Fabulous 40+ and Proud: Mum and Mums to be Part 2

[Kaz1967]

Ok we have talked to the end of the topic so here is a new one

good news jw!

still all quiet on the kaz front...

Ok sorry to sound dumb but I don't know what CPAP is but nevertheless I want to dance around with you johnworf and be very excited because I know that it must be a good thing and that is all I need to know. Hurrah
As for counselling - I think it's a great idea. We all moan that you get counselling now for anything and everything but by golly you have had so much stress and so much on your plate the past month or two that it can only be a good thing that you can try and get some of it out.

pwcbird CPAP stands for 'Continuous Positive Airways Pressure'. It means that Katherine is still receiving air/oxygen should she need it and it's kinda forced through the mask/prongs up her nose rather than down her vent tube into her lungs (so it's less invasive). It's the go between, between ventilation and nothing at all.

It means she's doing the breathing herself (rather than the ventilator) but the machine keeps her lungs a little bit open rather than her trying to open her 'tight' little lungs (remember girls, everything for Katherine is immature and not ready to be used).

The nurse compared it to blowing up a balloon...once it's been up it's easier to blow up again but the initial blowing up is hard...so, katherines lungs are stiff and the machine keeps the alvioli open, but the breathing is her on her own

Hope that clears that one up!

Hoping that kaz1967 is doing ok

I wonder if social services know that jeanjeannie keeps her little ones on a building site?

Oh, a pic of katherine on her CPAP for anyone interested is posted

pwcbird I had to goggle it . As I understand it is a less aggressive form of ventilation which means Katherine is breathing more on her own (JW please forgive the very sweeping description)

woops invasive not aggressive sorry

Well now I am in the know it's double huzzah's indeed for you JW as it really is a big step and something fab. In fact it's pretty huge and I'm smiling here for you and lovely Katherine.

Yes, dying to know on kaz1967 though it was only Mon night she said she thought her waters broke? If it was the real thing then she's had to go through labour, giving birth and being in hospital and if she had a cs she'll be in a few days more so I'm guessing weekend at earliest before we find out. Though with DS I went in on Wed night and was out Friday (I hated being in hospital like you couldn't believe). Also, and don't all jump down my throats here girls, perhaps going on mumsnet as soon as she returns home and letting us know is not going to be the first thing on her mind? Utterly ridiculous of me to say that I know

johnworf Ooooo, bless her...she's looking perky indeed.

hedgepig love the pics, he looks great...and sooo laid back in that swing!

jackie77 well, five weeks on and I really am feeling totally normal - not a twinge, an ache ...nothing! Had paracetemol for the first week and that was it. My first c-sec was an emergency and I'd also been induced - so there were a lot of drugs racing around me - I felt rough for weeks. This planned section was superb - such a different experience from the first.

Drink LOADS of water afterwards....get that pee going once the catheter is out. Take extra pillows into hospital...they rarely give you enough...and handy for putting baby on to take strain off scar. And walk about as soon as you can....even if it's to the end of the ward and back! And yes, hedgepig is right...dried fruit for the constipation

hedgepig I lurve your pics LO is a cutie...in fact I've come to the blinding conclusion that ladies over 40 have more lovely babies

JJ & Hedgepig; what gorgeous children.Fab pics.

Jackie77 Good luck on Monday...I hope it goes really smoothly....how exciting to be seeing your lo at last.

JWFantastic news! Well done Katherine!

I hope Kaz is ok and she is enjoying her new bundle of delight....
....may I tentatively suggest you ladies "buddy up", like my antenatal thread did, and exchange e-mail/mobile numbers so your buddy can keep everyone updated as to your progress?...just an idea.

