May 2016 Babies Club

wuffly

Kathy that's great that you'll have someone to handover to, so nice to have your end date set in stone. I've just split all my jobs up and delegated them to people in the Dept, my boss will just have to pick up the slack, we brought a good few projects forward and put one or two back so there should be very little going on while I am out. He just keeps landing me with new stuff, small things but I'm struggling to tie up niggly little other stuff (less boards would help too lol!), which is all I planned to do for these weeks. Tempted to come in this weekend to get it cleared. At this stage the notes are done if he doesn't want to go through them until the last minute that is up to him! I'm due in 3.5weeks :eek::D
Glad your tooth is back to normal and hope the itching keeps at bay might ease up when you finish work and get some more rest.

Lucuma, re breastfeeding here, that's where the whole treatment of women gets really contradictory, the law is very clear that I can breastfeed where ever and when ever i want as long as I'm decent as in using a bf cover etc... anyone says anything to me even during ramadan and i can call the police on them;) (Some security guards in malls can be quiet strict on the no eating in public thing without knowing the rules and also in general not be used to women feeding in public in their home countries). The labour law provides for 2,30 min breastfeeding breaks a day for the first 18 months after your baby is born... which really means pumping as unless your baby is in the same building 30 mins probably isn't enough. Some companies provide a quiet room to pump, some translate it to a one hour shorter working day and plenty will just tell you to take a hike. I have no idea what my lot will be like and saving that battle for another day. They are obliged to provide a breastfeeding/pumping area, but most tell you to use the toilet or a prayer room. There is a prayer room in the building I don't even know where it is, i will need building management permission for that so will see how i'm going when i get back. Yep! kinda went all in on the breastpump. Worst case bf is a disaster and i sell it, hopefully bf works out and i get plenty of use out of it.
Agreed with OH we will book a midwife home visit once we are home from hospital which should hopefully help with any struggles/'what the hell are we doing' questions we have. Most people have said get help with BF from the get go and save yourself the pain and stress of not being sure you are doing it right.
SPD isn't great at the moment putting it down to due date getting closer and less physio, not doing any lifting but feeling pain getting up and walking now and can't believe how awkward I am I don't think I'm massive but I'm moving and groaning like a beached whale! Don't know how you are doing it with a toddler.

Sounds like a good idea to have a back up birth partner, with your hubby a flight away. Hopefully you wont need her, defo money well spent for peace of mind though. hope the meet and greet went well. Can you get a consult with her after if you don't use her for the birth?

That is mad on the names! I really like my name in Irish, my dad actually always used to call me by that name growing up, and I always wanted it to be my actual name (not a fan of my name in english), but it feels really vain naming a baby after myself and I think no one here will be able to pronounce it. We plan to be home by the time baby is school age but i'm thinking when they are older and maybe travel/work abroad it will be an arse ache for them!

Kathy22

Well I didn't end up getting the vaccine yesterday, my doctor says he needs a letter from the hospital as he is unwilling to give it and at that I don't think he had the right one. Ended up in there with him for ages yesterday as he rang other doctors and pharmacists to ask. He had one but his medicine book said not to administer to pregnant women so and he went on a rant about hospitals pushing the risk on them so I left it, took a photo of the book and said I would talk to my consultant. Jesus such an ordeal! Lucuma did your doctor just know which one it was? I wonder is it different to the one he had? I have to say though I do love my GP, he is very thorough and good at his job which always results in a very long wait to see him. Did my bloods and is going to check my liver function and bile acids himself as I filled him in on the last few weeks. He did say my baby is in an awkward position and likely sitting on m y gall bladder and could be putting pressure on my liver so that could cause raised levels. Who knows! Baby is doing well, got to hear the heartbeat which was nice. He seems to think I am having a long baby going by feeling them and my bump. I kind of thought they had long enough legs as their bum is up in my right ribcage and then their legs are down below my belly button on the left hand side. Makes me lean more towards me having a boy as I am a short ass so unlikely to produce a tall girl :pac:

Lucuma I should probably try and get smaller versions but I am too lazy at this stage. I have miniature face creams, cleaner etc. as my mum bought me a set of these at Christmas. I will figure out a way to squish them in somehow or another.

Oh Wufly I wish I had someone to handover to but we are just starting the hiring process so it is likely to continue until after I leave. I will hand over to the team that reports to me and they will have to hand over to my cover, unless a miracle happens in the next 2 weeks and someone amazing is ready to start.Work is really busy and stressing me out a lot. I am getting a bit frustrated as they are acting like I am still going to be here this time next month and just keeping bringing me into projects!!!! I am never going to finish my handover doc at this rate.

