Babies due June/July onwards

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Here is promised thread jessi! Congratulations too Ellasmum and jessi - Ellasmum, my due date will be about 20th July I think. Haven't seen any midwife or doctor yet - trying to remember what I did when last time!

Kaz, I hope your bf becomes easier, I too am determined to try it again and last longer than I did with dd, (only 2 weeks due to painfulness), but I am also determined not to get stressed if I can't cope with it. You hang in there as long as you can, but don't let it take over!
Hi Saskia and welcome to mumsnet!
Happyspider, are you there? When are you due, it must be any day now.
I am getting really pee-ed off now with cacky ankles, throbbing back, and weeping at really silly things like not knowing what to cook for tea.

I spent the day at the hospital today, got period pains all day yesterday and last night and tought that was it, I was in labour.

It turns out they are practice contraptions and they can go on for another week, but the mw kept me under observation as I was in pain.

First pg is really tricky as everything seems a major issue (or maybe it's just me???? Hope I am not worrying too much!)

I am back home, but have a feeling that won't be enjoying my last week as I thought I would, I have this underlying pain and I am not sure if I can carry on with my normal activities (shopping, cleaning and swimming) Maybe Mears or Popuce can advise?

Even the mw was concerned by the size of my ankles Dahlia, I want this baby out soon now...

Happyspider - this is the normal run up to labour. You will get runs of period pains which are pre-labour contractions. If you find they are getting really sore, try 2 paracetamol and a soak in a warm bath. If you are not in true labour, you will get relief from doing that. Try and continue with daily living, but also try and have regular rests. Don't forget to eat to keep your strength up. Avoid trying to pace the floor trying to get contractions to establish - what you find is that you exhaust yourself and then labour starts
You will know when you are in labour when you cannot speak through a contraction and it stops you in your tracks. If you feel a contraction by placing your hand on your tummy and are aware of slight discomfort and think to yourself 'I wonder if that is a contraction', then it is not
Those contractions are the ones that are preparing you for labour by softening the cervix and can go on for days. Contractions that stop you in your tracks and make you breathe through them for at least 30-60secs are the ones you want (honestly).
This is such anexciting time - enjoy

Kaz33- It shouldn't hurt! Do get intouch with a bf suporter as it is amazing what a small change in positioning can do to help. Breastfeeding Network are great call 0870 900 8787 and that will put you straight through to someone near you who you can talk to for advice. Good luck it is well worth sticking with it.

Lista- I am sure raspberry leaf tabs caused my braxtons with DS2 as i was in hosp at 35wks on a drip to stop them as they were every 3 mins for 24hrs! Good to use in last few weeks to bring on labour!

Happyspider- It could be the start of things! take the raspberryleaf! good luck

Happy spider ... your typo really made me giggle .... thanks!!! Good luck to all about to drop!!

Thanks Mears, it looks like the waiting game's started.

KMS and Lisita I guess it was the raspberry leaf tea that triggered all of this, as I drunk a lot of it last week, I will have to keep it up..

PS I had forgotten about period pains after nine months of no periods, maybe my pain threshold is not what it used to be anymore...will have to get used to these again.

I am off to have a hot bath now...

Re b/f - if anyone's within striking distance of King's Hospital in South East London, I can really recommend the 'breastfeeding clinic' there. I found it really, really helpful and supportive with breastfeeding last time round.

Am getting nasty twinges in my side, rather like the ones I used to get back in the days when I ovulated. Early in this pg I was worried that meant an ectopic pregnancy but now that I have a bump the size of Australia on my front even I've ditched that theory. If they're advance contraptions (love that typo!) which I think they may be - I get them particularly if I've had to lift my little cherub - I am really not going to enjoy this...have midwife appt today, will consult her but any advice welcome.

Oh and Dahlia - sod the tea. Splodge a jar of pasta sauce over some pasta, if that's not too much effort. I have in fact actually made a curry for tonight, but that's because a friend is visiting (and I can make curry in my sleep) and after this intend to leave the kitchen firmly to dp for the next four weeks/months/years...

Hi Happyspider, I am having the exact same period like pains you describe and found I couldn't really walk apart from pidgeon steps when I was out in town yesterday!
Like Mears says, a warm bath works wonders, I took a paracetamol yesterday for the first time as it was so painful but like you I was reminded how wimpy I am now having not had any period pains for 9 months!
Anyway, best of luck, I also used Raspberry leaf tea with ds but not until the week before I think and then I made it in double quantity by mistake!
Hope you don't have to wait tooooo long!

Happyspider and Jessi - not long now I hope.

Ladies, thank for your comments on breastfeeding - after your words I have been prompted to take some positive action as opposed to grinning and bearing the pain until I inevitably give up. Have just spoken to people at the breastfeeding network and the NCT - they have been very helpful and I have just done one feed with the rugby ball technique - he seemed to feed quite well, though still concerned that he is not getting enough sustanance. My midwife is coming round this afternoon so will tackle the issue with her when she arrives . Also have found details of breastfeeding clinics if things don't get better.

