anyone due jan 2004?

[kirby]

i am and im gettin married may 9th 2004! x

scan went well, thanks for asking! (just as well as I was 26 weeks gone). He/she was facing the wrong way for them to tell me the sex though, which was dissapointing.

Bump really starting to get in the way now - I feel like my gran when I have to creakily get up to chase dd! Can't help remembering that it gets worse!

Hayls, you have a nap! My theory is that all the sleep you do when preg is being stored up for your first few weeks with the new baby. You need every minute you can get.

Lucy123, do they say not to eat the same things in Spain? (ie seafood, unpasteurised cheese, etc. I'm kind of glad you and Hayls say you have big bumps too - I have a colleague who is due 3 weeks after me and she is microscopic in comparison. I think I'm carrying around a whole indoor swimming pool and junior is doing aquarobics every day.

I think I've started having Braxton Hicks contractions, but they're not as dramatic as I had imagined: my tummy just goes really hard. Is that how they start off?

Marsup - they have similar advice in Spain, but not usually exactly the same. It changes every 5 minutes just the same though. They say not to drink at all here and I swear i get filthy looks when having a "Tinto verano" (red wine and lemonade). Maybe that's my imagination.

Also they go a big thing on toxoplasmosis - you get lots of tests for it and my doc told me not to touch my cat. But then my friend went to see an private gynaecologist and he said he had never seen a case of fetal damage due to toxoplasmosis in 20 years of practice. (I've been ranting about avoidanceadvice on another thread).

Anyway me, I'm ignoring most of it!

On contractions - what you describe could be Braxton Hicks. I had a proper contraction the other day which scared me silly - just the one though.

These are definitely Braxton Hicks or some sort of contraction I am having. I had only one this morning, then nothing all day until this afternoon when I've had lots and lots - hard to tell how many really as they last so long and aren't painful so I have been ignoring them. Still, a trawl through the web has just informed me that I should ring my midwife if I have more than 4 per hour. I feel silly worrying though as they are not painful. Should I ring her tomorrow morning? Anyone got any advice? Have any of you other January mums had any of these yet?

...it's time I sent that mumsnet subscription I've been putting off, this chatroom is the best source of reassurance - beats DH (he either panics or looks vague), mother (a long way away and not quite in touch with being a granny yet) or the NHS (the hands off approach).

Marsup- how are you today? I haven't had any Braxton Hicks, think I would be really panicked if I did. I know they're normal but I'm sure the first time is quite worrying. TBH, evrything about pregnancy worries or scares me! every slight twinge has me in a total panic and I keep waking up in he night in a sweat about everything. Still, think of the end result (or so I keep being told)

Has anyone signed up for NCT classes? I tried to but there aren't enough people in my area to run it. There is another one about 10 miles away that I could start but it would be quite a hassle. Does anyone know about them? Are the Parentcraft/ NHS ones enough? As this is my 1st I'm paranoid about not knowing what I'm doing!

Sorry about the slightly rambling post, my head's a bit frazzled. Hope everyone's OK.

Marsup- how are you today? I haven't had any Braxton Hicks, think I would be really panicked if I did. I know they're normal but I'm sure the first time is quite worrying. TBH, evrything about pregnancy worries or scares me! every slight twinge has me in a total panic and I keep waking up in he night in a sweat about everything. Still, think of the end result (or so I keep being told)

Has anyone signed up for NCT classes? I tried to but there aren't enough people in my area to run it. There is another one about 10 miles away that I could start but it would be quite a hassle. Does anyone know about them? Are the Parentcraft/ NHS ones enough? As this is my 1st I'm paranoid about not knowing what I'm doing!

Sorry about the slightly rambling post, my head's a bit frazzled. Hope everyone's OK.

Yes, how are those contractions, Marsup?

Hayls - I had dd with only Spanish public health system ante-natal classes, of which I understood about 50% due to the midwife who ran them having a very broad accent.

But I did OK! I think in some ways if you overdo the preparation you can give yourslef unneccessary worries. The only thing I did make sure of was that I had the phone number of a friendly midwife in case of emergency questions. But you will have midwife home visits anyway! (saying that, maybe you should get someone's number anyway in case your midwife is a dragon! )

Plus there's Mumsnet as Marsup says.

