First Time Mom's - Due March/April 2013

[Laura91]

That's the one thing that's worrying me about when she's here too - weather!

I've been buying mostly babygrows (all in ones) and think if it's cold i'm gonna stick a knitted cardy over - OH's grandma has knitted some lovely ones for us

My mum said that's what she used to do when me and my sister were little

As for baby bits taking over the house, we sorted baby's room out for the millionth time yesterday. People have been buying us all sorts over Christmas and in the sales and we've just been putting everything in the cot.

Managed to tidy and put everything where it will probably end up and it looks loads better. Just have to clean the carpet now x

 

[MrsHippo]

I worry about mine being big because I feel as though my bump is just getting bigger and bigger.... What if it doesn't stop lol??

Just waiting for mw now, hate having blood taken

Also, had bad news about the housing thing today was in tears earlier but I think my emotions just took over. I don't think I would have been that upset usually. But unless we can miraculously pull 20k out our arses we are officially stuck in my crappy apartment with horrible noisy, dirty neighbours :'(

I wish I never even looked at that apartment. I hate living there!!! :'(

 

[Laura91]

Oh hun, don't know what to say - big hugs though xx

 

[LiverpoolLass]

Aww Lauren, I'm sorry I know how you feel being stuck somewhere you don't want to be with baby on the way...its not nice. I hate feeling so helpess about it. :/ *hugs*

Laura - that sounds fab about the dvd! I haven't had any measuring done apart from bump measurements at my mw appointments. Maybe baby has just had a big growth spurt and will stay the same for a while now? All babies are different, fingers crossed she'll be a nice healthy weight I'm sure she will

 

[linzylou]

Lauren, sending your way. Something will work out!

 

[MrsHippo]

Thank you girls. I am still feeling a bit crappy about it as we have been trying to move for over a year now and nothing seems to be working out for us. What we have decided to do is go back to plan...errmm, I've lost track of where we are in the alphabet lol. But basically put it on the market, if it goes we will go in to a rental, if it doesn't then it doesn't. I mean things could be worse, I am grateful that we have a roof over our heads. I'm just dissapointed.

One plus, is I can finally start on a nursery we will turn the 2nd room in to one but means quite a bit of moving around as the wardrobe is currently in there and the room isn't big enough for that and other stuff (If I stuck my arms out I wouldn't be too far off touching each wall!!). I want to buy some nicer drawers but I'm going to be tight and try and get some either free ones from a freecycle website or some cheap ones (solid wood) then sand it down and paint them white. So if you have or know anyone selling any (UK obviously ) please let me know.

My mw appointment went well today, got to hear her heartbeat again which was nice and healthy had to take blood and that was ok. Measured my belly and I am measuring bang on 27cm which is good. Isn't it strange how our bellies are growing 1cm a week :/ got my next appointment sometime in feb when I will be 31 weeks :O

I feel really emotional today, keep crying everytime I think about bean or the house or money. I really hope tomorrow is a better day. Sorry to put a downer on the day...

 

[LiverpoolLass]

Glad your MW appointment went well Lauren. Good that you're measuring right on!
Did they mention the kick counting to you?

I forgot to say that I asked my midwife when I called about the consultant appointment, and she said that yes she'd forgotten to mention it to me!! But that basically from 28 weeks I should sit for TWO HOURS every night somewhere quiet and just focus on the movements, and that if I don't feel 10 in that time I should call - Two hours seems like a bloody long time to be doing nothing but waiting for movements, don't you think?!! :/

I really want to measure my own bump coz they didn't do it at my last appointment and my mother (the one who is usually commenting on being too big and having a monster baby!) told me that she thinks my bump has shrunk quite a bit...so thats got me a bit concerned! Surely they can't shrink?!

AFM I've been ticking some things off our "to do" list as we went out yesterday and bought the Moses Basket from Mamas & Papas, and my mum dug out the mechanical swing that my sister had for her baby but never ever used! Its fab - you can connect your MP3 to it to play music to baby and its got a little light show on the top for him to watch

She also dug out a brand new rocker/bouncer and a brand new baby gym! Woo hoo! So not much left on our "to buy" list now!