Think I can put up with the temporary pain if I knew that I was doing it right and that DS2 was thriving... he is lying on my lap as I type well looking perfect. I was worried that it was impossible to love someone as much as DS1 - but yep its possible. As my dad said love is not finite - there is no limit to the amount that you can have !!

Good luck ladies

hi ya lovely mums/mums to be
thanks for all the replies about raspberry leaf capsules. I think its triggering my braxton hicks. ive just come from hospital!! yesterday i spent the afternoon with tightenings and period-like pains, at 8 pm i took 2 paracetamols and waited (i know the routine by now!) and at 10.30 pm i called the hospital and they said i should go! so i spent the night there.. everything was OK though, it was just practice for the real thing i guess... im 34 w + 4 d so i reckon its still safe to take the raspberry capsules?
love to all stay well
xxx

kaz33 - I asked mumsnet to forward my e-mail details on to you (it has to be that way round) but they just have your work e-mail and it has bounced back. Could you either update your e-mail or e-mail them ([email protected]) to forward to me? No hurry of course as you have your hands full at the moment.

I am relieved that you say it is possible to love no2 as much as no1 - I had a little wobbly about that the other day - worried about the tough new baby period and wondering if second time around the emotional highs wouldn't be there to compensate and keep you going through it....

Hope the bf continues to improve.

I want to try raspberry leaf capsules - are they only available at health food shops?
Motherinferior LOL!! And Happyspider, hang in there, enjoy the anticipation of meeting your baby. I'm getting period pains after I go for a wee in the night, really strong ones - does this mean I am nearly there? Can anyone advise? God I hope so.

Hi Dahlia and Lisita, period pains mean only that your body is getting ready for the labour (and birth ) but it could take weeks, I have been warned

Can't wait to meet my baby!

Good luck happyspider! And Kaz33 I too am reassured by the double-love phenomenon.

Midwife - lovely midwife - at yesterday's appointment informed me this babe is a big one - grown to stage more like 37 than 35 weeks. Omigod. I am only 5ft tall and have size 3 feet. With any luck it'll be early (dd was 2 days early). Without luck, oh dear...

Do you know I wish my colleague midwives wouldn't do that.............

Yep, me too. AND I'm 40 tomorrow. Obviously this isn't really my week.

dahlia, yes, u can only get them at Holland and Barrett i think.. anyway a word of warning, i called the mw today and she said DONT TAKE THEM TILL U R 37 W COS THEY DO BRING ON LABOUR! My other mw had said it was ok to start at 34 w but this one said its not!! So ill stop taking them for another 2 weeks snif! (im 35 w on friday) just in case...
hope u r all well
xxxx

Lisita, I got some yesterday! Started taking them straight away, I am 38 wks on sat so its safe I guess. Just hope they work, loads of people have said they don't, but equally I have read lots of comments that they do. Fingers crossed. Carpets are cleaned, cooker is cleaned, bag is packed, and most importantly pedicure is booked for Monday. I am all set.

Happy birthday to Motherinferior!!!

Hope you had a great time celebrating.

PS still getting my "practice contraptions" but no labour yet...

Thanks happyspider - nice day but marred by slipping and exacerbating SPD a bit - having very easy day off with DD today!

My m/w said hit the raspberry leaf around now. Mind you she also recommended pineapples and sex (which would make dp v happy as my libido has been shot for months). I think she feels the sooner this little b*gger gets out the better. If I can just get through the next 2-3 weeks, tie up work, send out invoices for lots of money, this train is well ready to leave the gestation...!

Motherinferior, do you incorporate the pineapple into the sex? Mmmm.
Hope you had a nice birthday and ate lots of goodiesl

Just want to wish all you mums due any day now and over the next month or so good luck. Thinking of you and waiting to hear your wonderful news on the birth announcements section of mumsnet when you get time after the birth.

Thanks meanmum, and congratulations on your news.

Dahlia, I just keep remembering everyone who's said that childbirth is like sh*tting a pineapple!

We're very, very slowly getting Ready here. Trouble is that work and childcare and SPD are taking up all my energies, ditto poor dp (well, he doesn't have SPD but he's doing most of the childcare); woke up in the small hours of this morning absolutely furious with him about all that's got to be done, then calmed down and realised how little, really, that is and that I'm not exactly working at full pelt at the moment and can quite easily eg trot down the road to buy that cheap chest of drawers we need, order cot mattresses off the net, etc etc...

Personally, when it comes to induction etc, I'm an acupuncture fan - I've had acupuncture for years, mainly for my crappy sinuses, and as a result it's worked for heartburn in this pregnancy (I think it did help that my system was used to it). My lovely acupuncturist - and mother of two - has said she's going to stick needles into me with probably good results. God I sound like such a hippy - home birth, acupuncture, waterpool...setting myself up for the world's most intervened-in birth, aren't I!