I can't create the edge loops around the bottom

That's most likely because you have a big Ngon there. See how the loop reaches the end at the bottom and not at the top? The loops wont go through when it's an Ngon, it has to be quads. 

To add to that, you most likely also have some so-called 'double Vertices', probably about where Omar drew the red arrows, making that trapezium-like shape another NGon.