Love your pics hedgepig - I must get my profile page up - you are all so good and I am so bad!
Good idea floratosca. Couple of us have 'facebooked' each other and I think it's good to keep in touch and see how we're getting along.

hedgepig, thanks for updating the list. It's a little disconcerting to see I'm the next one after Kaz1967!
My thoughts are also starting to turn to birth plans and VBAC vs elective CS. I have appointment to discuss with a consultant next week. I'm very conscious that I've never spontaneously gone into labour (induced at 39 wks last time) and never properly finished it (emergency cs at 9cm after 36hrs) so really don't know what to expect if things are allowed to progress naturally. I'm kind of inclined to give VBAC a go, but then Jeanjeannie makes a seductive case for a nice, fairly predictable planned c sec!
Jeanjeannie, what gorgeous girls (and Secret History is my all time favourite book).
Johnworf, Katherine is looking great on CPAP.

Oooh I didn't look properly at your blog Jeanjeannie I was too busy looking at the photos. Secret History AND Perfume are in my top 5 books. I really must get my profile up!

Has anyone else not known what day it is this week? Tuesday I thought was Thursday and today I think is Friday and I really don't know where I am.

Think I felt some flutterings last night but not sure as I ate cauliflower for dinner...

pwcbird I'm not sure that cauliflower is able to flutter once it's in your tummy you know

I've just logged onto ASOS and whilst they have some beautiful stuff in that I'd love to wear I have come to the conclusion that I'm simply too old. I could buy some things I like but the words mutton,lamb, and dressed as, spring to mind

I saw the film Perfume on my honeymoon (ok, quit the jokes!) and was perplexed for over 2 hours until the end. I'm still not sure what happened apart from killing women and sniffing them and making scent. DH loved it though.

i don't know cauliflowers can be a bit gassy! PCWbird I'm sure its flutterings, I find the whole baby movement thing a bit weird to be honest, I try to keep all thoughts of alien movies out of my head . My LO moves but they are very light movements nothing I would say was a kick TBH. She/he does like to move the most when I am driving which is a bit disconcerting.
Thanks for the nice comments abiut Ben he is very cute but wasn't last night when he was still awake at 10!! he is going to be so tired at school today.
Fortified hope the consultant visit goes well. I'm a bit worried about the spontaneous labor too as I have not done that either. I'm have my next consultants visit in august so I'd be interested to hear how you get on.

I find baby movement a bit weird too - it's the sort of thing I could quite easily be freaked out by so I have to tell myself not to think of it like that - it is like having a wee alien in there though - especially in the middle bit where they flip around a lot.

I read an article a while back about women who are phobic about pregnancy and can't bear the thought of something living moving around inside them. It was quite sad really - the woman interviewed couldn't have a child because she thought the idea of pregnancy was disgusting. Another one who had managed to overcome her phobia enough to get pregant said that she had thrown up for three hours straight after a friend mentioned that her baby would be growing hair by now. I suppose people can be phobic about anything.

pwcbird - cauliflower is virtually banned in this house for its wind-inducing properties. It's only a small step down from baked beans

And I seem to know what day it is but DP got up hideously early on sunday - bought me tea, got up DD1 and did her breaky...and THEN realised it wasn't Monday. Cheers...now we're all up!

fortified I really, really would have gone for a VBAC if I'd have been braver! It was only because of possible dodgy internal healing after emerg c-sec just 18 mtns before that I chickened out. It's such a major op - but I was so thrilled that I felt able to recover so quickly. I think a c-sec is much like a natural birth - it can go either way.

Oooo yes, baby movements...when a hand or leg appears poking out of you belly - that's just weird. I can see how some people find it disconcerting.

It's just me and Verity today...and will she sleep so I can get on with things...? Pah - will she heck ....!

I've never had a problem with cauliflower but Oh My God, I made some artichoke soup a few months ago for the first (and last) time. I never experienced anything like the wind. Violent, it was.

harrrrumph. Just eating lunch at my desk and my boss comes over to talk to me (the one who told me I should work until I pop and save my maternity leave for "after" like his wife did -she who ended up rushed to hospital with high bp) Anyway he starts laughing when he reaches my desk and I said what? and he goes - "Oh its just every time I come over here you are eating". I just started shouting at him - that's because every time you bloody come over its bloody lunchtime - I don't eat all the time!!

