October 2004 - Massive Moose - part 4

[beansprout]

Ah - see what I did there? [wink}
Hope it's ok to start a new thread. Computer couldn't cope with the old one.

Ok here, but am on operation not-go-mad today as have been feeling pretty down. Friend over this morning and will waddle into town this afternoon. This will render me exhausted and will then sleep/graze until bedtime.
Have also watched far too many baby progs on Discovery Health. Have become an armchair expert in giving birth ("ooh, you don't want to do that love"). Will get my come uppance soon enough!!!! Eek!!

Toots - the October meeclets will be an active part of the parenting thread in no time at all, but I do know what you mean .

Lots of cramps and backache last night but nothing this morning apart from an insane burst of cleaning already. Off now to practice using the sling with my cuddly dog....

Hope you are all well lovely people.

Looks like quite a lot of people due this week - someone's going to pop soon!

I did have a better night's sleep last night and not as much pelvic pain now (so baby probably not engaged any more - or not fully anyway, back to the 2/5 it was last week perhaps). They do say in second pg onwards that they can pop in and out of being engaged and I did have a few appointments where baby was engaged one week, not next, but has been 2/5 for last 3 weeks. The other strange thing is that the baby has been REALLY active over the last 2 days. MUCH more so than previously as things had slowed down a lot over the last month (still more than 10 movements a day so not worried, but much smaller movements than before).

Has anyone else had this or remember from previous pg whether movement slowed down or speeded up just before? I'm sure the baby's movement should slow down not speed up and think from memory that once you're in labour there's no movement at all, but not sure.

I had a lot of period like pains and some very strong bhs over the past month, but actually not getting much now!

Fingers crossed for the sweep this afternoon. I'm getting really fed up with everyone saying 'oh you're still here then' and passing on their tips on how to get things moving (as if I didn't know).

Cazzybabs are you still here today? I know you wanted to get through the weekend anyway as your FIL was staying, so there's got to be some positives to hanging on in there! Do you have a date when you have to be induced?

Eyelash - are you still there?

Good luck to everyone else due this week.

Oh and for those people who are nervous, just occured to me it might be worth looking at the due in September thread as I think virtually all the birth stories were really positive. Quite a few people were really worried and then had v. positive experiences.

Sorry - always end up with such long posts !

HELP my hips are aching so badly I can't sleep at all!!! It appears to be getting worse each night and I am dreading going to bed. I have tried paracetemol but that does nothing, I know its the extra weight but does anyone have tricks up sleeves for this ache? Have tried sleeping on both sides and mucho pillows but nothing works - I am at my wits end.

Bibi where are you??? We're getting a little worried.

Bean what is the date tomorrow

Distracted big hugs and positive labour messages coming your way I hope this happens for you soon

as I am on baby no. 1 I am not to sure about when DB's get more active if it's right before birth etc? I think they vary baby to baby - sorry.

I am alive and well, and still in one piece (sadly). Touched that you noticed I wasn't around though {{hugs}}
Have been a bit distracted since Thursday - brother has gone missing and family in a bit of tizz. Also, started argument with parentcraft teacher and her two sidekicks on Saturday about breastfeeding. After 2 hours of preaching from them about bottle feeding being on a par with child abuse, and there was no such thing as someone who "can't" feed their baby, I got a bit cross. There was no balance at all, and absolutely no sympathy for women who have great difficulty (like cracked, bleeding nipples ffs!) - apparently that just means you're doing it wrong and it's your fault, you bad, bad woman. It is unlikely I will be able to bf as some of you will know from other threads, but if it is okay for me to do so, then I will give it my best shot. However, I won't beat myself up over it if I can't. Of course I want to do what is best for Boo, but I honestly believe that includes looking after my own mental health. Sane mummy surely = happy baby. Grrrr, got me v cross . Sorry, don't want to start a debate about that.

Here's to all of us, sending out positive "popping" vibes to all!

Oh Bibi, sorry to hear you have had a hard time, do you have any idea where your brother is? That's a worry...

