I have to go to addenbrookes now everyday to be hooked up to the ECG machine to check he's happy and so long as the leakage is clear and I don't have a temperature I will refuse induction as long as I can. The NHS site recommends 96 hours, Addenbrookes like to do it in 48 hours but they can't force you to. We've done loads of reading up from books, mummy mags and the internet and they all say the 'risk of infection' is based on outdated research. I was really torn at first but from what we've found out, even from the NHS sites, we are within our rights and sanity to hang on as long as the baby is comfortable and I don't have a temperature etc.
I just hope Bbob won't 'push' this too far as the Doctor I saw this morning was quite intimidating and wanted to keep me in right there. Tomorrow I only have to go to the midwife bit, which is thankfully doctor free so I think that they might have the message. I've not booked an induction and have said so long as his vitals and mine are OK I will wait. It means going into Cambridge everyday, the car journey at least bounces him about! With any luck it won't be much longer.

Waiting is the hardest part...

I look forward to introducing him to you soon!

My waters went last night so it shouldn't be too long now, the midwife came and took a swab and took all the vital signs. I've not had much more than a couple of twinges since then. Last night, when they went Bbob was fast asleep and didn't wake up or move which is why I called the midwife out. Of course when she put the monitor on him he was fine and when she left at about 4 am he woke up and wriggled while I was trying to sleep which was reassuring.
So far we've played monopoly, watched a film, bounced about on the birthing ball. I've got through about 6 surf board size pads, they have all been clear of muconium so I'm optimistic we might make it before I need to think about being induced. There's a snow white mucus on them which I presume is the creamy stuff all over the baby when he comes out.
Anyway, I hope it won't be much longer but we could be in for a long night...

Still comfy...

I did wonder if he'd be a Halloween baby when we heard the due date was the end of october. There's plenty of time and he'll come when he's good and ready. I did eat lots of cabbage last night in the hope he didn't like cabbage! I get small contractions and period like pains lower down - I wonder whether I'm in the latent stage and it's just likely to be long and slow, some latent stages take up to three days. They say if you are lucky you can sleep through the milder contractions and it might be anytime that I hit the 'active labour' stage where I'll need the pool to get from 6cm to 10cm dilated for pain relief. It's possible because I'm home and feel safe and relaxed that this early bit will be not too traumatic or tiring. I've been riding the pain, telling myself it's a good pain and that my cervix is slowly enlarging. When I get the breathless feeling as it contracts, I breath like I'm cycling quite fast but not up hill and that helps; suddenly it I notice it's gone a way and I'm breathing normally again.

Off to the shops for a good walk and plenty more yummy food.

It fills via a hose from the hotwater tap and there's a pump to empty it. There's no heater needed, just top up with hot water. 

Our Kitchen Pool

For those who have asked me in depth about how on earth we fit a pool in the kitchen. Here is the photographic evidence. 

For those stalking the blog and wondering what I look like at the moment.. HA! take a look at this belly then! I hope it doesn't give you nightmares!

Still waiting, watching endless episodes of scrubs or spongebob square pants and bouncing on my birthing ball to heavy metal (or anything else I like on the music channels).
I plan on walking round the block this afternoon a few times to see if that doesn't convince him to be born.
More tea anyone?

cats

Got this from Lisa, friend at my last work. Bit rude in places, but very, very funny

no news, says report

Yesterday Christine had another examination - BillyBob is 4/5ths engaged, which means he's on his way, but taking his time. Lots of kicking and hiccups, and he's in the right position, quite low down now, but no way of knowing when he'll make an appearance.

The examination was early, 9.40, and it was a lovely morning as we walked up to the Lantern centre. And while I held Christine's hand and slowed to her pace, somehow the nervousness I had felt recently changed to eagerness and excitement. Cant wait to meet him :)

The astute amongst you may have realised that it was Monday yesterday... no I hadn't started paternity leave early, I had both a dentist and a doc appointment to go to, so I'd negotiated the day off. Wasn't restful though! M&D came over and, like mini whirlwinds tidied up the kitchen, front garden, hedge, lollipop tree and borders! Me, I ended up digging out gloop from the back drain (glue and grout and sawdust from the kitchen works I believe). Took a while but I eventually got it flowing - worth the effort as we'll need it to empty the birthing pool (it comes with an industrial pump!).