Well said Lucy! I have a lovely midwife who 'seems ' to have most of the same views as me. And yes I get most inforamtion from Mumsnet, so helpful!
I'm a bit of a worrier and am scared that I'm missing out on a piece of vital information that I can't function without if I don't go to these clasees- unlikely, i know and furthermore expensive!

Yes, I meant to say that I found a lot of the early parenting stuff actually came from instinct. Turns out to be a doddle really! Apart from the time she slept all day - that worried me.

If you do go to those classes I would like to bet you that you don't actually find that vital bit of information. Or that the vital bit of information doesn't apply to your darling baby!

By the way I know i sound very relaxed now. I was probably more nervous than you before dd was born. I just wish I knew then what I know now (that it all turns out to be a doddle).

Thanks, that actually reassured me a bit! Maybe there is a bit of a natural mother in me somewhere, just need to make sure I find it!

Thanks for your concern, Hayls and Lucy123. I was mainly worried because my book and all the Internet sites say you shouldn't have more than 4 contractions an hour, and I was having much more than that. I rang my midwife the next day and she went into some spiel about how they were probably Braxton Hicks and not contractions (I thought you weren't supposed to have more than 4 BHs an hour, let alone real contractions) and I could go to the hospital if I wanted. I rang the hospital and they said not to worry because I wasn't having any more contractions, and no blood, etc. I must admit I was having trouble worrying myself too much because baby was happily kicking away and nothing hurt. But I will keep an eye on it - a friend of mine had an incompetent cervix (is that the right term?) and lots of contractions and had to stay lying down for the last two months (she didn't find the contractions painful either).

Anyway, good news on the contractions Hayls - so far they really don't hurt (though some women say they do at the end - I did a mumsnet search on previous discussions); and apparently they are good training for labour.

What do you think has happened to all the other January mumsnetters? the population seems to have thinned out a bit.

Marsup, I know what you mean about the population thinning out a bit, there isn't much going on here really. I'm glad everything looks OK and you're reassured.
I'm just over 24 weeks now and can't believe how much time flies. I've been a bit worried over the past couple of days because I haven't been feeling much movement. I normally feel it when I go to bed and it's definite kicks but on Thursday night I only felt a few then yesterday and last night i felt a bit more but they weren't really strong. I've felt some today but again there's no pattern to them and whereas normally she'll keep kicking if I rub my bump, she's not responding much. Is this quite normal? I haven't worried too much or contacted my mw because I thought that the fact I was having some meant things were OK but I get panicky about things a lot!
Hope everyon'e well (and any others due Jan 2004 join in!)

I seem to get a lot of variation in kicks from one day to the next too, Hayls, so I'm guessing that is normal - but then like you this is my first, so I can't really say. My book says midwives might ask you to check kick frequency from week 28, but not before, so perhaps it is too early to be worried by a quiet patch as long as there is some movement from time to time.

I wonder what happened to the rest of the Jan crowd? December seems to be a much more active month.

Has anyone else started to get colustrum leaks? (mine is only a few drops and clear for the moment). I feel as though I am going to give birth in a month, not three!

Hayls, I just spotted another pregnancy thread where there is some discussion about your question:

Quiet Baby-Very Worried!!

Sorry, don't know how to paste in the link but if you go to 'topics' and 'pregnancy' you'll find it there.

Thanks mArsup, I had a look at that thread and it was quite useful. I did try phoning my mw yesterday but her mobile was turned off and I couldn't get through. Coincidentally, she started kicking not long afterwards (not the mw). I've felt regular movements since then so I think she might have changed her routine a bit and I'm not noticing it as much because she does it during the day when I'm busy (does that make sense?...)Am going to keep an eye on it anyway, thanks for the advice.

I haven't been leaking, is that a joy still to come? Can't wait!

Yes, population quite definately thinning out!

My book says I'm 29 weeks now (but probably 28). But I haven't been counting this time like I did last time. This one is a big kicker though, and invariably starts up the minute I think to myself "where has the kicking gone" (but I suspect this means a very active baby! )

Getting too fat now to feel comfortable chasing dd around. How am I going to cope with a new baby to???