I also transformed my old beauty blog into a new revamped Beauty & Pregnancy blog last night so thats been lots of fun! Does anybody else here blog?

 

[doggylover]

Lauren so sorry to hear about the house situation. We actually just finished a meeting with a mortgage broker as ours is due for renewal and he was saying that at the minute the banks are pretty much pretending they are lending more, but aren't at all so it's really tough. But wherever you and dh are, you'll be a family with the baby, and that's what matters. It might be a sucky few months while you wait to move, but you'll have your LO to focus on. Glad your appointment went well. I didn't know that's how fast our bellies are growing now! I haven't been measured so this whole thing has passed me by a little! But considering how fast I seem to be expanding it makes sense! And don't worry about crying days you're allowed them, especially when something goes tits up, and especially when pregnant!!

Laura all we currently have (apart from the leggings mentioned) are sleepsuits, and I plan to just stick cardigans over the top. I have lots from my nephew that his other granny knitted, and my mil, SIL and granny-in-law are all busy knitting too! I'll have enough cardigans to share! And I know what you mean about baby stuff taking over! But it's so exciting too, seeing all this baby stuff that soon we'll be able to use!

Hayley your mum needs to get herself to specsavers! Surely your bump hasn't shrunk?! Maybe just what you were wearing? That makes a big difference to how I look. And yep, totally agree that sitting in (in my mind) a darkened room doing nothing but concentrating on your babies kicks is a little bizarre!! Plus what if for that two hours they go nuts and then they are really quiet afterwards? Do you just ignore that?! I love the Moses basket, it's gorgeous they get me so excited when I see them! And lovely to have to much stuff given to you that's all new! I'll have to check out your blog as well

Afm, nothing new at all today. I am still counting down the days until maternity leave...

 

[MrsHippo]

awww how exciting about buying the moses basket I need to wait until pay day before I can buy the hammock ect. But the 28th will be here before we know it!! I can't wait. I will be picking up my first lot of nappies and wipes one day this week, I finally printed off my asda huggies free starter pack thing, it expires in a couple of weeks so need to use it. It will be strange seeing them in the house

Yes she did speak to me about kicks. Well, it was a different midwife as my usual one was off. She was lovely though. She asked about movement and I said that I had noticed she had developed a routine over the last week. She told me that all I need to do is report any changes to that routine (i.e. isn't moving around much when she usually would) but no one has said anything to me about actually sitting down and counting kicks. If I am honest I think its a silly way to monitor it as they do have quiet moments, you will pick up on a routine soon so I wouldn't worry about having to sit there and count them. Do you not think its slightly fustrating when we are all told something slightly different?

As for the size of your bump, it will change slightly depending on where LO is lying. I have days where I don't look as big and it changes shape too. Someone even said to me today that my belly looks low compared to how it has been - she said she can actually see my boobs as before they were squashed to my bump haha. You can measure it yourself but you got to try and feel where the top of your uterus is. Mine today was probably about 2cm above my belly button...I think :/ I am just trying to feel it now but unsure where it is. I have felt the top before when I was in the bath but sitting here now I don't know where it is...

 

[MrsHippo]

Thanks Sarah, when you say it like that it doesn't sound too bad we will be our own little family and I will be pre-occupied. I guess I just had a plan in my head and hoped it would work out and just got a little upset when I realised that wouldn't be happening.

The banks at the moment are being tight with everyone and I have heard so many stories about them pulling out last minute too. You know what we should do - pack up our jobs and let the councils pay for everything. Those families seem better off nowadays than the ones who work hard for a living. I don't see it ever changing though. This country is so messed up.

 

[doggylover]

Too right, I read in the paper the other day about a family on £45k a year benefits. I was looking up recently what we would be entitled too if I can't get a job next January, and it's less than £150 per week because we have savings and my dh has a job, and I won't have to pay for childcare. Yet at the minute I am paying my taxes so other people can sit at home? Ridiculous.