The baby is like a crazy person the last week. I don't know if they have always been this active and because of the anterior placenta I just didn't feel it but I feel like they very rarely sleep and are always moving and squirming around. I've a had a few big stretches where the baby has literally stretched my skin out to the max pushing out an arm or leg. A woman beside me in my doctors noticed it yesterday. How is everyone else finding movement?

Lucuma how did you meet-n-greet go with your Doula? I had heard of them before but thought it was an american thing, obviously not.

Have a wedding tomorrow, just going to go for the dinner part and leave early and then my baby shower on Sunday so a busy weekend ahead!

Lucuma

wuffly wrote: »

can't believe how awkward I am I don't think I'm massive but I'm moving and groaning like a beached whale! Don't know how you are doing it with a toddler.

Can you get a consult with her after if you don't use her for the birth?

That is mad on the names! I really like my name in Irish, my dad actually always used to call me by that name growing up, and I always wanted it to be my actual name (not a fan of my name in english), but it feels really vain naming a baby after myself and I think no one here will be able to pronounce it. We plan to be home by the time baby is school age but i'm thinking when they are older and maybe travel/work abroad it will be an arse ache for them!

Same here about moving and groaning like a beached whale, it's normal for this stage I think. How am I doing it with a toddler? With much much difficulty......seeing as how she won't remember this quality time with Mammy I'm just hoping I get rewarded for it in the afterlife :D

Ha.....the fact that it's vain to name your child after yourself is the EXACT reason my OH has given for the last few years for not naming a child my name in Irish. He's done a U-turn now though......except I think I have my heart set on a different name now:eek: And the name I have my heart set on he vetoed 1 week before due date the last time so I'm thinking of waiting til after the birth and springing it on him after the labour, he can't argue with me then!

Kathy the whooping cough vaccine is complicated enough. My GP was well familiar with it and gave me all the reasons that they are recommending to give it to pregnant women. She said there was an outbreak of whooping cough a few years ago and a few babies died in the UK and 1 in Dublin (I think). She said that they get vaccinated against it anyway in their 2 month jab (and their 4 month and 6 month I think) but the idea of getting it during pregnancy is to give the baby immunity for the first 2 months until they get to that first jab. (The babies that died were newly born).

She explained there is no designated whooping cough vaccine. So they have to give us the 3-in-1 which covers dipteria, tetanus & whopping cough. We dont' need the diphteria or tetanus parts of course, but that's the only way to get the whooping cough vaccine into us. Getting the tetanus part when we don't actually need it is the reason your arm is sore for a few days afterwards. Also I had to pay for it, it wasn't free.

Meeting the Doula went great aside from the fact it took 3 hours and that used up my daughter's entire nap time. That's both a good and a bad thing. Good coz it would have been very hard to have had such an in-depth chat with my daughter hanging off me, but bad coz I always go for a lie down when my daughter's taking her nap and to be honest that's the only reason I'm able to do what I'm doing now. It's getting harder every day to look after my daughter in this heavily pregnant state I really felt it when I didn't get the lie-down and also I was sitting in a dining room chair for 3 hours without moving while talking the doula, so my back was in bits. I'm writing this now while sitting on the ball, decided to sit on it while at the computer (and every other available opportunity) from now on.

With the doula we spent most of the time analysing my last birth in detail. I showed her the hospital notes that I ordered and she interpreted some medical jargon I wouldn't have gotten, she explained why some things happened and the alternatives that could have happened etc (e.g. I didn't get delayed cord clamping even though it's a standard in CUMH - I didn't get it because meconium grade 1 was found in my waters) I didn't know there were 3 different grades of meconium either! She said when meconium is found in the waters they have to suction the baby's mouth and nose as soon as it's born in case they swallowed any meconium. I knew there was a paedeatrican in the room when dd was born and I knew that was coz of the meconium they found when my waters broke (at 9cm while standing in the labour room) but I didn't realise that suction was what that paedeatrican performed, I know they took the baby away straight away and did something. The doula explained if it hadn't been for the meconium baby would have been put on my chest straight away and they'd wait a few minutes before clamping the cord to let the blood from the placenta flow into the baby. Interesting to know!

Am thinking I'll use her anyway even if hubby is here, she seems sound and it's money down the drain otherwise. An extra pair of hands could be handy especially when we have the toddler around. For example if I end up labouring at home for quite a while like I did last time, my hubby might have to look after dd if she refuses to go to Granny so at least the doula will be 100% focused on me.

