The elderberry copter thread #4, for all your hand holding, sausage wanging and burger toning. Entrance criteria: ttc#1 for >12mths, prev berry experience preferable but not essential

[BlindKitty]

New home, as requested!

foody if it makes you feel any better I had a week where I had really odd sensations very very low down, I almost swore once when I'm sure Harvey tried to push his hand out of my cervix, I was talking to my boss at the time and think I actually jumped as he looked at me strangely.

Loving the I am gratefuls!

P.s. CLENCH!

foody not suggesting for a second that this isn't a problem but I do know that the doctors seem to keep trying to find problems with me and at the back of my mind, although I know it's bollocks, the slightest thing tends to worry me. I'm blaming the doctors entirely!

poppy foody so jealous re your Dhs! Mine just keeps saying 'who ate all the pies?!'

So spent another small fortune at babies are us today, followed by newborn snuggles! Especially impressed with Dhs readiness to hold him especially after him refusing to hold my friend's baby at Xmas!

More drawers Kitty??

I've been getting some sharp pain down at my cervix as well, but I just assume it's the little one poking me, as she is quite low down, no matter which way she faces (still being washing machine baby!).

I just had a fantastic freecycle find - a swaddling cloth and long fabric wrap sling. Both things I'd been thinking about but hadn't got round to deciding on. I'm also grateful for my dh who doesn't mind when I burst into tears over breakfast when I'm finding it hard getting up in the morning. Also for our parents who are all helping out with the dog walking now the spd is pretty much stopping me from doing it myself. I'm grateful that baby has stuck around and that now I'm 32 weeks she's nearly cooked enough should anything happen. It all sounds a bit negative, but I'm highly aware that we are very lucky. Nothing so far seems to be wrong with her and that's pretty much all that matters!!

So had massive melt down after last post. OH was lovely as usual.
Have had a bath this evening and taken some pictures of bump which was fun! made me see quite how fat my arms have got though .
Still fretting a bit but trying to think of other things.

well done on freecycle tally!

merk yup! Dh just loves putting the flat packs together haha!

foody what was the meltdown over? The sensation? It's a shame you can't have another cervical length scan to put your mind at rest. They only do them until 24 weeks for some reason

I know kitty, they might do another one if I get concerned enough to go in to the MAU, then they can re refer me. Will see how I get on I guess

Oh really? They told me there's no point in doing them after 24 weeks. No idea why though. Maybe boom knows

Tmi coming but I have really dry flaky nipples atm despite putting moisturiser and baby oil every day. Know it's quite common but do you think I need nipple cream already? Not even had any boob juice yet!

I've no idea Kitty but I suspect lanisoh would help

Morning all. Yawn
Last Monday morning of work for a while. Hooray! bonkers

kitty a fact I was amazed by was that different positions for birthing can create 30% more room in your pelvis for the baby to come through. That's loads eh? And being on your back not only makes it a smaller gap, it also means that the baby has to travel upwards against gravity through the birth canal. Which = more difficult and more likely to tear.

foody sorry you've been having stressful twinges - I hope you can get checked and get your mind put at ease.

kitty my DH calls me fatty already!

thunder wow last week at work already, mental!

Ooh reading about tearing whilst eating brekkie is interesting lol

Hey all, been away since Thursday and been catching up on all the news. I hope you're holding up ok jess - everyone as ever has sensible advice.

I know what some of you mean about the increasing fatness. I've watched my thighs become incredibly bumpy, in horror! But I get so tired when I go up and down the stairs that I haven't really bothered to exercise them. I just hope and pray that if breastfeeding goes OK, I do actually lose some weight! I spent the afternoon packing away (in vacuum bags) some pre-pregnancy clothes and it did make me a bit sad: but I was also very grateful that I was pregnant and huge, and remembered the longing I felt when I was wearing those skinny clothes!

DH has been good at not calling me fatty (I think he saw the reaction when friends did it!) but he is definitely boob-fixated! I hope he's not too sad when they go back to 32A (and saggy ones at that!).