And I totally understand what you mean. I am very bad about getting an idea in my head of how something will be, and its so hard to take when that has to change. When I found out about not having my job after August I cried every time I thought about it, because it just wasn't how I'd imagined things. But soon you'll figure out a new plan, and once the babies are here we won't have time to think at all

 

[LiverpoolLass]

I agree - its pretty silly to have to sit for two hours and count like that! And like my OH said - our bean is most active from about 1 am onwards, how the hell am I meant to sit for two hours and count then?!
If I did it in the day I would feel nothing, he hardly ever moves then but I don't panic coz I know its just his routine and he'll be wiggling around later.
It is frustrating when every midwife seems to have different ideas on how to do everything! My sister was given a kick chart to record it on when she was pregnant, but then that was 5 years ago and they change everything SO rapidly!

Thanks girlies, I love the moses basket My mum thinks its too plain but I like that about it, I don't want everything to be all fussy!

With the bump size thing she'd said it a few times in different outfits, its coz she was away for a week so didnt see me so she's noticed a change!
I do think it might be what Lauren said though - I read about how our babies should have moved upwards in the last week or so, pushing our stomachs up (and I've definitely noticed I can't eat as much so my stomach must have less space!) so maybe thats made it seem smaller than it was before?
I think I'll have a go at measuring though, though I've NEVER been able to feel my uterus - I'm useless!

And OMG - do not get me started on the benefits system in this country :/

I have found out things in the last few days that have had me literally in TEARS of frustration and anger!!

Basically, when I got pregnant I had to stop working because I worked in a childrens club where we did things like rock climbing and paintballing everyday - and because of my medical condition making the pregnancy high risk, I wasn't able to continue working there - so I was put onto Employment & Support Allowance.

Then we had to move here to my parents to save some money because we were struggling to survive with me being on that and Jon being the only one working, and paying rent too - so we moved here and Jon took the first job he could get, which is only 22.5 hours but its better than nothing and he gets overtime quite often.

Someone told me that because I'm on ESA I would be eligible for a sure start grant of £500 - so I called to ask about it - and guess what I was told!

Because I have worked all of my life and paid taxes, I am on contribution-based ESA - so I am not eligible for the grant.
Only somebody who hasn't worked enough or paid enough taxes to claim contribution-based ESA and is instead on income-based ESA is allowed to claim it!!

So basically - I have worked all my life, found myself in a situation where for medical reasons I need to be on benefits while I am pregnant - and I am not allowed to have this grant, but somebody who has sat on their arse all of their lives and is having a baby - THEY can have the grant that people like me have paid in to. WHAT?!?!?!?!?!

Honestly, its made me so angry. I just don't understand the logic of it.

Of course the government has to support people who are out of work, but why reward them more highly than people who HAVE paid into the system and are using it as it is supposed to be used - as a safety net when times get hard, NOT as a permanent lifestyle choice?!!!

 

[MrsHippo]

That is awful!! I am angry now.....Its drives me mad, it really does. On the news recently they were talking about stopping child benefits if you earned 60k or more a year. That makes me angry, why do those hard working people deserve to have help taken away from them? They tell us all the time about how they want everyone working ect yet they do very very little to reward those who actually do. Instead the ones who do nothing end up with it all and I'm not talking about the ones who have worked and can't work for whatever reason currently, I mean the ones who have no intention of working and have never worked. I know what it feels like to be out of work, I ended up without a job for a few months about 5 years ago (I stupidly walked out) and I tried so hard to get a job, it was a struggle but I wasn't entitled to any help as OH earns too much - yes he earns a lot in their eyes but we really struggled financially. Its all so wrong.