Ante-natal check up yesterday. BP, urine, scan, baby position all grand again. Gonna get a sweep next week.

wuffly

Haven't heard anything about the whooping cough vaccine here, haven't had any vaccines during the pregnancy. I did have that 3 in 1 shot about 5 years ago before travelling but no idea how long its valid for must look for the book, Dr doesn't know that though. Hope ye get it sorted.
I had my strep b swab at my 36 week apt, came back negative thankfully but they did find a fungal infection which I had been treating with a cream, as my symptoms weren't consistent with an infection. Got a pessary to sort it, will be nice to be rid of that finally! On the vaccines the midwife said if i'm travelling at 6 weeks that baby should be able to get the 2 month vaccines a little early. Forgot to ask for a list and time line though. Do they do the heal prick test at home as standard?

Sounds like meeting the Doula was very productive Lucuma and good to get some insight into your last birth. One of the things that I really dislike about here is that they are very disinclined to keep you informed good or bad, its one of reasons I am so keen to stick with my current Dr, she keeps me posted but doesn't scare the crap out of me either.

Sorry Kathy didn't realise you wouldn't have your replacement in time at least they are getting someone though. Good to know your role will actually be covered properly as well. Must be the same everywhere with Mat leave, I think my boss thinks he'll just be able to call me the whenever he needs something, slightly my own fault as I would always respond when i'm on leave. Possibly why he's not too concerned. Should be interesting I think OH will turn off the phone and hide it on me.

On the movement, getting plenty, finding it a bit uncomfortable at this stage though, getting kicked in the ribs or some times a bum pushed right up there, and then they like to do a nose dive into my pelvis, can be quiet painful or make me jump a little. Also liking to to flip over. Do you ever feel like they have the hiccups? Feel like its going to be a long baby too Kathy, OH and I are both quiet tall.

I've come around to our boys names again but still off all the girls names we had picked! Time to thrawl the baby name thread, i like your plan lucuma no way he can veto you after labour!

Lucuma

Yeah baby hiccups are almost a daily occurance here now!
Yep heel prick test is done within 3 days of leaving the hospital in Cork anyway, you have to go back in for it.
I remember going in for it with dd distinctly....this vision walked in with her approx 1 wk old as well. She (mother) had her hair blow dried, makeup done, wearing a dress, I could have sworn she had tan on. She propped the baby on her immaculate knee & pulled out a bottle. I was an absolute mess in a hand-me-down breastfeeding top & maternity trackie bottoms (coz you still have a bump for a while after giving birth)
The only moment I felt some bit of pride was when nurse asked 'are you exclusively bf'ing?' I was like Yeah. Nurse: 'no top ups?' And I said 'No'. I caught the yummy mummy looking over at me then :-D I might make more of an effort to dress up this time.
Dd also got BCG vaccine in CUMH day after she was born but they've stopped giving that now due to cutbacks. So this baby won't have the 'irish tattoo' mark on her upper arm!

About the Dr keeping you informed but not scarying the crap out of you....that's exactly what you need really. There's a fine line between giving a woman who is in labour too much information that might overwhelm her and keeping her in the dark. I know for my last labour anyway without epidural it was very intense and I was totally absorbed in pushing that baby out, I couldn't have taken in too much unecessary information. Of course if it's something big you need to know, especially if it requires decisions being made. I suppose the thing to do is research as much as possible beforehand and have things clearly stated in your birth plan, then if they deviate from that they have to explain to you why you're doing it. I put in my birth plan that I didnt' want to be induced, I wanted no intervention if possible, I didn't want an epidural, I did want gas and air, I would consider pethidine, I would like to use a Tens machine and I would like to use the birthing pool.

This time around birth plan will be pretty much the same except I don't want the pethidine this time. Not coz it went badly last time - it was brilliant actually! - but coz I took medication during this pregnancy (prescribed for insomnia) and so I'm already a bit worried about the affect that might have on the baby so I don't want to use pain relief that crosses the placenta like pethidine does this time around as I feel the baby has already been slightly compromised. One of the side affects of pethidine is sleepy baby and I did have a sleepy baby (for the first few days only) she kept falling asleep on the boob. It didn't last long and had no affect on breastfeeding (I just had to keep waking her up e.g. with a wet wipe on her neck, undressing her, wet cloth on her face etc)

wuffly

Jesus wept I don't look half decent these days not a mind what i will look like a few days after this baby arrives! Good to know on the heal pick test, wasn't sure if it was a standard thing or not. Will check about the vaccination schedule when i see the Dr at the weekend.
Anyone I know that had the pethidine seems to feel the same way about, great except that it passes over to the baby. Have it in the birth plan that I don't want it.

2nd of the 4 of us that are due around now went on sunday, beautiful baby girl, laboured in the water but had to come out as baby swallowed meconium, all ok now just on some antibiotics. Hopefully they get home today.
Means I'm up next :eek: although i think my friend that's due 10 days after me may go first! Its her 2nd and she's convinced baby wants out early!

