January 2011 - New year, new baby! - 2nd Trimester

[mummychicken]

Got there first - thanks Sarrita for the suggestion!!

Hi, hope all of you are well.

I finally finished work on friday so now get 2 days a week of possible relaxation time when I'm not running round after DS, pretty certain it won't work out like that though as I'll end up trying to do all the Christmas preparations. My nesting instincts seem to have been diverted into festive stuff and I've nbeen stringing lights up everywhere already .

The last 2 days in work were a real struggle as DS had a vomiting bug so I was up quite a lot of the night with him, managed to create 4 loads of washing in a few hours . DP now has it as well and I'm really hoping I don't come down with it - I think I might have already had it as I was more violently sick than usual on tues night but it's quite hard to tell!

hi all,

First of all,good news, had a scan on Thursday and turns out little boy is not breech after all so will be progressing with original labour plans.

Lots of period pains and lots of BH, MW has said this is still all good and body is doing the right thing in practising. I just worry as sometimes period pains are really painful and think how weak I am, how am i going to cope with the pain of labour if I cannot mange this stage!??

RE birth plans, not written one yet myself, if I do will just put in there about wanting skin to skin contact and that my DH will not want to cut cord and that am flexible regarding pain relief. I am planning to use gas and air and pethadine but as never done this before may change my mind when it actually starts. Can't actually believe how close its all getting.

Got the pushchairs out tonight to play with and see if I could use them, so glad I did as very complicated! I got a second hand Quinny buzz so was learning to attach my car seat, then learning how to attach pushchair part facing both ways and the different positions, was very hard to collapse. also got a chicco winter stroller which is lovely and light and was a dream to put up and down, very glad have both now! How's everyone else going with their pushchairs and baby equipment?

berry glad your boy is round the right way! :) I was awake half the night with really bad BH - they effect the whole of my stomach now up to my boobs, its so strange! Im not entirely sure if theres a baby in there or a bowling ball

Have had a fiddle with pushchair, it required a degree in physics to put it together the 1st time but seems ok now its up and running.

DP is poorly in bed, i've got hydrotherapy appt this afternoon at local hosp, bit scared to be in a swim suit in public while in the size of a Tesco Extra!!

Have wrapped Christmas so thats one more thing off the list though :)

hope the bugs are settling wintersnuffle

good news berrycravings re your turning boy :). I had a bad day of period pains, couple of times so bad I was also thinking argh I am so pathetic! LO seems to be moving around and quite sure baby has moved from being head down and lower to being sideways again. Will find out tomorrow at scan.

We got a second hand quinny buzz too, there is a skill to getting it up and down - my dad worked it out. Haven't practised for a while, but I remember him saying something about when you pull forward on the right button you also slightly move and click the handle, just went and gave it a try and can't get it to click! Collapsing ok but struggling to get it up - sure with practise I'll get good. Not really looking forward to juggling gettting pram, baby and dog in/out of house for our twice daily walks and then up/down steps to get out of garden. Thinking might use the sling initially when OH not here.

re birth plans my MW suggested to make sure you decide and have it in birth plan or in your mind

• if you want injection to help placenta delivery
• if you want vit K given to baby post birth, and if you want it given by injection or orally
• your feelings on having students involved in your care

My plan is very vague for labour but few wants for post delivery

• OH to find out if boy/girl and not for us to be told
• skin to skin contact on delivery and opportunity to breastfeed before leaving delivery room (might not get to stay in room that long, but worth a try!)
• if need stitches, then prefer to be done by experienced practioner (ideally MW but thought better not write that incase a doctor gets involved in care - for someone who has worked in the NHS I mistrust docs!)

Trying to muster up a nesting mood as have things to do and not motivated at all.

sarrita thanks for that, feel a bit better. Ideally I'd have a home birth but for several reasons not possible. I wonder if I can put a 'Tom Cruise' bit into the birth plan: 'don't look me in the eye or speak to me unless I tell you it's ok"

haven't got a pram or pushchair, have a sling and will wait and see what seems right when she arrives (or what our friends give us second hand to try out).

