h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Just wondered how you are all doing at this time. Haven't spoken since the Festie and have been thinking of you.
Your belly must look quite glorious by now. How is your hubbie doing? men tend to get more paternal towards the end of pregnancy when reality is looming. Not much longer to go now. Just make sure you both rest lots in preparation for the new arrival. Someone today told me that having a new baby is like being thrown a hand grenade. I could see what he means. You don't know how to hold it or what might make it go off, and there is an urge to give it away rather than hold it for 24 hours of every day! Saw my first potential client this evening. She's interviewing another midwife also so I've got everything crossed that she picks me.
Keep well and happy,
Meg

Hi Meg

I've been meaning to say hi for ages, but my innate laziness at the moment has prevented me doing much online!

Yup, my belly has gone through a growth spurt... every time I get used to it being a certain size it just pops up again overnight!
I feel a bit like Humpty Dumpty...
I guess that when complete strangers feel the need to comment on how big I am, at least now I can agree with them.

I met a woman in Glastonbury recently who is a ceramic artist and needs pregnant bellies to practice on, and offered to make me a lovely ceramic belly cast for a donation of £5/£10.

The Man is doing well, and enjoying watching the squirms and heaves that The Bump makes regularly. I've recently discovered that she responds to his voice - when he leaves for work in the morning (and I'm still in bed ) and comes to say goodbye, The Bump starts grooving.

I should be starting some active birth classes soon, so am looking forward to that. The midwife that will be running them has asked me to do a little belly dancing workshop for the other mums while she does some work with the dads.
She says that she has trained with Pam England (the author of Birthing from Within), and bases her classes around her insights.
http://www.birthingfromwithin.com

It all bodes well for me to start birth dance classes locally, now I just have to find some energy! I guess they may well have to wait until the babe is a few months old.
I finally got round to buying a domain name for my website, but have yet to get anything online yet. The Man says he can do some rudimentary website stuff but it's not really his field, so I'll have to find someone else to do it at some point.

Babe = hand grenade...


Best of luck for your 'potential' choosing you!
It must be lovely to not have to work under the NHS.


Say hi to your Man and Kids for me!

Fynn

Hi,
Glad to hear things are going well
Tried to reply to your text last week but my phone would only receive in France. We went for 2 weeks of bliss with the kids. Well, relative bliss. Kate broke her finger, Dominic hurt his neck and Beloved was treated for sinusitis.
Thought of you yesterday when I received my A.R.M magazine and there is a photo story of birth in a tipee in a field in Wales with an NHS midwife. Stick to your guns on the "I'm having my baby at home", and "you have a duty of care" frount. I'm sure it will turn our fine. Threaten to charge them for the use of an independent midwife and a NHS one will magically appear!
The woman I visited before my holiday has decided to book me as her midwife. I'm so chuffed. They are a lovely family and we really got on well together.
I will be in Glastonbury for the week of 25th Sept if you'd like to meet up.
Take care.

Hi Meg


I'm glad you had a good time in France. Did you take your camper van?
Sorry to hear about the injuries though!

Funny how writing a narky letter to the HOM (thanks AIMS!) seemed to elicit the response from my midwife that I've now been booked for a homebirth.
The way I sat there and smiled and told her that I was having my baby at home and they could send a midwife or not, it was up to them probably helped too!

I'm really pleased that you have a client booked!
She obviously chose wisely.

Are you down in this neck of the woods for the conference thingie in Street? It would be good to meet up! We're picking up the birth pool on the 24th, and it's my birthday on the 28th... I'm hoping the babe won't come on my birthday!

Glad to hear that the homebirth is being supported - at last. Being assertive really pays. Well done you.
I'm staying in a youth hostel near Glastonbury (not quite sure where yet) for a radical midwives retreat. It will be space to chill, swap experiences and attend a couple of workshops. I'm hoping to go on the 23rd and return 29th September. It would be nice to see you again if you're not too tired or busy. You've got my phone number so give me a call nearer the time. If baby decides to arrive that week I'd love to meet her. If not we'll just celebrate your Birth-day
You're too kind about my client booking me. I had another enquiry last week but found myself putting her off! I was too honest and said I couldn't guarantee attending her birth as she lives on the Isle of Wight and ferries don't run 24hrs per day. I didn't take her number and she hasn't phoned back I think I have to start seeing the glass as half full rather than half empty (as a colleage told me yesterday) Chances are that I would be able to attend her labour as ferries do run for most of the day. Perhaps relaxing in Glastonbury will alow me to be more open to possibilities

Hi Meg


It would be great to meet up with you when you're in my neck of the woods.

Got to run, late as usual!

Hey Meg!


Was great to see you on Tuesday! Thanks for the !

Had a good day yesterday - the Man brought me s and flowers in bed in the morning, and we went to the theatre in Bath in the evening, I hung around backstage in the pouring rain so that I could get Richard E Grant's autograph. He was sooo charming, and I think I made a fool of myself: "I'm a *huge* fan"...

