Last call for May babies

Unless it is an extremely quick labour, this is a June baby. As of 6pm on 31 May there are no indications that this baby is coming any time soon.

Had another lovely day out with DH, we have circumnavigated Lough Neagh, and eating sticky buns in a very nice bakery.

Another blistering hot day, no complaints from me there!

We are just now getting set to have out second barbecue in as many days - bring on the alcohol free beer!

only a week late (so far)

So that's a week over now, and I'm feeling remarkably unfussed. But that's a momentary state of mind. In about 5 minutes I'll be fuming and impatient.

 

I've been trying to go for a little walk every day, walked to the shops yesterday and Tuesday and today went out for lunch with mum and neighbours and walked home from that. The weather is back - back and sunny! - after two days of interminable drizzle.

 

Bambino had such a quiet day yesterday I was actually quite worried, but today we've been disco dancing inside... particularly when I was reading aloud in a clary sage bath!!

 

DH just back with pizza for tea, and we have a DVD to watch - all good :)

Final antenatal appointment

I've been for my last antenatal appointment this morning. Had a really good look around on the scan (not at baby's sex though), and estimated weight is currently 9lb 7oz! Doc tried a sweep again, but no change from last time - still soft but not dilated, so not a real sweep at all. Oh, and baby's head is STILL not engaged at all!

 

Anyway, outcome of all that is that induction is booked for next Tuesday if nothing happens before then. I really hope it all starts naturally or I won't be allowed to have a water birth. I was however reminded today that in France full term is considered 41 weeks, so by their scale of things, I'm not even overdue yet.

 

Felt a bit abandoned after that as no-one was around at home, and after a long weekend hanging out with people it was a bit lonely! And it's started raining - boo. Had a nice soak in a Clary sage bath as well, chilled, but this time didn't even elicit much movement from the baby...

 

Had to go and get more iron today, gutted about that really, pathetic though that sounds, the last prescription they gave me was for 100 to be taken twice a day, and I though, nah, I'll not need another lot after that - how wrong I was! Also picked up some Evening Primrose Oil, which can apparently help 'prime' the cervix. So far just tried it orally rather than internally! And I walked to the chemist - good for me! - in the rain, hopefully that'll help send the baby in the right direction!

 

 

 

 

Patience is a virtue...

So today is 40 + 3 or 5 depending on what dates you believe. But still nothing.

 

Had a lovely weekend - North Coast by Train with DH on Saturday, gorgeous weather, very nice indeed to spend the day together. Fairly sure I felt some engaging pains in the evening (since this little one has yet to engage at all!) - shooting pains down leg and the rather disconcerting feeling that something (or someone) inside was trying to push a poo out without my consent! Nothing since then though.

 

Another beautiful Bank Holiday here today, Mum and I went to see Indiana Jones - totally surreal but very entertaining nonetheless; and we've been over there for tea tonight. DH and Mum are in the garden (still, at half 10) planting artichokes out - random! Couldn't believe it was still daylight when I came in at 10pm - I'd forgotten what a difference being a bit further north made!

 

So this evening, some generalised belly aching again, and diarrhea - is this a sign? I doubt it. Back at the hospital for overdue appointment tomorrow, imagine we're going to have to set a date for induction, which I'd really like to avoid...

Happy Due Date to Me!

So, this is it, 40 weeks (according to scans) or take it as tomorrow from LMP, but here we are anyway but no baby yet!

Had a reflexology session yesterday, which has resulted in noting so far, and a very nice pedicure this morning as I couldn't reach my own toes to even cut them!

Since the weekend I've been getting cramping belly ache in the afternoon/evening (period pain I guess, but since I've never really suffered that I don't know!) but then overnight it evaporates, so back to square one!

Reckon this little one is determined to show up in June...

Oh and another thing

As if that last post wasn't long enough...

I did actually use the sewing machine myself - to make giant muslins for swaddling! Saw these Big Muz ones online and the even posher Aden and Anais, and decided it couldn't be that hard! So I got some muslin (5 metres for £7.50) and mum showed me how to set up the sewing machine and turn a hem, and after one supervised run, I was off... 4 giant swaddling muslins for that bargain price (plus a bit left over that DH will use in the kitchen...)! Needless to say, very proud of my new sewing prowess!

Bring it on...

... I now feel well and truly ready for the baby to be here - and I've been telling it as much, describing the house and all the lovely baby things we have in it. To no avail. Raspberry leaf going down OK, had a clary sage bath today (lots of baby movement after that, but nothing else), curry, pineapple etc still to be foisted on my body...
Went down to Brownies last night, rounders outdoors - they're so clueless in a cute way! One asked me why I was having trouble standing up (I'd been a seated spectator) and I explained it was the size of my belly. Queue the next question, why is your belly so big - sweet, didn't realise it was because there was a baby in there!
I still can't believe how relatively narrow I look from a front on view... this pic from last week (38 + 3).