My breast pump arrived, marked as 'milking machine' on the visible invoice at work (no residential post so everything comes to the office) :eek::rolleyes:

Zero interest in work at the moment, another audit tomorrow that the boss decided to bring forward just for me, everything should be grand, but i have no interest in spending today going over crap...

My poor mam has gotten shingles and is all in a tizzy about coming over. She should be well recovered, just a bit worried about her with the long flight etc.. might be a bit much for her, she's never flown on her own.

Kathy22

Wuffly hiccups are a daily occurrence here also. Its so cute. They went on the move last night, usually they are on my right side but seemed to move up and center of my stomach. Was quite painful and uncomfortable and no amount of rubbing got them out of that spot. Found it hard to get to sleep but luckily when I woke up they have shifted down a bit. Phew! I have my check-up today so will see what position they are in. I'm hoping I get a scan as I didn't the last time. I'm going to ask anyway, curious more than anything to see if my GP was right and they are a long baby. My mother in law told me on Sunday my husband was a long skinny baby so maybe they will be taking after him. I would love to get another look at their face and just get general reassurance the lungs and everything is fully developed as it should be.

Had my baby shower on Sunday which was lovely. Just some close friends and my family. Really enjoyed it and we got some lovely items for the baby including the Angelcare monitors and a bouncer which we needed. Last thing we need is a good thermometer so my Mam is going to get that for us. Do you need a bath thermometer as well? I seen them in shops but didn't get one as was unsure.

My friend is in the Rotunda also and she had to go back for the heel prick a couple of days after discharge. I have a birth plan in my head but not on paper, I need to get cracking. I literally have not had a minute, work is crazy busy. I am getting very stressed about finishing things and ended up cramming all weekend when we had a few minutes free. I'm kind of annoyed tbh.

Wuffly the shingles and chicken pox seem to be doing the rounds at the moment. My friends kids have them, my friend actually got chicken pox for a second time and another friend has shingles. Ive had them before but still avoiding them as its the last thing I need.

Random question but does anyone feel generally achy? I feel like a 90 year old when i get up from sleeping in the the morning. Plus ive had some twinges in my wrist, left ankle and my right leg, only happens when I move them a certain way. Maybe its just relaxed joints or something.

HA I will be like you guys and most definitely not a yummy mummy soon after birth, Im barely respectable these days and if I could get away with leggings I would. Getting ready for work is such a chore! Bring on maternity leave. Next week is my last week wohooooo!!!!

Lucuma not long for you now. A week to go? I'm so jealous, I still have over 3 weeks till due day!

Kathy22

Oh Wuffly what pump did you get? I was all set on ordering the Madela Swing on Amazon, then on the extended breastfeeding group I saw people talking about closed pumps and this one in particular. I'm so confused now and don't know which one to get!

teggers5

Just popping in to say hi!
Haven't had a chance to catch up on all the posts so hope everyone is keeping well!?

Lucuma

1 week 2 days to go. man I am cream-crackered! Kathy I don't feel generally achy - probably coz I've finished work in fairness - but I feel generally stuffed up....hard to explain. like everythig is squashed (well it is) and like my head is stuffy, my lungs are squashed, my stomach is squashed, I just feel generally uncomfortable. And one position for too long results in back pain whether that be standing, sitting on a chair, bouncing on the ball. Went to see a women's health physio in a private hospital in Cork, not as good as the one I was going to over but she did at least do physio massage on my inner thighs and a bit on the back of my hips. But she didnt do it hard enough or long enough for my liking, am in to her again Thursday and going to tell her don't spare the horses!
Kathy for all the money you're paying I'd expect a scan every week at this stage. My cons does a scan every week for the last 6 weeks I assumed that was standard across the board. How did you get on anyway? I'm in tomorrow now.
My blood was tested a few weeks ago and apparently my iron levels are great, I started taking spatone just after the blood test so the blood test would have been taken when I was just taking Pregnacare so I finished the box of spatone but might just stick to the Pregnacare now and eating beef when possible. I do have a bottle of Floradix alright but am afraid to take it in case it causes constipation, I'm already taking a swig of Duphulac every day.
I got my Ergo infant insert from amazon/parcel motel so nearly have all baby stuff done now. got the flat tyres on teh double buggy sorted and ordered a part from the phil n teds website to sort out the wheel that keeps falling off, seems to have a long delivery time though so should have seen to it earlier, oops! It mightn't be here by time baby arrives. I have another travel system anyway a Graco one I can use just the maxi cosi doesn't click into it (it does click into the phil n teds) so I'd be hoping that missing part arrives asap!
wuffly I was going to say before but forgot....sounds like there are actually quite progressive laws about pumping in the workplace over htere! Ireland has no laws on same that I know of. But regarding pumping in the prayer room what occured to me about it was that it might be hard to commit to pumping at a definite time every day like what if a meeting ran over or lunch was cut short coz something came up and you ended up needing to pump at a time when men were in there praying? It would work ok I suppose if there were times during the day you could be guaranteed no men would be in there praying and you could always be available to pump at those time. Having to pump in a toilet really sucks!
Kathy that pump looks much cheaper than the Medela. Medela is 180 or something for a single, that one is 140 or so for a double?! that's brilliant. I found the best way to get milk to come out was breastfeed on one boob while pumping on the other so I prefer the single I think. I don't plan on pumping in work so I don't think I'd need a double. If everything works out according to plan (which there is no way of predicting!) I'll wean off the boob when I go back to work
got a glimmer of colostrum this morning actually when i hand expressed! didn't have that pre-birth the last time, but then again I didn't know how to hand express the last time either (learnt that in the breastfeeding class in the labour ward in cumh when baby was 1 day old)