Now I'm back at work, have to try to concentrate on learning the system, quite hard! Wondering when my phone will buzz and I'll rush to the train :) Can't wait :)

I'm into my 40th week today. Mum and Michelle are here and would like Bbob to make his appearance. I recon he's a bit too comfortable in there. When Mum arrived, after the statutory cup of tea, within hours we were in town checking out the clothes shops, both michelle and Mum got some nice stuff while I sat on benches in the sun - there's not much point in my buying anything at this point in time. Saying that, yesterday in Cambridge Miche and I 'did' TKMAX and both found fabulous coats for under £40. One shop was my limit though.
Mum's just told me I'm spending too much time on the laptop radiating my bump. Noone told me!

birthing pool

I tried putting the birthing pool together today. Took a while to unpack the box and work out what bits were what, but it wasn't that hard. It's bigger than I expected - good job M&D took the table away! It's fibreglass pannels that screw together with a liner. We've left it in 2 pieces so it'll be quick to assemble, and I've attached the hose to the hot water for ease of filling. Should be good :)

Last day at work

Ahhhhh, officially on maternity leave.

The day started with a little too much denial that I wouldn't be around to fix their Adobe problems, create super quotes and stir up stuff noone else will because I don't believe in 'putting up with things' and somehow can take the mick but remain focussed on improving the situation. As I've been backing away, I've realised how much my tenacity and curiosity has taught me and that other admin team members didn't have/need/aren't expected to be Adobe wizards who can fix strange requests or formulate spares pricelists with no technical knowledge whatsoever. I had fun doing it. I hope my replacement does too...

We went down the pub at lunchtime. I spent the afternoon in a vain attempt to give Sue, my replacement anything I could think of that might help. Lots of people came over to chat, swap home emails and eat my M&S chocolatey bites. I got presented with an enormous card, a cute baby outfit and some Mothercare Vouchers.

It feels funny leaving. Having a kid's going to be harder work, more challenging and more rewarding. A new Chapter begins...

39 weeks today!

Just had an antinatal, BP good, 39 cm tum and 3 fifths palpable so all is well. This means he's moved down since the last examination, a bit further and he's officially in place. Still have a cold. I'm looking forward to Michelle and Mum arriving. I'm bored silly here, sitting at home.

My pool has arrived. Bbob seems to want to put it together. I have a cold, which better sort itself out soon.
I spent all of £3.50 at a car boot sale on a Barbie 4 seater cabrio (with seatbelts!), touring bike, barbie shoe shop, barbie swimming pool. I've boxed it up along with some outfits I won on ebay for a couple of quid and Maaike's 5th birthday is sorted for Sunday. I've even managed to get a black barbie so I hope she well be happy with a big box of Barbie heaven. I don't think she will mind it all being 2nd hand, if I'd have got this lot new, it would have been more like £100. I've boxed it with loads of streamers so it looks all birthday present like. I'm quite chuffed with myself really.

I would like to start going to the Calling, once Bbob's old enough for a babysitter. I recon there's a couple of other mums I've met who I could drag along too.

Foooood...

Cool Test

Apologies, a Jo Stubley in Canada just sent me this test, I thought, I know exactly where to post this...

Everyone keeps telling me I look knakkered. Hummmnnnn I think he might have engaged as I walk like I have a coconut between my pelvic bones. With the drop I think Bbob has gained some leg room. I think I have a little cyclist in there.

The nursery's looking good!

It's been all go this week!

Last Sunday James, our neighbour, helped me move the old green settee from the living room to the garage, and my dad helped me dismantle the futon sofa, which was in the nursery, and reassemble it downstairs. This gave me the room to build a changing station, which we'd bought the day before at Ikea.

Then during the week the wardrobe arrived from Littlewoods and I built that, and Christine emptied the old wardrobe into the new one.

Today my parents came round to help us prepare. My dad helped me move the old wardrobe into the garage for extra storage. He also built the cot (from Kiddicare) while Christine and I did our weekly shopping :)

We're planning a water birth in the kitchen - we're hiring a big oval pool. So my parents have taken the kitchen table, and mum cleaned the floor this afternoon (under the table there was a layer of grout or something that only came off with a good scrape). She also painted the exposed skirting, hoovered upstairs and cleaned the bathroom, which was fantastic!

I finished off the fixings on the wardrobe, did lunch (tuna jackets), cut and fitted a piece of skirting that I'd put off doing, sorted out the garage and looked after Christine, who arranged things in the nursery and drank raspberry leaf tea :)

So it's all coming together - I ceremoniously unrolled a pay-mat we'd got at Ikea and plugged in the glow-in-the-dark thermostat (glows blue, yellow, orange or red showing you if the room's the right temperature for the baby). My mum put a Poo bear and a train on the windowsill and put a blanket she'd knitted for us in the cot and Christine piled up the rest of the toys in a toy tube (also Ikea...) so it's looking really good :)

Firefly tonight on Sci Fi! Yay!

I'm being headbutted from the inside in the bottom by a baby with hiccups, I've had almost continuous braxton hicks since I got home too. More Raspberry leaf tea anyone?