Mum and I have been making fitted sheets too for the crib (well, I found the pattern, she's been sewing them) they've come out so well, I'm very impressed! And it'll make life so much easier making up the bed!


And the garden is looking great too - DH is well on track for little one's first solids to be home grown :)



And finally (this has been a long one!) latest bump pic 39 weeks...

Stretch and sweep

Antenatal appointment this morning. I had so many questions, and I think I managed to remember to ask most of them!! My consultant is away next week on my due date!! Not that baby will probably arrive then, and even it does, if it all goes to plan it'll just be midwife led anyway...
Bubs seems to be a more normal size now - 7lb still, so that's quite good (although I was then worried it was bad it hadn't grown!) also got a stretch and sweep which I wasn't expecting - quite uncomfortable, but not the end of the world. Cervix soft apparently, but still 2 cm long, 1 cm dilated apparently... baby is STILL not engaged! But is otherwise lying in the best position
Oh and she looked at my birth plan which was good, without me having to ask her to look... so I'm quite pleased with that today.
I asked about bubs not moving at the weekend, moved only 3 times on Saturday, but she wasn't worried as it had been active since then.
Back to the hospital this afternoon for physio - very nice massage - and not a recurrance of the disc problem last time which is a relief.

My bra shopping expedition was interesting - 40DD in Debenhams and 38FF in Pretty Woman - so I have a bra from each shop and will see which works out best!

 

The stretch marks have landed

OK, so not that I didn't have stretch marks before from being overweight, but now I have some bona fide pregnancy ones... Ah well, it was bound to happen sooner or later! Gorgeous weather again today, although i'm now scarlet from less than an hour in the garden! Today i've waterproofed the bed with a shower curtain under the mattress pad, hung the curtains in our bedroom, done some laundry - is this nesting? All that remains is buying nursing bras and I think all cards are covered for the big day, whenever that may eventually be! Antenatal, physio and cra shopping tomorrow methinks...

Visiting hours

Granny is in hospital, so we're going to visit this afternoon. May also be able to catch up with cousin L and baby C when we get there, which would be cool, or perhaps pop in on them on the the way home - can't believe he'll be 5 weeks already! Will most likely be 2 months by the time this little one makes an appearance instead of the 3 and a half weeks we expected!

I don't know if we'll be allowed to bring flowers on to the ward?

Off for tea tonight - steak and champ - with M, but have to go shopping for dessert first - some sort of cheesecake DH is going to make.

Also have a vague notion to try and hang the curtains in our room today. I wonder how mum is getting on making fitted sheets too!

 

Feeling hot, hot, hot!

The weather has just been outstanding since the weekend!! I can't quite believe it! It's just been sunshine and more sunshine! I've had to wimp out and sit in the shade a few times!

It's just been lovely, and I have to say very chilled! After a terrible night on Monday with back pain, where I the least little movement had me yelping in pain, I'm feeling much better. I've slept well the last couple of nights, and have found a way to stretch my back out on all fours, so that's good! Also booked in to see physio again next Tuesday. There was a stage where I thought I'd have to go in and have an emergency c-section to get the baby out because I quite literally couldn't move off the sofa! All blown over now though, just the minor twinge now and again!

The house is sweltering too now, even with the heat off, so that'll save us some oil!

Medieval May Day

So yesterday morning was spent in town at the May Day Fair. Better than I was anticipating actually. Dancing was good and jousting entertaining... However I had to haul myself limping up the hill afterwards, backache so much worse :( In a lot of pain all afternoon, so didn't really get to enjoy the scorching sunshine, but managed the BBQ before heading to bed very early. Slept so badly, no more than 40 mins at a time, ended up on the sofa this morning, totally stuck, every slightest movement set off awful muscle spasms in my back. DH was a star this morning though, left me with tea, juice, cereal and cake :) Propped in the most upright armchair now, with dull ache of discomfort, which will convert to pain if I try and move. Today is supposed to be even hotter than yesterday, but I doubt I'll see much of it, everyone else off to the beach... Ah well, plenty of books to read, and maybe I'll make it outside later.

Climb every mountain

So on Friday we took our friends from out of town to the zoo. It was a lot of fun - their kids loved it! But it's built on a steep hillside and I now have bad backache from all the walking and climbing... Yesterday we went swimming which was lush, my back didn't twinge at all from the moment I got in the water. However when I managed to haul myself out again it was as bad as before. This morning now my neck is stiff too :( DH has just brought home croissants and scones though which is lovely, then I'm off to watch the ladies rugby 10s, haven't seen any of them since Christmas, so that should be fun!