Feckin sod - makes me feel uncomfortable about eating now.

MrsB go into his office and start eating your lunch at his desk then he'll know exactly when you eat he sounds like a right twit. I'm having a very relaxed day I didn't feel too well this motning si I'm off sick for the day. I feel much better for a bit of a laze about.
I have finally found something I like eating appitite hasn't been too brill lately - coconut macaroons yummmm I have just scoffed 3

Well we have to take our pleasures where we can these days hedgepig I have a Battenberg cake which I got in Marks at lunchtime - looking forward to that when I get home**wonders if her sarky boos maybe has a point after all...

mrsboogie I remember once at work when I said I was on a diet and we had a cookie jar in our kitchentte bit and I realised after a while that I never saw anyone eating a biscuit. Found out that my boss had told everyone not to eat biscuits or food in front of me so that I wouldn't be overwhelmed to eat. People were cowering outside the door eating their rich teas! Made me feel so uncomfortable. And by the way - take no notice of your nincompoopy boss. Blinkin' men got no sensitivity.

Have finally put up my blog in case anyone has more time on their hands than they ought to and wants to look!

Think it was flutterings, though I am careful about cauliflower intake becuase it is rather windy! hedgepig you know what I had to eat the other day - a fondant fancy! Not since I was a child but I got a sweet craving. And BOY are they sweet! How many artificial colours are in them heaven only knows!

pwcbird great pics...Joseph is edible! Love the party hat. Oh wow...I'd forgotten To Kill a Mockingbird...and I LOVE The Instance of the Fingerpost - I was thinking about buying it the other day as someone nabbed my copy. And you had a business too...as I did. Used to have a pr company but sold out to business partner...and now she's loaded!!!!

mrsboogie your boss sounds a dreamboat... Perhaps you should fill out a food time sheet and hand it in at the end of the day....."4pm tea (2 sugars) and battenburg 4 slices" Ah yes, mrsboogies diary...it could be a bestseller...I'll see if Renee Zellweger is available for the film

STOP cake mentions now!!

God only knows what would happen if I was seen eating Battenberg at work - he'd be calling the food police or something!

Have decided that every time I see him eating from now on I am going to make sarky oomnents. Only problem is he "forgets" to eat most of the time. He is a former sport/exercise addict (still would be if he hadn't broken too many bits of himself doing sports) and likes to make smug comments about not getting fat (in the full knowledge that he is thin as a whippet)

I think I will do my profile too...I'm crap at remembering my favourite films music etc.

yes jeanjeannie I had a bijou office in Covent Garden and was all high heels and cocktails. Then I thought I could work from home and be a mummy and nip up to town etc but didn't really work that way. Truth was, though I loved what I did, I sort of lost the urge to network and find work and schmooze which is what you have to to when you're freelance isn't it. So, I stopped and actually cried quite a lot about it though I didn't want to do it anymore. Just an end of an era really, bit like how you cry when you break up with someone even though you did the ending
Still, totally happy now though but sure DH is counting the days (or years as it'll be with LO on the way) before he can get me out earning again! Grrr...
All this cake talk is making me salivate. I have to try and keep the cake content down in my house otherwise I just gobble it up.

Ah yes pwcbird...high heels and cocktails...sounds familiar! Our PR business was just getting off the ground (clerkenwell location) after having been made redundant (yet again) as an editor of a mag. I was in the media for 20+ years and then I met the love of my life and within 4 months of meeting him was in High Wycombe. Two months later I was preggie

Like you I cried a lot when I gave it up but also a sense of relief. I could've easily commuted but lost all the drive to 'go for it'.

Now when I grow up I want to be a garden designer I've even 'almost' started the course at Chelsea...but babies keep getting in the way! DP keeps reading out jobs ads from the local press for me....says he wants to be a stay-at-home-dad

Gawd...I constantly want cake...this is NO way to get back to my size 10 figure