I am afraid there are people out there living in a time warp! Some of the parentcraft courses haven't moved on to the current year we are living in. I went to a BF class and it was a complete waste of time. There was absolutely no mention about what to do if you go back to work etc. My "instructor" sounded exactly like what you were up against "every woman CAN breastfeed" bla bla - I am afraid that is just not true and the amount of stories that are coming out of the woodwork from friends is unbelievable - i.e. I thought they were all these amazing earth mothers who picked it up straight away and DB was a natural etc but in actual fact they mostly said it was a nightmare for a long time.

The way I see it, I want to do it and hope it works out and I will try real hard but if it doesn't work then I am not going to drive myself crazy either.

like you said happy/sane mother is v. important.

Bibi - so sorry to hear about your brother, that must be very hard for you all. I really hope he returns soon and is safe and sound. Totally agree with you about the imbalance in the info we are given on feeding. There is a long, long list of things we could all do better, but life is about making the best choices we can at any given time and just doing our best. Don't listen to the Nazis my friend.

Turtle - what's happening tomorrow then?! (probably zip - boo!)

Distracted, this is my 1st so don't know about db's movements but boy was Bean doing the disco inferno at 5am this morning. Best wishes for the sweep this afternoon too, will be thinking of you.

Hi all, still here and bored now - definately time for things to get moving!
As far as movements go this is no3 for me and they've all been acrobats with no slowing down towards the end!
Hope everyone is feeling ok

Bibi - sorry to hear about your brother. Hope you get some positive news soon.

Yes - I am still here. The midwife has just been and was going to do another sweep but had to cancel it as dh has a muscle spasm in his back which means he cannot move. I spent last night crying and wailing on how was I supposed to cope with labour, new baby and two other children if he was laid up. Then ran around this morning to get him an emergency appointment, take ds1 to school, get dh to doctors, pick up perscription, etc. Perscription means he cannot drive so just as well we are booked for home. So frustrating and I feel so guilty that it is all about me at the moment and I feel so bad that I cannot focus on dh's needs. Hopefully it will be better in a few days.

Apologies for moaning - and sending positive thoughts to everybody.

Distracted - hope the sweep works.

OMG Eyelash, that is just dreadful, you poor thing, I can't imagine how hectic and emotional it's been around your house. You just simply do not have time to have a baby.

Thank goodness you are having db at home, hope DH's back improves quickly for you.

Try and get some rest yourself though - you will need it soon!!! Can someone else help you with the other two? You will deserve an award once this is all over. LOL

By the way Eyelash, don't ever apologise for moaning on the Oct thread, that's what we are here for.

Sending good luck vibes to everyone - sounds as if we need it! Welcome to all those from the September thread as well. Eyelash, hope your DH is mobile again soon. Bibi, sounds very stressful and just at the wrong time.

Had argument with DH because he "just wondered" how i'd feel about him spending day and night in Brussels this week - I thought it was completely inappropriate thing to ask at this point in time. Also running round trying to get things together for house renovations - DH went off to John Lewis and "just forgot" to actually get the things we needed, but spent time browsing round computer and audio section!

BTW I have found DB very active, esp if I do something she doesn't like eg standing next to hot stove, turning over in bed, sitting in car for too long (always seems to bring on BH).

Here's fingers crossed for short easy labours!

Eyelash - moan away, that sounds grim. Wishing DH a speedy recovery.
Sorry about your DH's wondering Flo - I hope you have clarified any confusion in his mind?!

Btw, Bean (I think) has turned and is now anterior. I seem to be shaped and feeling kicks in all the right places so fingers crossed.

Slice of pineapple anyone?

Is that chocolate coated pineapple Bean?

Well, I 've had my first "Have you had it yet?" comment, from the postman.... I'm kind of hoping I won't look this huge after db arrives but perhaps he knows something I don't.

I had a really good day with my old mukkas. They all ate salads and stuff and I had chips and a pudding. Well, we've got to keep our strength up, haven't we?

Chocolate coated pinapple sounds amazing, how does one go about doing that??

I have been getting period like pains on and off today, that's normal right?