Lucy 123, I feel mine moving practically all the time but I can't even start to work out the position. In the drawings you see the baby is always vertical, either head up or head down, but the movements I get seem to suggest horizontal, with feet at one side (my left) and hands at the other (right). I also get a big hard bulge on the right hand side in the mornings which I took to be the head. But is it possible at 28 weeks for the baby to be in a horizonatal position?

I can't imagine coping with toddler and small baby at once... but it is nice for them to be close in age so they can share things more, so I guess it is worth it (?!).

Marsup - that's my plan! (getting them to share things etc).

Having observed other people with kids I think that having two closish together is easier as you don't have to keep them entertained all the time.

As to position - I have no idea. What I'm calling "kicks" could be head-buts for all I know. Whatever position the bay's in it seems to be an awkward one - lots of kicks to bladder and groin. But I don't mind!

Last night I was so sure the round hard bit was the head I tried pushing it down to encourage baby to move to head-down vertical position. I was pretty gentle, but he seemed to get quite annoyed, judging by the kicking inwards to my intestines! I couldn't hurt him doing gentle pushing, could I? (hhmn, people at work tell me I'm bossy...maybe there is some truth in it after all...)

DH thinks the ideal age gap between siblings is 18 months, but given the 9 month wait that means getting started again after just 9 months which seems sort of short in terms of life, career, body weight, sleep patterns, etc. But then I'm the one with the career, not DH, so he is a bit less concerned. What is the gap between your two, Lucy123?

Marsup, I don't think you need to worry about whthwe the baby is in a good birthing position just yet!

My 2 will be 20 months apart. Was aiming for 2 years, but I am evidently v fertile. But I don't think there is a perfect gap - there are pros and cons to all the permutations. With a small gap like mine, the advantage is you get all the helplessness/tantrums etc over and done with. The disavantage is you get it all over and done with! But I have a sister 13 months younger than me and think its good. See how you feel this time next year!

My brother is 18 months older and we always got on very well. But I hate those double-buggy things and wonder how people manage to push two small kids around shops, etc. If you wait long enough then no.1 is big enough to stand on a buggy board behind no.2... anyway, as you say Lucy123, it is a bit soon for me to be worried about any of that! I know, probably too soon to be worried about position too but I feel as though my body has got itself ready ultra-quick: I have Braxton Hicks every day several times, I have milk, I have an enormous bump. Still I guess it doesn't mean anything and he is probably quite comfy in there and won't want out until way past due date.

I wonder what happened to misspastry and tinyfeet? I think so many people are due in December the wards will be empty in Jan.

Hi Guys, I am still here, very large, very tored and very much wanting not to be at work, stopping at 34 weeks, cant wait,

my ds who is now 15 mths is saying baba and lifting up shirt, so sweet, I havent had any braxton hicks, I did have an awfull sickness bug, anf thought i was in labour, but not a good idea yet!!

We have also moved house, got two extra bedrooms so now insisiting on poor dh decortaing in time for jan I will try to keep in touch a abit more, glad everyone is well

I'm glad you're coping, misspastry! I'm feeling pretty ginormous myself, and it is starting to get to me. There just doesn't seem to be much space in there for things like my stomach. I've got some Gaviscon now but don't want to take a whole bottle a day. Has anyone got any handy hints for how to diminish stomach size?! It is all very well saying 'eat lots of small meals', it is still nice to have meals with dh. And it doesn't seem lik the right time to go on a diet...

I have got the decorating bug too, but dh is resisting pressure.

What are your due dates, Hayles, misspastry, Lucy123, anyone else out there due in Jan? Mine is supposed to be 6 Jan but I'd really like 15 December!

Hi, I'm also feeling really uncomfortable this time around. I can't eat much either, but figure that's okay since I don't want to get as big as last time. No good tips for you Marsup, I think we just have to grin and bear it. I'm the one due at Christmas, but am hoping for a really late baby - like January 15. I don't like the idea of a Christmas baby.

What are you going to be doing for Christmas, tinyfeet? dh and I both have family overseas and we normally go to spend Christmas with them, but not this year so it'll probably be just us. I'm wondering what to do for a quiet Christmas at home with two of us (three would be nicer).