Tyson - all the best for tomorrow. Hope you get to come home. My ds is starting nursery tomorrow, I totally sympathise on the not being able to drop him off front.
Moonstorm I'm worried about your period-type pains! Is everything ok? Also, I think advice and tips are great, and a good reminder even for those of us who've done it once or more. I did the same thing with the something under the baby's head too - did you pick that up from special care by any chance?
Hermya and Fingon and any others who are feeling a bit pregnancied out - I know it's hard, but it really is better than the alternative, trust me. Try to think that your babies are getting the best start by being where they should be now. When you've been up all night AND you have to deal with a refusing to feed crying baby, you may look back on this with rose-tinted spectacles....
. Am I scaring you yet??? Only joking, your LOs are going to be perfect feeders who return to sleep in seconds.
ILGH you've reminded me to try and locate my wheat warmer, thank you. Lord knows where it went to in the move. Yes, don't forget to have a few packs of paracetamol on hand for after pains.
My other tip is one Piesey mentioned a little while back, about using a jug of warm water when you pee after birth. I didn't have a perineal tear but I had a little bit of labial tearing and it did make it much easier because then the urine didn't irritate the tear. Basically, pour it down as you wee. Also, don't forget your number two inducing foodstuffs, but don't make the mistake I did and let DP give me three or four dates in one go - they were more than was required!
Well, I had my hospital tour this morning after a dreadful night last night. I didn't get to sleep until after 3.15 and four successive toilet visits, up for another at 6, alarm at 7.45 as I was supposed to be in the hospital at 9. I hadn't arranged for childcare for DS so DP couldn't come as DS didn't wake up in enough time, so it was just me and about five couples. The tour was not great as the consultant-led delivery bit was full (in fact it was closed to any admissions, bad luck on anyone giving birth who needed it today as they will have been ambulanced to a hospital in the next city) so we couldn't see the rooms there. We saw the post-natal wards for consultant-led - the maternity unit has all been reorganised since DS was born and I was trying to figure out if that's where I had been the last time, and I could feel myself on the verge of tears. Then we went to look at the brand new MLU, which was still pretty clinical IMO. The delivery room had a pool and was big with a bed and seating etc, but it was an internal room, and I am slightly claustrophobic - not the best. Don't know if they're all like that. Then the post-natal rooms, which are supposed to be lovely and have a double bed etc, were also all full, so we couldn't see them, although I have actually looked at them on a video. The MLU is right next to the place I went to have the amnio done too, which was another stressful experience. I know I was very tired, but my main thought after being there was - I want to give birth at home. I could just feel my stress levels rising having the tour, and trying to take in where we were supposed to go depending on which bit you were in or what time of day it was. It was just that thing of there being loads of people around, doors open, that sense of no privacy really (ironic, given I had about 11 people present for DS's birth and didn't give a damn!). So I had a talk to DP this afternoon and tried to make him see why I think, as long as medically everything is ok, I'd be better off at home, and I think he's coming round. I'm not afraid of the birth or pain, and I think the whole psychological advantage of being relaxed here would be like a few shots of drugs anyway to me. DP doesn't drive so we'd have to take a taxi to the hospital, there's the whole getting DS sorted, DP has limited energy because of health issues and could rest better here too - the advantages are endless I think. So now I REALLY want to get to 37 weeks without complications. I'll find out about my blood on Thursday and whether my platelets are going to bugger things up for me or not. I should add the whole hospital thing is obviously my issue after last time, and I hope for those of you going to hospital that it will be fine - not trying to have a go at hospital births - DS's, the circumstances aside, was fine last time, and I'm sure if in the event I do have to go there, it will be fine too. Just not my preference. Like AbFab said, very grateful to have the NHS and good hospitals to hand, but for me this feels right. And I do have the room! I feel excited about the thought of having it at home too.
Sorry for yet another mammoth post. I'll definitely enter that birth Olypmics category, Moonstorm!