot older this time will help.

enjay online shopping has been a godsend for us too. I just wish we'd started sooner. It not only saves time but we save a fortune ££££ too because we aren't tempted by all the yummy naughties as we wander around.

Talking of naughtiness. I'm having mad cravings for bacon butties

Hi everyone.

Thought I would post a quick update. After lots of messing about between community midwives and gp's have now been back in hospital since yesterday. Bp still through the roof and still feel like crap. Dh has been looking after harry at home as midvives didn't think I'd be capable of looking after him myself : (

They r trying more medication 2 try and get bp under control and also have a.kidney scan this afternoon 2 check 4 any problems there.

Can't believe harry is nearly 2 weeks old and things r still not sorted. Hopefully will come back with some more positive news soon!

5kids Sorry to hear that you are still not well I hope that you can get sorted out quickly and get to go home to baby Harry.

Apples Dd is a bit obsessed with the pain issue and keeps asking me if I will cry. I told her the other day that I would do more than just cry and would she like to come and watch. She has not mentioned much since.

Bringon I have been getting most of my movements at the bottom of my stomach and a heavy feeling on the left hand side at the bottom. I have a feeling that she has moved last week all the movement was under my ribs. I really wanted to start on the raspberry leaf tea and tablets, mw told me not to until the position of baby had been checked I am just getting impatient now.

((5kids)) hope you are getting lots of Harrytime too.

That's so weird that you're not able to start RRL, Cherry. It honestly does not put you into labor, it's only a uterine tonic. I recommend it to all women all the way through their pregnancies because it's so good for you! Kind of sounds breech, tbh. Def check out spinningbabies if you can! Loads of exercises for turning those little ones around.

5kids thinking of you, really crap when they just don't really know what's up especially at a time like this!

Well 35+2 here and not feeling too bad apart from the tiredness has certainly kicked in but lucky in that all my ds's are at school so can grab a nap if need be.

Hi all did a big post ealier and lost it grrrr!

bringon that's what I always thought re raspberry leaf tea am planning to get some next week. I only took it with ds2 and I had a fairly easy time having him (may be coincidence but dd took forever).

5kids hope your ok and things start getting better soon.

don'tsweat I am on a bacon butty a day at the mo! I figure after losing so much weight at the beginning and being so ill I will eat whatever I fancy for the next 10 weeks!

Evening

Get me, posting twice in two days, I might even become a regular

Cherry I only really feel movements very low down and slightly further up on the left hand side. I have an anterior placenta on the right which is why I don?t feel much there. I can never work out which way around the baby is and I found myself hopelessly inept when looking at the spinning babies site. When are you seeing a midwife next?

Apples I?ve not had anything large poking out of the sides, only bony limbs ? elbows or knees maybe? My 14 year old is quite interested in labour but is quite focussed on the biological facts rather than the pain. She talks about the pain but in a ?of course it?s painful? kind of way.

Don?t Sweat I eat bacon and eggs most days, it?s perfectly normal.

5Kids Wow, you are having a tough time. You must miss your little one being in hospital . I hope that you are able to go home soon and feel better quickly. What do the doctors think is causing your high bp?

Ood Hope you and everyone else are ok?

I was back at the doctors this morning after feeling rubbish yesterday. I think that I must be anaemic so had blood taken. I do have spd too, I knew I did as I was just too uncomfortable for it to be usual pregnancy aches and pains. I slept all morning and haven?t done much since although I do feel a bit better. I just want to clean everything and find the sitting down all the time so dull.

What does everyone have planned for the weekend?