Lucuma

oh yeah bath thermometer is handy alright. i'd also highly recommend the glo-egg the one that changes colour when the temperature in the room is correct. it saves endless speculation and arguments with your other half about how much bedding to put on the baby....so easy when there's a clear indicator: yellow is good, red is too hot, blue is too cold. And you can dress the baby accordingly in bed. we still use it for the 19 month old! (well it'll be passed onto her little sister now as I'm not buying another one )

angeldelight

Just popping by as I'm feeling nostalgic - our little girl was due 1st May last year but I was brought in for induction on 27th April and she was born on the 29th. I don't envy ye the last few weeks but I'm very jealous of those newborn snuggles

wuffly

Lucuma its one of the bizzare things about here, 45 days mat leave but very protective of breastfeeding. Men and Women have separate prayer rooms so that should be grand. I just need to find it and get it ok'd. I would hope to avoid prayer times anyway if i can. Its sort of a backwards/forwards thing, its more they expect women to give up work and breastfeed rather than facilitate working mothers but still, every little helps and we constantly hear rumors mat leave will be made longer as the numbers of women in the work force local and expat are on the increase. One freezone gets 3 months, which would be great.

Kathy I went with medela swing maxi double, will have a look for the link, supposed to be great and saves time doing both together. I guess I'll see soon enough! Lucuma that sounds like a good plan feeding and expressing at the same time, hadn't thought of that! I have no real plans for how long etc.. beyond hoping the bf works out. I'm still fairly undecided about work so will see how it all pans out. The reason i went with the medela was that it was recommended here and by most of the girls i know that have breastfed, two people had tommy tipee ones, one broke after 10 days and the other in 3 weeks. they were both reparable but both kids were not latching at the time (one in Ireland and one here) and the mums needed to express asap so they ended up buying another one, randomly one went on the boob eventually and was really hard to put back on the bottle, so it was a waste of two machines! :eek: That said they could have just been unlucky and i'm speaking as someone that is only going on advice from other people. We have the glo egg too, with all the AC here baby could end up more wrapped up than at home!

Glad you had nice baby shower, lovely presents, handy when people club together to get a few big things. So nice to have some family/friend time before baby arrives.
Feels a bit strange for me to have spent pretty much all my pregnancy here(was 5 weeks when i was home last), no one at home will have seen me preggers, then rocking up home with a baby.

Not really achy all over so much as achy round the middle, my pelvis and back are just achy now even with physio, since the bump really kicked in I just find myself totally awkward. My feet are swelling up at bit now but i don't feel it i just see it and put my feet up when i get home.

Teggers, all good really just waiting it out in work like a whale on a beach
How are you? Are you nearly finished work?

2weeks left in the office then hopefully two days off before baby arrives!
Happy early birthday for your little one Angel Delight, can't imagine what life will be like in a years time!

Kathy22

Lucuma wow a week away. I know I am only 2 weeks behind you but right now it feels like an eternity. I am getting tired and cranky and finding work hard. Had to leave the office and work from home today, I was too hot and bothered and itchy and stressed out trying to get things done and new things keep coming up. I just need to keep the end date in sight, this time next week will be my third last day!!

Hospital went grand, he didn't do a scan, think he just sees me as low risk therefore happy with a feel for position, measure and a listen to the heartbeat. I will have a scan next week if I want which I will definitely get and am going to make him have a good look. I had a great chat with him about the birth, making a plan etc. and felt much more confident coming out of it. My friend who is studying in this area is going to help with my birth plan next week. I have stuff written down but would like to get it on paper, my consultant said he will go through it with me then. He said I seem more relaxed these days. Ha! I think I was a bit of a stress head in the early days especially with the lack of feeling movement.

