Anyone due Sep/ Oct 2003

[ANGELMOTHER]

I know it's early yet but am so excited as pg with no 2 due 25 Sep Dd not too impressed but I'm sure will be fine in time, just wondering if anyone else due around same time

Normally you have to reach 37 weeks for a midwife to be happy attending a homebirth for you. This is because a baby is considered term at that point.

Mind you, my midwife will consider attending from 36 weeks (although she is actually on holiday for most of that week, so I won't be going into labour then!) but she is independant and thus not obliged to consider Trust Policies.

Am I mad? I want my baby to be late, I'm desperate for dd & ds to go back to school. Today's my only day so far during the holidays that I've been on my own with them and they're driving me nuts! I would like to have a couple of days at home on my own before number 3 arrives, btw I am now 39+1.

Yup 37 weeks is the earliest they will attend and 41+6 is the latest. One week and I'm there....

Ailsa you are not mad, I can't wait for dd to get back to pre-school to have a few mornings to myself, if only to prepare the mind.

Now ladies I AM GOING TO HAVE A GOOD NIGHTS SLEEP TONIGHT so am off to bed

No Wiltshire I don't like the idea of an epidural much, my dh is very against them for some odd reason or another and my mum experienced back problems after hers so its a no-no for me. Also I'm going to a birthing centre so no epidurals available. Gas and Air thankfully is in abundance, love the stuff!

Issymum, hows everything going with adoption procedures?

Hi everybody

Have been off-line for a long-time due to holidays etc and spending most of my time out-of-doors. 2 weeks to go now and feeling very jealous of Wiltshire having put on only 5lbs - I have put on 3 stone, taking me to a massive 13 stone. Most of it seems to have been around my ankles and feet for the few weeks of heat - they are finally almost back to normal today (having said that, I still can't get any proper shoes on).

Had a scan last week, at which they guestimated that baby weighed just over 8lbs - not too horrendously large so am still trying for a VBAC, though have to keep an open mind as the head is still nowhere near engaged, and my blood pressure is doing all sorts of strange things.

Hope you're all well, and look forward to seeing who'll be first.....

Well what a productive day we had yesterday.
You'd all better put your feet up ladies as by just reading this you'll be exhausted.

First of all I had an antenatal appt at 9:30am and the community midwife asked if I had concidered a homebirth as DS2 was born at home but was very much an unplanned homebirth. Anyway I had thought about it but DH was to keen on the idea so I initially said No because of his concerns. Well we have a midwife coming here today to talk to us/him about it as she said it would be more risky to have another unplanned one with no equipment, ambulances and being un-prepared than to have a homebirth pack here ready so that I can call them and have constant support from the word go. She said that the homebirth packs have drugs/gas & air and resusuitation equipment in them so I'm all for it and DH is 'happy' to go along with what I want. The visit today is more for his benefit than mine.
Then we finally sorted the loft out and I mean REALLY sorted it out. Firstly we brought everything down and now we have about 4-5 massive black bags of clothes and toys, loads of baby stuff that we've replaced, like highchairs, sterilizer, even though the original one are in goog condition. There is absolutley tonnes of the stuff all for a Bootsale. With the clothes that we're keeping we've separated them into first-size, 0-3, 3-6 months etc right up to 3-4 years. Then we put all back up in the loft......tidily. Then entire house looked like pig-sty and we even tidied all that up.
It took virtually all day and DS1+2 didn't get any dinner until almost 8pm, then beacuse of all the s**t everywhere they were filthy so then it was bathtime.
To say we were knackered would be an understatment and guess what?... when we eventually went to bed at about 11pm I couldn't sleep and was then awake at 5:45am thinking about getting the next load of washing on. DS1 came in at 6:10am and was really chuffed when I said Yes to getting up at such an awful time.

What's in store for us today?....... Well the cot has to be re-assembled, our bedroom has to be re-arranged to accommodate the cot and DH has to be a work at 3pm, oh Yes and the midwife is coming at mid-day. PHEW exhausted yet? I bet after doing all this the baby will end up being 2 weeks late even though 3 midwives have said they doubt I'll make it to 40 weeks.

I'm sooooo pleased we got it all done as I was beginning to get abit panicky that the little one would arrive and have nothing to wear and would have to sleep in a cardboard box!

Thanks for listening girls, I'm sorry about waffling but I'm very pleased with ourselves and wanted to tell someone!

Well if that dosen't bring labour on early I don't know what will. I hope it was your dh doing it all and you were just directing him. I wish I'd left somethings to do in these last weeks, I'm so bored.

Sorry I have to go back to bed, Too tired after reading that

Now the waiting really begins........the cot is assembled, the bedroom re-arranged, all the clothes are washed and neatly folded (I don't do ironing) and the midwife has been and left her homebirth pack thingy here. Although to say 'pack' is a slight understatement as the bag is big enough for a fortnight holiday.

I don't think I've EVER been this organized in my entire life.

What is 3 weeks in hours, minutes and seconds?