I know someone who literally makes my blood boil - typical example. She is in her late 20s, currently has two children and lives in a council house. She has smoked and drank throughout both pregnancies, her youngest is in and out of hospital with breathing problems and her lungs have collapsed twice, the poor little thing is only 2 years old (ish) but mum doesn't blame herself for that. She is now pregnant again - you know what she said 'I can get my 4 bed council house now' and when her OH asked her if she was going to give up the smoking this time around she told him to f*off. She has no intention of working. I think her OH does work, although I remember him looking for it a few months back so not 100% sure. Something else which annoyed me is that she told a close friend of mine (who currently lives with her OH and his mum - can't afford to move out yet) that she should get pregnant so she can have a house. How bad is that?? My naive friend actually thought that was a good idea and decided to come off the pill so she can get pregnant - what a complete idiot. I have really tried to get it in to her head that doing that is so wrong, whether or not she does it I dont know. arrgh people make me angry.

 

[LiverpoolLass]

I know, its just ridiculous. But I don't understand why they can't see that this is whats happening?!
Its really not rocket science. Its quite straight forward really - give the basic help to the people who haven't ever bothered! Give any additional rewards to the people who HAVE paid into the system and now need a bit of temporary assistance!
That way we are just getting back what we've paid in - not paying it in so that somebody else can be better off than us!!

It makes me so angry - I was telling my "friend" about what they said to me when I called, expecting her to be sympathetic, but she told me that actually she AGREES with it because people like me who have worked should have been able to save money and support ourselves but people like her who have NEVER had a job (She is 39 years old and claims she's NEVER been able to find work no matter how hard she's tried) and have ALWAYS been on benefits should be entitled to things like the sure start grant because they're disadvantaged.

It is such rubbish! Yes I worked but I was busy paying my rent and my council tax and my utility bills while HERS were being paid for with other peoples tax money, so I wasn't able to save up a stash of money! Grrrrr

 

[doggylover]

Hayley are you KIDDING me about that Sure Start grant?! That is totally ridiculous. Honestly, we should form our own political party, we couldn't do a worse job of sorting out some of the problems in this country than the current Government are doing! And your friend's attitude is a snippet of exactly what is wrong with this country - hardworking people like us are penalised for working, while people who do nothing are rewarded.
Also, your previous job sounds like so much fun! Obviously I work with kids all day too, but I doubt they get as excited about Rivers and Coasts as they do about rock climbing and paintballing Will you be able to go back to that once the baby arrives and you move back down south?

Lauren, the thing that gets me with the new scheme of reducing/removing child benefits is that a family could have 1 parent earning £50k and one parent not working, and their benefits get slashed, and another family could have both parents earning £49k and still get it all. It doesn't make any sense! If they are going to do things like this it needs to be on a whole household income scale, not ONE person. And I know what you mean about how what the Government see as earning enough not to need benefits is not quite right - when I stop getting paid next December, as mentioned, we are basically entitled to nothing because Simon works. But he actually gets paid less than I do...and it will be tough for us. And that story you just told...

The country is a shambles!

On the bright side, maybe one of our babies will be a future prime minister and kick the whole lot of them into gear!

 

[baby_nurse]

Lauren So sorry you are having difficulties with your housing situation Money and stuff are such a stress especially when you have another mouth to feed! Try and keep positive you will find your perfect home and as long as you and OH and LO are all together you'll be ok. I hate how our benefits system works in the UK. For a start I'm never sure what I'm entitled to and secondly it seems that the less you do the more you get I'm worried that my employer will force me to start my maternity leave early due to being off sick. Although my policy states they can't start it until 36 weeks I keep being told by people (midwife/mum) that they might force me to take it earlier, such a stress when all I've tried to do is work hard my whole life and never had a sick note before in my whole working career (since I was 16) so I'm a bit miffed I'm genuinely ill and yet might not be entitled for help!

Hayley I love your moses basket it's so cute I prefer simpler things as well rather than really fussy. I'm sure your bump hasn't shrunk and it's just the clothing you were wearing. Some days I look really pregnant then other days I look smaller too!

I'm completely confused bout the kick thing as well, it's really frustrating as everyone seems to be told different things! My midwife (who's a bit crap) told me just to monitor movement and ring triage if I have less?!? She didn't say anything about counting or lying still for hours or a routine! Luckily I feel LO moving about quite a bit but I'm still unsure what I'd do if I felt less, maybe they're just having a quiet day! And how do I know what I'm feeling is enough!