I saw the Madela for a good price on Amazon. I had pretty much decided to order it but then started reading about closed versus open pumbs on here and am back to the start again on what to get.

One of the mothers in the breastfeeding group recommended joining the parenting club with Boots as they offer discounts and you can get some freebies. I joined the other day but it takes a few weeks to be processed. Link here.

I am beyond tired today, between the baby playing aerobics in my stomach, general discomfort and my snoring husband who has a cold I simply gave up and got up. Shattered now and the weather is so nice I should really force myself to go out and get some sun!

I cannot believe it is our month soon. Angeldelight I can't imagine what things will be like in a years time. Ill probably be just as tired then LOL! Happy almost birthday to your daughter.

Lucuma

What's the plan for the 1st birthday party angeldelight? I totally skived off on my daughter's 1st birthday.....I baked her a cake which was an achievement as I'm not a baker but that's where the effort stopped. Oh sorry and I found a shop selling one of those ''1'' candles, that took effort! We just had the cake with her, me & hubby and tried to take selfies/timer photos! No party or anything.....I took advantage of the fact we live abroad and no-one would be expecting one or hassle me about it. From what I've seen 1st birthday parties are all about the adults getting drunk and I was in the 1st trimester when my dd turned 1 so if I couldn't drink + couldn't tell anyone why not I wasn't organising a big bash to watch other people get drunk ha!

God I feel so sorry for you Kathy still in work, it's soo hard. Wuffly that's great there are separate men & women's prayer rooms! Makes it a lot easier knowing a load of men aren't going to walk in if you run over time and it eats into prayer time!

It can be hard to get milk to flow when expressing, that's why doing it while feeding helps as the fact you're feeding on 1 boob means the milk is more likely to flow out of the other one.

I've spent about 10 hours on wedding thank you cards and still don't have them ordered....brain is FRIED. Going for physio & back massage tomorrow thank god. Ladies when ye do go on mat leave (all 2 days of it for you wuffly well might be more if you go overdue) I highly recommend an afternoon nap!! Does you the world of good to lie down and take the weight off. Even sitting down we're still putting weight on the pelvis. Both physios I went to recommended lying down a few times a day if possible.

angeldelight

Quite low key here - I've never understood the desire to turn kids events into boozy affairs so I picked 11am "afternoon tea" party going to make a cake, bought a gorgeous topper on etsy so I don't have to decorate it, scones and mini sandwiches and cocktail sausages and that's it! Only grandparents and her aunt and uncle coming so it'll be grand. My dad minds her the two days I'm in work and my mam sees her most days whereas hubby's family don't make an effort at all so thinking they might feel a bit awkward when she doesn't want anything to do with them at the party but their loss!

Hope the little bit of heat isn't starting to bother anyone - not long to go!

wuffly

Aw Kathy you must be wrecked, easier said than done but just do what you can and feck the rest of it. They will manage. Glad you were able to go home and take it somewhat easy. I was where you were with a work a few weeks ago, stressed to the eyeballs about making sure everything was sorted but at the end of the day, it will get done with or with out me and all the drama re my insurance made me think why am I bothering. Also got a survey from the CEO a few days ago which set me right off. Basically 10 questions justifying our job, how we spend our time each day, and our salaries. I saw it and thought great justifying my job 2 weeks before mat leave. Motherf*cking fantastic!! :mad: What's worse is the bloody thing is laid out so badly it will never be read unless they want to use it to justify letting someone go. So its just waste of time that has everyone terrified. Most of my team have been in asking if they are being let go, half in tears. At this stage I've no idea whether i will have a job to come back to or even if I will want to come back. So glad to be getting out in 2 weeks! All about my 'f*ck that' meditation! Companies are a'holes the world over! Final count down Kathy you are almost there and you'll be meeting your gorgeous little gymnast very soon!

I used a sample birth plan that a friend picked up from her anti natal class, there was loads on it that I would never have thought of, handy if you get advice from someone in the know.

Re the open/closed pump, sorry i haven't clue, don't know what the difference is.

Hope you getting those thank you cards sorted Lucuma... is it a pregnancy thing? i can't seem to make decisions for the life of me at the moment!

Kathy22

Good God Wuffly your workplace sounds like a right painful place to be. They don't make things easy for you do they! I really hold my hat up to you working to the bitter end especially in that heat. I would be a terrible moan. I am dying to get out of here. I'm so swollen and achy and hobbling around the place like an 80 year old :pac:

Hope the thank you cards are going OK Lucuma, I remember we put ours off for ages and eventually sent them 6 months later.

Just rang my GP for my bloods, my iron is a little low but nothing an extra helping won't sort out so Ill pick up some Spatone at the weekend. My cholesterol was a little high but apparently normal for it to be high in pregnancy and my GP said nothing to worry about. The things hormones do to your body, I normally have an A+ with my blood work!