Is the "pack" really scary EmmaTMG, mine arrives next week ?

Yes 3 weeks equates to 504 hrs, 30240 minutes, 1814400 seconds.

Now can't you see I'm busy

AngelM, I'll be quite honest and say it hasn't even crossed my mind to have another look in the bag. The midwife did sort of show us what was in there but as it's all wrapped up to stay sterile there wasn't much to see. Most of it was plastic bags/sheeting to take away all the mess!YUK!

And now, as for you showing off with all those numbers..........
Very impressed and envious of you as you obviously still have a functioning brain!

I know what you mean about being organised. I have labour bag AND a separate hosp bag packed. Nursery is soooo ready and has been for 2 weeks, so will at least need a dust/hoover. I too, have never ever been this organised. I don't even have anything left to buy.

Midwife can't explain my pelvic pain either as baby is still very much free. She seemed concerned about babies lack of movement but hes always been extremely lazy, she also commented that the heartrate was very slow although this didn't seem to bother her as much. She has prescribed some more painkillers to help me sleep and advised me to drink rlt. I didn't bother mentioning the 3 packets that i'd already drank. Felt a bit miserable with the pain yesterday and guilty as well for taking the painkillers. She said that I had had a show though and maybe that might be a sign along with the contractions but with baby so high and cervix still very high (as usual) I can't see anything happening naturally.

On the up side the painkillers really helped last night and I managed 6 hours of uninterrupted sleep. Also the kids (not mine) are back at school, sanity and quiet is restored once more. And its cold enough to have to wear a jacket isn't that brilliant!

I took ds to the park today and I tripped and aggravated my pelvic pain,turns out to be a groin injury. I had to call my mil to pick us up and now she has taken him to her house for the day. I was looking forward to taking him to the park and to Macdonalds and I know I won't be able to take him again now until after the babies born as I can't walk. The shock of the fall has made me very weepy and I feel really sad that this will be the last time it will just be me and my ds. I don't know why but I'm just so emotional right now and to top it off I'm having BH's every 10 mins and I've noticed a bit more of the show. I can't go into labour now not in this state. I'm going to get my lavender oil and have a long soak and a good cry and hopefully I'll feel a little happier. I guess I'm also worried that the fall may have hurt the baby although I can still feel him wriggling, but why else would I be having all these BH's?

Poor you bekki. I am on first pregnancy but I feel weepy in these last weeks so I can only offer the advice that it's really normal. Instead of worrying about spending last minute quality time with my sons/daughters it's my DH. I keep thinking we wont' have any anymore. At least that's what everyone says. I am sorry to hear about your groin injury/BH's. I do hope you feel better. You should rest, rest & more rest.Above all just think you will have a beautiful bouncing baby soon.

Poor you bekki. I am on first pregnancy but I feel weepy in these last weeks so I can only offer the advice that it's really normal. Instead of worrying about spending last minute quality time with my sons/daughters it's my DH. I keep thinking we wont' have any anymore. At least that's what everyone says. I am sorry to hear about your groin injury/BH's. I do hope you feel better. You should rest, rest & more rest.Above all just think you will have a beautiful bouncing baby soon.

Thanks Wiltshire, I'm feeling loads better now. Re-twisting my ligament seems to have improved the situation after a days rest. Ds was very upset when I fell over and thought he was coming home to a new baby brother, he was slightly releived to discover that he was still in my belly. Braxton Hicks stopped this morning at 5.30 so I got a bit of sleep. I hadn't realised how weepy I would get, but I know that when I have to go to hospital and leave my ds I will be blubbing for England. I cried through my first labour as well (no reason i just did).

I am now totally ready for labour. I had a mad dash trying to find certain items that I had neglected to put into my labour bag. Make sure that you get everything ready before labour begins because you never know if you're going to turn into a blubbing wreck at the first twinge and forget your own name.

Since my ligamaents have magically healed themselves over night I'm going to take ds to Macdonalds and fuss over him all day. Thanks for listening everybody I don't know what i'd do without mumsnet, probably just bore my family to death with it I suppose.

Cha, Ailsa any news yet?

Bekki,

No news here,still waiting, EDD TODAY. Ran round like a headless chicken yesterday trying to get the house tidy making space for pram etc. well at least the house is presentable now, school uniforms ironed and labelled, back on Wednesday, I'm hoping nothing happens until then, I'd really like to be around for their first day back at school and have at least one day relaxing on my own. I've had MIL on the phone this morning panicking about PE kits and lunch boxes etc.!!! All done, just chillin'

Hello everyone not been on for a few days but seems like we're all still here. Sorry to hear you've been down Bekki, in some ways I think the physical restrictions which pregnancy brings about makes the last few weeks the worst......... Putting on knickers has been awkward for a while now

You all seem very organised aswell. I'm off to the mothercare site to order my last bits and bobs after this, there still seems to be things I'm forgetting.

Fingers crossed for you today Ailsa, it's also Cha's EDD too isn't it ??