AFM OH worked away like a beaver all weekend and nursery furniture is up It looks fab and I'm so pleased. I had a big sorting day yesterday and we nearly have everything now apart from need a few more sheets/blankets and some more smaller baby grows/vests as it seems I have brought bigger than I thought so as baby is measuring small I need a few 7lb baby grows and vests so poor baby isn't swamped! I say this and I'll probably have a 10lber! Next task in nursery is to stick on wall decals which will be a....ahem...challenge as I'm pretty awful at those kind of things lol! We are leaving getting curtains/lampshade etc until LO arrives so I can choose a gender specific theme.

I need some advice about my Mum. I love my Mum to bits but the plan for labour/birth has always been just me and OH...no parents or relatives at the hospital pacing around outside and ESPECIALLY not in the room. Don't get me wrong but my Mum and I sometimes clash during stressful situations. She winds me up big time and ends up making me feel worse a lot of the time (similar personalities I think). I've always kinda assumed she knew this tbh and although I've not said "you can't be at the birth" I assumed she knew this. However she was on the phone earlier banging on about her work colleague who's daughter has just had a baby. Apparently this lady ended up being at the birth and my Mum was gushing away saying how lovely it had been for them both and how emotional and overwhelming it was and how it helped OH as he was tired etc etc. I'm sure she was implying the same for us although she didn't outright say it (I could just tell though she was implying it a little) and so now I'm panicking because really under no circumstances do I think that having her there will be a helpful or positive experience to myself or OH. I really just want it to be myself and OH and be a special experience just the 3 of us, even afterwards I don't want any visitors straight away as want to spend some time just the 3 of us bonding and establishing breastfeeding.
Does this make me a massive selfish bitch? I don't want to hurt my Mum's feelings as I love her to bits and it's took me ages to even get her interested in my pregnancy as she wasn't bothered for ages, however I can't agree to something that I feel so strongly won't be good for us just to not hurt her feelings and give her a positive experience (but a miserable one for myself and OH). Do you think I need to discuss this beforehand? She has a tendency to fly off the handle easily and get insulted and I really really don't want to hurt her feelings but I don't want to not bring it up and then on the day either a) she turns up and barges in and I'm too tired to say anything or b) OH is left to tell her on the day and make it really awkward for him as he's shy and quiet so probably won't be able to do that as she'd talk him into letting her come! On the other hand she might not be suggesting coming at all and just mentioned this lady as conversation and I've got the wrong end of the stick and I'm worrying over nothing, so when I mention it I'll potentially insult her for no reason! Argh!

 

[Laura91]

MrsHippo - Have a look on eBay for drawers/furniture! That's where we got LO's from - paid £70 for drawers and a wardrobe and then OH sanded and painted them white

LiverpoolLass - I've been looking at the exact same swing (I think) but in cream! Does all the intter hood light up with little LED things?

DoggyLover - I'm counting down to! I have 38 working days left after today

BabyNurse - Do we get so see the nursery once you've done the wall decals? I'm excited!
With regards to your mum, I'd just say exactly what you said in your post. I'd just slip it into your next 'baby conversation' and say something like you're looking forward to finally meeting your baby and then:
"I really just want it to be myself and OH and be a special experience just the 3 of us, even afterwards I don't want any visitors straight away as want to spend some time just the 3 of us bonding and establishing breastfeeding."
I don't think it makes you a massive selfish bitch

Re: Benefit system? Absolute joke. It seems that they like to help out the people who don't help themselves. People who do everything they can to survive and make a living get no help whatsoever.