It only occurred to me after you'd left that you could have checked out the babe if you'd liked... It just seemed a little odd to say "hi, do you want to feel my Bump?".

Take care
Fynn

Glad you had a good birthday It was great to see you looking so good.
Richard E Grant
I know what you mean about the feeling the bump. It's a very personal thing, so I wouldn't have presumed to ask. Are you still getting girl-baby feelings because it felt a bit boy-like to me. Maybe she'll be a tomboy
What did you think of dear Mary? She keeps telling me she's well past her sell-by date and I daren't ask how old she is.
Attended another lovely home waterbirth (the woman's first baby) with another Independent midwife and am seeing another potential client this week.
tell that baby not to get too comfy in there as you'd like your figure back one day.
lots of love. xxx

Richard E Grant is rather lovely no?
And sooo charming!

It's a shame I didn't ask you about the Bump I wouldn't have minded you checking it out at all.
Maybe you would have more insight as the boy/girl issue!
I keep trying to think of 'it' as a boy (so that it won't be a big shock if it is), but it doesn't *feel* like a boy.
I just tend to refer to it now as 'Pumpkin' and hope that covers both possibilities!

It's funny how people who were adamant at the beginning of my pregnancy that it's *definitely* a girl because I was carrying all round are now convinced that it's *definitely* a boy because it's now all out the front!
That's what I call hedging one's bets...

Mary seemed lovely, a bit like my Nan (sadly no longer with us). Was she OK driving back home?


You have clients galore now Meg!
That's great news.

I've been having period type pains low down in my uterus/cervix (mainly in the evening), so I guess things are moving along.
I have to admit to being really quite daunted now at the imminent prospect of motherhood!
The babe feels ready to come, it's just me that doesn't feel quite ready somehow.

I would have less insight than you about the boy/girl thing, I only guess (50/50 chance of sucess). Baby may let you know what sex it is, or it may keep you guessing so it's a wonderful suprise on the day!
Did you have a pool party? it sounded such a great idea.
Labour will start when the time is right, but I do remember that being over the "due date" felt rather disappointing. Those pains are probably helping the cervix to soften and get ready for labour. You can practice slow breathing through them, like a labour rehearsal. Let me know how things go. I'm thinking of you. I thought of you after a lovely home waterbirth of a first baby last week. I know you will do wonderfully.
I still only have one client of my own but have had a few more enquiries, so fingers crossed.
I agree that Mary is wonderful, but wonderfully stubborn. Despite the wrist pain she insisted on driving the whole way home.

Any chance of an update, LSF? Am thinking about you a lot, and sending you calm thoughts, and hopes for a straightforward, swift birth!

*rubs thighs*

I didn't have a pool party in the end due to leakage.
*Someone* didn't bother to read the instructions properly, so the pool ended up leaking and making the carpet smell rather funky.
What is it with men and instructions?

The pool is now up and sorted and I have been enjoying it fairly regularly.

I'm still waiting to hatch, and feel sooo huge and heavy now. I wasn't too worried about the 'due date' (10th October), but as I thought I was going into labour on the 5th and got all excited, I spent the next few days fed up. I'm now trying to cultivate patience (not an easy thing when you're me! ) as I know the babe will arrive when it's good and ready.


Thanks for your belief in me Meg.
Most of the time I'm fine, then I have moments of sheer panic at the thought of the labour and imminent motherhood.

Good luck with your potential clients.
I was sad to hear that Mary's unwell. How is she doing now? Does this mean that you will get to be her hands after all?


GB - as you probably have guessed, I'm still hanging on in there!

Lors of loving thoughts to you my dear. Longing to hear that you are cradling the little darling in your arms.

with affection

Christiane
Also Ran1

Hello everyone, and lots of love to LSF and bump. Thinking of you being a lady-in-waiting
I was 14 days late with my son. Babies won't put in an appearance until they're good and ready.
Keep your spirits up by doing whatever makes you and your man happy!

Shall we start pacing yet?

Thank you Christiane.

It's so nice to have love and support from everyone, even those I've never met in Real Life.
It just goes to show that friendships are about the meeting of minds, and the mechanism by which that happens is mostly irrelevant.



No need to start pacing yet GB!
I feel like I'm living my life on TV with people in the street asking me *why* I haven't had the baby yet, and the texts/emails/phone calls...

I do know that it's because everyone's eager to meet the new little person, but it can get a bit frustrating...
I'm not good at this patience thing.

Whatever makes me and my Man happy eh Meg?


Unfortunately I'm too umcomfortable for that!

You know - that's actually a good way of "starting things off"

*looks the other way*

nipple stimulation alone can start labour if the time is right. Or one can turn off the phone and wait.
A normal time for labour to begin is between 37 and 42 weeks of pregnancy