Turtle - you eat a chunk of pineapple, quickly followed by a Mars bar/Snicker/Twix (delete as applicable) and bounce twice on your Argos/birthing ball. Repeat at regular intervals while going quietly mad waiting for contractions to start. Sorted

Oh and completely normal, just means your uterus is warming up for the big event. Keep getting the same (in fact, as I type.....)

Nice one Piglit - obviously we want to eat salad too but you have to keep up appearances of course

Thanks everybody - dh much better this afternoon after some valium and anti-inflammatories and have made appointment for osteopath for the morning. I will get him better. And if we have to will get mil to live in for a few days although that would have to be a last resort!

I wonder how distracted's sweep went?

Eyelash you poor old thing! What a nightmare - well done for managing to sort out emergency appointment and prescription, hopefully he'll be better soon. You're going to deserve a medal - good job you wanted a home birth. Do you have anyone else lined up to help?

Bibi - so sorry to hear about your brother, hope he turns up soon. Well done for giving the parentcraft people a hard time - seems pretty common for breastfeeding classes to give out that message and then people feel like a failure when they can't breastfeed (I only managed 3 weeks last time, although hoping I'll do better this time).

Had my 2nd sweep this afternoon and told my cervix is still thick but it is soft, plus I'm now 2+ cm dilated, so have progressed since Friday. MW said she would be v. surprised if I lasted until my planned induction on Saturday (will be waters broken rather than gel now that I am already 2 cm).

Have to say I'm feeling quite uncomfortable so feel more like something is happening this time. Will wait and see...

Posts crossed (well not exactly but I started typing an hour and a half ago and got distracted half way through so hadn't updated screen)

I've started getting the 'just phoning to see if you're ok' calls or haven't you had it yet? I haven't reached my due date yet and don't these people remember how late the others were - I could be at this for a while!
On the breast feeding front i'd just like to put in a recomendation for nipple shields - had awful cracked nipples last time, midwife one day said 'we don't recomend nipple shields', different one the next day told me to get on the phone to DH to bring some from the shops or I wouldn't be feeding by tomorrow! Worked for me used for about 2 weeks and went on to feed for 6 months, lots longer than previous time!

So thrilled that Baby Bean has turned !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Distracted, hope your discomfort becomes more positive, but that you get some good sleep tonight.

Eyelash, your dh sounds like he's in agony. Major hats off to you for rallying round.

Bibi, hope all is well with bro, that does sound like a worry. And stuff anyone who crosses any us. Don't they know who they're dealing with?

Piglit, I did the same as you last week with friends who all ordered coffees after lunch when I ordered a lime cheesecake. Like a fool I asked for extra spoons for them, but I was only joking, I wasn't planning for them to actually use them. Felt like ordering another one! Don't know why I didn't.

Geogteach, thanks for the nipple shield tip, I didn't get that bad last time, but it's good to be reminded of them. Is it pessimistic to buy some in advance - I've already got anusol! Oh and btw Geogteach, what were the other heartburn things than gaviscon we could have, I need to step things up, is it pepcid 2?

I am another nipple shield fan and have already bought mine, as well as nipple shields to collect leaking milk. Am getting a few niggly pains so am hopefully it could be the start of something.

Eyelash you need to get your dh on your ball!

Good luck for today Beansprout! Am so glad the Beanster has turned.

Just logging in for today - really hoped last night would be my last post for a while, but no...

Had a lot of discomfort yesterday evening and then 1 hour of contractions when I went to bed, plus stomach cramps and backache and really did think maybe things were kicking off, but it all stopped. To be honest I wasn't sure at the time that the contractions were the real thing, even though they did keep coming for more than an hour and my bhs are usually one offs. I do remember last time that when things did start I KNEW it was the real thing.

Perhaps it was what I needed, as have to say I felt quite scared thinking it was all starting and now it hasn't happened I'm fed up. So next time I think I'll be less scared as I do want it to happen now!

Booked myself a reflexology appointment this afternoon - never had it before but heard it can be quite effective. Maybe I'll have to start a new thread on that to see what other people think as it's a bit of an unknown for me.