AsForMe - Had my GTT test this morning, it went okay. I only have one good vein out of both arms
She took my blood at 8:40am and I drank the drink.
I then mentioned to her about my hip/groin pains and she managed to get me an appointment at a different surgery (5 minutes away) so she let me nip there as it was to another Doctors.
I saw the worst 'Doctor' ever. I walked into the room and she must have been 20 max! She looked at me as if I'd walked into the wrong room. She asked what the problem was, I explained the aches/pains I'd been having and said that people had said it could be SPD - she openly said that she wasn't sure what SPD was as she generally worked in A&E so she had to look it up in her medical term book and then she Googled it!
She got me to lay on the bed, had a feel around my stomach, said I was correct in how/where baby was laid, lifted my leg up and asked if it hurt - obviously, it's squashing baby's head between my thigh and hip!
She then emailed another doctor (!) asking what she should do. He then had to reply and say yes it does sound like SPD, told her it was from baby being wedged in my hip and what she should prescribe me.
She then asked would I prefer Paracetamol or Cocodamol?! I said whichever's better so she gave me both!
I asked what should I do if this doesn't help, yet more looking on the computer - I need to speak to my midwife/doctor/triage to get referred to physio.
So really I went in, I told her it was SPD and she just took my word for it!
If the paracetamol/cocodamol don't help then i'm going to go back to another doctor and get a second opinion - ridiculous!

Anyway, went straight back to finish off my GTT testing and my vein didn't want to give anything for the second bloods so she had to poke around to get it She said she'd rather poke around than have me come back to repeat the whole test again.

Overall, not a great day

Also, I agree that different outfits can make your bump look a different size/shape. Everyone keeps commenting on how low i'm carrying but LO is laid really low. She's laid like this:
https://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcS35xV9G0rkXmzwLlZSlSxIcjzw61T4LC540Ut8hQee5JUEzVsc

But on even more of an angle. Her head is practically in my hip joint so her body is diagonally through the middle of my belly.

 

[baby_nurse]

Thanks Laura, I think I'm going to have to try and delicately approach the subject! Not sure how but it needs mentioning I think. Sorry to hear bout your bad day medical wise (I wrote more in your journal).
What are other people planning to do at the birth re: parents and visitors during and just after the birth? X

 

[LiverpoolLass]

Sarah - I wish I was kidding! Honestly it just made me so annoyed I couldn't stop crying (hormones probably weren't helping lol). Even two days later when I was telling my Dad about it I was crying lol.
Its just SO infuriating, we could REALLY do with that money and instead some other pregnant woman who has never worked is going to get it

Aww yeah the job was really fun! I wouldn't be able to go back though as they had to hire someone to replace me and the jobs there don't often come up. Plus when we go back to Devon we're hoping to move closer to my sister rather than back to Exeter so we won't be in exactly the same area. Its a shame, It really was my dream job!

Alex - Thanks! I love it too hehe.
That is awkward about your Mum :/ I know what you mean as my mum can fly off the handle really easily too, some people are VERY difficult to discuss anything with!
Maybe you could just mention your birth plan to her in "Passing" and see if anything crops up? Then if it does, you can gently say how you'd rather it be just the three of you for the birth so as to keep your stress levels down, but that obviously as soon as everything is all done and dusted you'll be excited about them coming in?!
If I were you, I'd be tempted to fib about it and say the hospital only allows one person or your midwife recommend it being only the three of you lol.

Laura - Yep, the swing has the LED lights in the top hood! Its really cute!
Oh dear! I'm sorry about your bad day with the Drs. I can sympathise on the bloods as I have had to have blood tests every month since I was 18 because of my medical condition - I'm not scared of it so its fine, but they can NEVER get blood out of me first time - my veins always collapse so it usually takes a couple of attempts in each arm before they finally get anything! And I usually have to wait while different nurses and drs try to get the blood lol. Its so embarrassing.

I hope the pain relief helps but if not I would definitely ask for a second opinion! Was that Dr in a walk in centre?
I only ask coz whenever I've been to walk in centres with any problem, the Dr always looks about 12 and they ALWAYS pull out a medical book to look things up and Google things! Only seems to ever happen to me in walk-in centres though!

AFM - OH & I measured my bump last night! It took a lot of Googling to figure out how to find my uterus lol! But we found it eventually and did the measurements, and I'm measuring 27 cm exactly.
So I think it must just be looking smaller because its moved higher up!
Thats a relief as I was worried it could have been due to the fluid leakage I had last week, eeek lol.
(I then had a go at measuring OH's "Bump" and apparently he's 22 weeks along lmao)

As for the parents/visitors at the birth thing - I hope Alex doesn't mind me jumping on her band wagon but I could do with a bit of advice on the subject too actually.