Lucuma I look forward to plenty of naps when I'm off. 6 days left in work (not that i'm counting)

Lucuma

wuffly wrote: »

Hope you getting those thank you cards sorted Lucuma... is it a pregnancy thing? i can't seem to make decisions for the life of me at the moment!

Haha.....I have ordered samples from 4 different websites. Also emailed 3 or 4 printers to ask for quotes for a card I made on photobox (but photobox is looking for 10 euro per card for it and that's with their 50% discount offer!). Yes I am making a production out of it !!! With the death in the family I've decided to include family photos on the card (as they're the last formal photos of us all together ever taken) and if I show my family have to show his family etc....so my cards have ended up quite complicated! :eek::p:pac:

Anyway I need to step Aw-ay from the computer now and I'll wait for those samples to come in before deciding which one to order in bulk. In the meantime I'm going to order all the prints to go inside the cards - any guests that I have nice professional photos of, I'm going to send them to that person. Oh the joys....but it feels like justifying the money I spent on the photographers to at least do something with all the photos they took!

Kathy I'm pushing 1 year since wedding so this needs to be ticked off the list pronto. Kind of happy with myself actually that I'll have popped a sprog out before the 1 year anniversary, if someone had told me that last year I'd have been amazed! (didn't expect it to happen that quickly...)

Kathy with the Spatone I take it with orange juice to improve absorption and also don't drink any caffeine 2 hours either side of taking it, that really helps the iron to get absorbed as well coz spatone wouldn't be the highest iron supplment going.

Wuffly I'm self-employed so I have no job to go back to either if that's any consolation.....I just have to job hunt after mat leave each time. Last time I was lucky enough to get back into the same place, no guarantee that'll happen this time though and also depends where my husband is working in September....he's self employed too. I'm used to the insecurity of this life now!

Lucuma

Response from photobox customer service:
"The reason the price is being shown is because you currently have 75 x 10 A5 Folded Cards. These cards are sold in sets of 10 so when changing the quantity to 75 it makes the total to 750 cards.

I've now amended the quantity on your behalf down to 8 x 10 A5 Folded Cards and the amount payable is now 101.29 euros"

This is after also spending 20 mins on the phone to their customer service to get the photos uploaded, followed by having to use the Live chat to figure out how to get the photos onto the card template (you drop and drag, but it did not say that anywhere!). Baby brain city Arizona.

It's hard to believe I was being paid to do a professional job up to a few weeks ago........

teggers5

Wuffly, I'm finishing in work next Thursday and it cannot come soon enough. How long more have you?
Apart from the expected tiredness I'm doing great. I'll have a week off before scheduled section so looking forward to resting. Just hoping the nesting instinct doesn't kick in again!
Lucuma, when is your wedding anniversary?
We'll be a year married June 19th.. we started trying a week after wedding and like you we weren't expecting it to happen so quickly! :O

Lucuma

teggers5 wrote: »

Wuffly, I'm finishing in work next Thursday and it cannot come soon enough. How long more have you?
Apart from the expected tiredness I'm doing great. I'll have a week off before scheduled section so looking forward to resting. Just hoping the nesting instinct doesn't kick in again!
Lucuma, when is your wedding anniversary?
We'll be a year married June 19th.. we started trying a week after wedding and like you we weren't expecting it to happen so quickly! :O

We were the first week in June so snap! We started trying straight away as well and it took 3 months. Last time took 12 months so was pleasantly surprised!

Lucuma

Looks like my mucous plug is starting to come away.....hmm the sweep on Wednesday must have got things stirring!
Last time I went into labour 2 or 3 days after it came away. It hasn't come away fully this time though.....I'll be watching out for more signs!

teggers5

Oh great news Lucuma.. things are starting to move!
Looks like we'll both have lovely presents in time for our first anniversaries!

rainbow kirby

^ Ours will be 4 weeks on Monday, wedding was just before yours Lucuma (May 23rd)!

Lucuma

angeldelight wrote: »

Quite low key here - I've never understood the desire to turn kids events into boozy affairs so I picked 11am "afternoon tea" party going to make a cake, bought a gorgeous topper on etsy so I don't have to decorate it, scones and mini sandwiches and cocktail sausages and that's it! Only grandparents and her aunt and uncle coming so it'll be grand. My dad minds her the two days I'm in work and my mam sees her most days whereas hubby's family don't make an effort at all so thinking they might feel a bit awkward when she doesn't want anything to do with them at the party but their loss!

Hope the little bit of heat isn't starting to bother anyone - not long to go!