OK I'm so happy - I never thought going to hospital would make me happy but it has.

We went to have a tour around St Thomas' maternity unit today ( only 7 weeks to go!) the last two were born there but that was pre refurbishment so we thought we'd check the new facilities out.

The home-from-home birthing center is wonderful, I am now actively looking forward to going into labour. I left hospital 2 hours after giving birth last time because I hated being in there so much, but I really think I will enjoy 24 hours in there.

Plus points? You stay in the room you give birth in, it has an ensuite bathroom, a bed for your dh to stay with you (no more 2am nightbus journeys home), ropes and bars to hang onto, use of birth balls, and a beautiful indoor garden to walk around whilst in the early stages. Its also better decorated that my flat!

I might sound a bit over excited, but it is heaven compared to how crappy and depressing it was before!

Come on baby, I want to go play Tarzan!!

Has anyone else accumulated a wide range of pillows? I have 5 pillows thrown on my side and I realise that everyone has a specific purpose assigned to it based on its size and softness. I've almost forgotten the good old days of just falling into bed and effortlessly falling asleep (and staying asleep).

No one has visited me for almost a week. Its as if everyones just waiting for the baby to be born before they visit again. Whilst in the bath I had a phone call, which I ignored. By the time I had finished my bath I had had 4 phone calls and 2 text messages. It seems that my dad in his panic at not getting an answer had phoned everyone I know in the space of 2 minutes and panicked them all. He was not impressed with me and when everybody realised I wasn't in labour nobody continued the conversation. Everyone has completely lost interest in me, even my own mother! No one replied to my text messages today. But you can guarentee I will have more than I can cope with when the babys here. So in my boredom I've compiled a list of everyone who has let me down in this pregnancy as a reminder of who to ignore in a couple of weeks. It appears though that it will only be my dh, my ds and my mil that I will ever have contact with ever again. Even my dh just scrapped through. I think that that plan will have to be re-thought.

No news from Emma since she re-organised her home on Thursday. Did you get your birth pack Angelmother?

I am just starting to get excited, well not just but really........ strangely I connect this to turning the heating on for the first time in months and the snuggly warmth in the house, is that daft ?
Also have had a rotten cold for the last few days and on dd I had a bad flu at the end and as soon as it cleared she arrived. So am just starting to feel this cold clearing and thinking maybe !!
No it is too soon and there are plenty of you ladies here sure to go first, I just feel convinced I'll go early.
Celebratory I am 37 wks tomorrow and allowed my homebirth from then. Midwife visited on Saturday morning and is happy with the plan and house, the pack is due to arrive on Thursday morning Bekki and I got my pethidine prescription today (detrmined not to use it though).
Dd back in pre-school next week and I can't believe it's the 2nd September, hasn't the time flown !!
SamaCon that place sounds amazing, my local hospital didn't instill much confidence in me, one of the reasons for a home birth.

Bekki, Cha, Ailsa which will be first, my thoughts are with you ladies

Morning Ladies, No news from here even after out mammouth sort out of baby stuff. Thank for remembering Bekki, no-one else has been in the least bit interested at this achievement and it was such a mission!
I'm due on the 21st and am now, believe it or not, desparate to at least make it until then and go abit later.....only a tiny bit though. The reason being is that on the 18th and 19th we'll have several scruffy/smelly builders here fitting new double glazing so I think a homebirth might be out of the question on either of those days. That's the earliest they can do it and with the weather getting colder we don't really want to wait to be given another date. I'll just have to keep my legs crossed I suppose
I know what you mean about all the pillows Bekki, it's hard enough getting comfy anyway but then if I want to move I also have to rearrange my bed too. I've put a big pampers caremate under the sheet incase something pops in the night and that makes the fitted sheet slid about all over the place so I end up in a tangled heap but the morning. I'm actually concidering sleeping on the sofa as if I manage to have snooze during the day I'm much more comfy there than in our bed.
Just one last thing.........DS1 STARTS SCHOOL TOMORROW AND I CAN'T WAIT. He has been a little bugger over the last week or so that I'm thinking of selling him. Infact I'd give him away......anyone interested????

Ohhhhh. Bekki, Just seen the 'Pick me up thread'
and just wanted to say I hope things are going well and the pains aren't to bad.

Good Luck and let us know how things are going when you can.

Ohhhh I'm really excited!

Oh this is going to be long! Contractions are about 45 mins apart but aren't that bad, so I'm prepared for a long haul or it just stopping completely. I'm not sure what to do with myself, I don't want to alert my on-call driver for no reason but I feel the need to do something. I'm just so happy that my body does seem to be know what its doing even if it does turn out to be a false alarm.

Sorry to hear about your cold ANGELMOTHER it must be awful being ill at this stage and with the kids still off school. Its a disgrace, summer hols should be 4 weeks and no more. My ds has just informed me that he doesn't want to see this baby for another 2 weeks, I sense a problem brewing here. He has also just eaten my entire biscuit rations for labour. Wheres my mil!