As you all know, I am most likely going to be having a c-section (hoping to finally get the consultation appointment through at some point this week!) - the thing is, I have always had a real problem with anxiety/nerves - part of my condition is that I suffer easily with panic attacks, and as I have never ever had an operation of any kind before - the idea of being in theatre and under anesthetic scares me quite a bit.

Now because its a c-section - you're only allowed to have ONE birthing partner in there with you.

OH obviously wants to be there for the birth, and I do understand that and in ideal world I'd love him to be there too - but the problem is, he is AWFUL with regards to making me panic MORE.

I know I'm already going to be really really worried, will possibly have a panic attack, and I know he always says the worst things possible and the looks on his face give away his own panic - he just makes me feel 10X more anxious in any given situation.

Whereas my mother has obviously lived with my nerves and panic for a lot longer than him, and is VERY good at calming me down and stopping me from going into a panic attack - also, she has had two c-sections herself so I would feel better from her being there and talking me through it all. She is a very calming influence to me.

So - I REALLY want to have my mother in there with me, but I feel bad that OH won't get to experience it - do I sacrifice the birth experience for myself and risk that I'll go into a huge panic so that OH can experience the birth? Or do I save my own sanity and allow myself to hopefully have an enjoyable experience even though it means OH will be in the waiting room and will have to wait the half an hour or so it takes to stitch me up before he gets to see baby?

 

[doggylover]

Hayley, fingers crossed you get something similar (job wise) when you move again. I would have cried at that two (actually I did when I found out I am entitled to next to nothing) but I think with me that's mainly frustration that a) I'm being screwed over after slogging my guts out and b) I have no idea how I can provide for my family. I cry at anything though, even when not pregnant! Glad you managed to measure your bump, I cannot find the top of my uterus at all! And oh's 22week bump!

That is a truly tricky situation about your birthing partner, and I have no idea what advice to give at all, apologies all I can think of is would there be any chance that you (and maybe your mum) could work with dh over the next few weeks to calm him down and teach him how to act when you go into theatre, so he is able to act more calmly, not get you more upset, and be a good support? Tell him how you feel, that you want him there more than anything but that he makes you more anxious and you don't know how you can deal with that in the c section situation, hopefully that will help him see that he can work towards learning some techniques to calm himself and you. I dunno if that's at all feasible or helpful though!

Alex yay for getting the nursery done!!! Are we going to get a sneaky peek at some pictures once the wall decals are up? Can you not make dh do that?! (That's what I do with ours!) in terms of your mum, I am in a somewhat similar situation. My mum mentioned something directly to me about being in there, and I said she wouldn't be. She then replied "well you always said that you would want me in there!" Which is true, but now it's an actual real situation, I think I just want dh and myself. I haven't discussed it more with her, but I know how important this is to her. If she mentions it again, I think I will go for a compromise - she can be with me during early labour and then when it's time to push, she has to leave dh and I to it, and after the birth its just dh and i until we see fit. But that's only if SHE brings it up again. Maybe you could suggest something similar? If you think that would work for you, of course.

Laura sounds like you had either a student doctor, or a newly qualified dr on GP rotation. I have seen them before and agree it's very unnerving when they have to pull their medical book out! It makes me feel uneasy, and with pregnancy I imagine its 100% worse. I would advise you take the co-codamol as my granny takes it for her many joint pains, whereas paracetamol I wouldn't say is anything really to shout about! If you can get it at tesco, it isn't strong enough

Afm, nothing new again! Still counting down those days (38 (teaching) days for me too Laura! Although 3 more training days on top of that, dam it!) and generally obeying beaten up by my child at any opportunity! Last night I definitely felt a LIMB of some variety - maybe an elbow, or a heel? No idea what as I am clueless to what way baby is lying, but it was definitely a pointy part of my child!!!