The little bit of heat is grand.....I actually do think this is the perfect time of year to give birth. Not too hot, not too cold. Last time my baby was born at the start of September so I was off for all of August and I literally spent most of it sitting in front of a fan, it was awful! Whereas this bit of 'heat' isn't even heat really it's just fine weather. And by time babies arrive we'll have the whole summer for going for walks!

It's mad though the difference of a few months renders alot of my stuff from last time unusable. Last time all my maternity clothes were summer clothes, they were no good to me this time around had to buy all new stuff. And the newborn stuff was winter-ish, and my post natal (i.e. fat) clothes were winter clothes whereas this time I'll need summer post natal clothes!

I love the sound of the 1st birthday party by the way, sounds perfect. Well at least OH's family are making the effort to come to the party I suppose, would you like if they saw her more often?

ja1986

Hi iv been following ye all like the pro stalker I am. I'm due May 19th but getting a bit anxious now that the baby will come early. Have any of ye felt like a tearing pain in yer stomachs? The only thing I can think it is ,is maybe stretch marks forming .Does that sound right? Thanks for all the hints and tips so far. Iv stocked my hospital bag from info on this thread! Good luck to everyone ,not long left at all xxx

Lucuma

ja1986 wrote: »

Hi iv been following ye all like the pro stalker I am. I'm due May 19th but getting a bit anxious now that the baby will come early. Have any of ye felt like a tearing pain in yer stomachs? The only thing I can think it is ,is maybe stretch marks forming .Does that sound right? Thanks for all the hints and tips so far. Iv stocked my hospital bag from info on this thread! Good luck to everyone ,not long left at all xxx

I have been getting Braxton hicks on this pregnancy - feels like a muscle cramp spasm pain. Like a stitch feels normally. It can go on for a while though. It gets better if I change position like if I'm standing up and I lie down it gets better or vice versa. Does that ring a bell? Otherwise I don't know ....

Contractions are distinct (although on no.1 I was getting them an hour before I realised they weren't food poisoning ha!) they come and go at regular intervals, you can time them.

Hope that helps.

wuffly

Lucuma, how are you doing? Hope all's going well!
Congrats on all the wedding anniversaries!

Teggers and Kathy, hope ye're last week goes well and quickly. Hope ye get some rest before the little ones arrive. I'm in until next weds, they announced a public holiday for the the thurdays so if i make to weds, its a few extra days mat leave, every little helps as they say. I'm really starting to feel the tiredness now though.

Found out yesterday my Dr will be away from the 5th-15th... so after all my efforts to have her unless I go early or well over I'll have someone else anyway! Between work, insurance and Dr's I am so ready to have this little one and get on a plane home!
Lucuma fair play to you and your OH being self employed. OH is starting his own business at the moment, its slow but getting there. The uncertainty can be hard going, really glad he has been able to do it though, not something we could have managed at home. Hopefully you'll get something that suits when you start looking. I'm not so great at change, it wouldn't do me any harm to try something different. Might be the kick I need

Ja, hope its going well for you, had that type of pain too, think it was braxton hicks, and i think I had some scar tissue pulling from lapro surgery a few years ago. its gone again now, had it a week or two ago. Its fairly uncomfortable hope it passes quickly for you. Moving around helped a little but it was hard to sleep for a few nights.

Baby is head down but not engaged, heart beat and bump size all good. So much strong movement now, although thankfully still sleeping through the night, my physio says that it will leave me totally unprepared for the nights ahead, Will worry about them when they come around!

Kathy22

Hey all and happy Sunday and also happy last week to those of us still in work. It is starting to get real.

Think I have started to get Braxton Hicks. I thought it was baby bunching up into an awkward ball in my stomach causing pressure but I'm pretty sure it was not the baby this time. Woke up at 6am this morning and had a weird contortion in my stomach and bad pain. Got up and went down to lie on the couch and it subsided. It did last more than 15-30 seconds which is what I read Braxton Hicks can last for. Was at a wedding yesterday and on the drive home last night I got 2 instances of the same pain. Ja does that sound similar to what you have been experiencing?

Phew glad the weddings are over, desperately tried avoiding photos yesterday as I am feeling massive. I had to wear flats as not a single pair of heels fit me. I am so swollen. Did a few family photos and my Dad commented he would hardly recognize me....cheers Dad!!! I feel very deflated after feeling like poop for the whole wedding.

Wuffly sorry to hear about your doctor, seems like more bad news after another for you lately. Try to go with the flow and trust she will entrust someone good with your care if she is not here.

Lucuma that is exciting for you. Look forward to some updates over the coming week or so. Hard to believe the little ones will be arriving so soon. I am honestly ready to get them here and have my body back, not really enjoying the last few weeks.

Going to bring my parents dog out for a walk really need to keep active!