Another melt down at bed time last night, ridiculous, i really was quite hysterical.
Slept fairly poorly but felt ok this morning. More of the same pressure/pushing & some pinching too so aging in a state (though not as bad as was at work!) so called MAU again and they said to go in and get checked.
All ok as far as they can tell, had a quick listen to bump and felt baby fidgeting. Lovely speculam exam and she said cervix nice and long and closed. Don't know if she phrased it like that to reasure me (not sure really hoe much they can tell without proper scans) but I am happier for now.
A 5 minute walk up hill back to work and my left leg was half numb with achey back within 2 minutes, hope my physio referral comes back soon!
Just going to accept that I am a neurotic hypochondriac I think

Got in from work and done some yoga so feeling nice and chilled with a hot chocolate, mmm.
brod I vacuumed away my 'skinny' clothes a few weeks ago, really hope I get back into them one day

Last Monday thunder wow! must feel a bit strange

kitty my nipples went through a phase of being a bit like that and really tender, have been ok for a while and no leakage here (yet)

Hello all, had my 36 week appt today including birthing prefs and it was great! Baby lying LOA and all seems fine. I really like their approach to labour- I realise I'm very lucky with this, now just got to hope for a straightforward labour.

foody sorry you've been stressed again. Did they give you any ideas as to why you might be feeling that pressure etc?

Am well jell of all those DHs that are in love with bumps and boobs. Mine is wonderful but I don't think he fancies me pregnant at all really. Still I'll not complain as I am being very well looked after!

thunder they think its just baby being in a difficult position, i.e foot stuck on my cervix!
Glad your appt went well

thunder my yoga teacher said that too. Apparently giving birth on your back is like pushing a bus up a hill!! Some people have said that older mws might try to keep you on the bed purely as they don't want to bend down!

bunny wait until we all start talking about perineal massage again haha!

foody foot on cervix?! Ouch! Glad the mws have reassured you.

Foody that's good news its not anything to worry about. Sure they will have had a good eyeful of your cervix (they told me mine was long and closed when I had the bleed early on) so I would trust them on that and try to relax
Thunder, think my OH is like yours... not that keen on my pregnancy shape. But then nor am I really
I have taken advice that perineal massage is worth it, at least for me as my perineum is short and tight (evidently). God knows why its called massage though as that has little to do with it when done properly as far as I can tell

Oo I was told about perineal massage today too merk
You got a good link on how to do it? Not feeling too bendy right now....

bunny- have I coincided this one with tea time?

From NCT;
Perineal massage

Massaging the area between the vagina and anus in the last weeks of pregnancy has been shown to reduce the likelihood of tearing during birth, and of needing stitches or an episiotomy.

Either on your own with a mirror or with your partner, massage oil (preferably vegetable based) into the skin of the perineum using your fingers or thumbs.
Then place your fingers around 5cm (2 inches) inside your vagina and press downwards towards the anus, then move to each side in a U-shaped stretching movement. This may give a tingling/burning sensation.
Hold the stretch for 30-60 seconds then release.
The feeling is similar to what you will feel when your baby's head is crowning.

(The important bit is the stretch/burn). Almond oil is recommended I think.

And a link with diagrams

Foody, sorry you've been having such a tough time - hope things go smoothly from now on.

Well, had FMC scan and all looked good - amazing how much more they could see - measuring the blood flow to the liver and heart! Heard the heartbeat for the first time - 157 for all you gender guessers. Outcome a bit mixed though - Downs risk recalculated at an encouraging 1/549 but T13/18 risk has gone up to 1/53. Sonographer said there weren't any of the normal markers for 13/18 so it's just the bad Papp-A result that's dragging the risks up. Despite the number for the worst conditions getting worse, I'm a bit reassured - everything looked so normal on the scan I can't believe there's anything major wrong. Will try to keep hoping that while I wait for the Harmony results.

Bunny, Sid, let's put our fingers in our ears. All together now, La la la perineal massage la la la...

Thanks jess glad you have had good results today, FX :-)
how long do you have to wait for the harmony results?

2 weeks - because the analysis is done in the US.

Jess its really positive news there are no markers on the scan... Everything crossed for the harmony results to be clear.