Right - off for the presentation scan! Prawn has turned over almost daily for the last week, so whatever position she's in is likely to change again. Still, it's a chance to see her on the screen for the first time since 20 weeks which I'm looking forward to.

beijingaling sugar water and formula? Looks like they need to read their WHO guidelines... A whole different kettle of fish for you. I think there are always pros and cons. You might find that they look after you a bit more than here; in Edinburgh you are quite likely to get turfed out the same day whether you feel up to it or not.

Yuk - snuffle not nice up all night with vomit bugs.

Congrats berrycravings that the baby in the right way round. I put on my birth plan that I would ask when I needed pain relief, but not to offer. I managed on gas&air much to my surprise!

walkthedog I had the same with the cutting the cord - but it was wrapped twice round DS's neck. So we had this moment while they said "stop pushing - and do you mind if we cut the cord" I was like "cut the F*KING cord"! Otherwise it was all good. I waited to see if I wanted to deliver the placenta myself - but decided after all the effort I'd rather get it over and done with.

I think with a tear it depends on whether it is a 1,2 or 3 degree tear. If it is 2nd or 3rd, then you will need a doctor and maybe a general. I definitely wouldn't let a trainee practice their stitching!

MacMomo we were lent a fifth hand (i.e. had been through 5 kids) graco quattro pro and it worked just fine. Had a case for my sunglasses and a cup holder for my cappuccino. This time someone is lending me their buggaboo - which I will use till baby II can sit up - then I'll get it in the MacLaren XT. Think of all the money you're saving!

Have so much work to do. Must get on, must get on... Christmas tree is up though, and I just sent some international christmas cards (small fortune) a bit late

35+4

hi all, just checking in. not much to report, little splodge still seems to be high up under me ribs but is head down so thats good. last time i saw midwife she changed my due date from 11 jan to 13th. not sure why! but not complaining if it means they'll let me go for longer without being induced. i haven't written much in birth plan either apart from stuff about cutting cord / placenta injection etc. not sure what else to put really - am going to birthing centre so its pretty much gas and air or nothing in terms of pain relief options!

am being totally disorganized about christmas, oh dear! will have to be a last minute waddle round the shops i fear. x

I want some sleeeeeeeep! Can someone else please explain to my bump why ALL night is really not an ideal time for nasty BH? thank you.

Haven't slept yet following the above early a.m ranting, however have been to hosp to see consultant who is really pleased that BP has come down but thought bump is a bit on the small side so they did another scan :)
She has LOADS of hair!!!! the lady doing the scan was really surprised! I didnt know if hair showed up on a scan but have been saying that I thought she would be furry for the past few weeks
So haven't got to go back to the consultant again which is fab, feel like I can relax a bit more now knowing that im 37wks and all is well.

Hope everyone else is doing ok, sorry again for ranting! x

sarrita Oh I know they'll be looking after me probably far far better than I would get at local NHS in the UK. For example I know I'll get a birth pool, private room, fold out sofa bed in room for DH, option for baby to go to nursery at night if I wish, manicure post birth and a steak & bottle of wine candle lit dinner for DH & I for last night in the hospital. Plus it will be 3 nights in hospital as standard. I mean you (or in our case BUPA thank god) are paying for it but god knows why you need a steak dinner. I know there aren't any residents or students and they will be very respectful regarding being quiet in the room or what have you.

On the other hand there will be breakdowns in communication (my friends baby had the thing where the hole on the penis wasn't at the end and the dr walked in just after the birth and said "Now, about your sons deformity...") and there are things that the locals think we are BONKERS to do. Here new mothers aren't supposed to leave the house or wash for the first 30 days post delivery. Yep that's 30 days. Because you might catch a cold dontchaknow.

Anyway, enough of my rambles .

Great news for those whose babies have turned and sorry luckykitty that you've been awake all night.

Hope you're all resting and relaxing. How are you all going for names?

luckykitty well I never hair on a scan.

sounds lovely beijingaling, like the fact that DH can sleep in your room. If we end up at big hospital there are no provisions for all the dads like us who have over 2hrs drive time to hospital - know one guy who had to sleep in the car.

Had growth scan today and argh head and abdominal measuring over 95 percentile - femur on the 50th. Abdominal size ok but head that big!!!!!! MW still measuring me 1 1/2 weeks bigger. Baby is head down but still facing sideways.

Hi all,

Everyone seems to be having some last minute niggles!

Since being diagnosed with gestational diabetes 2 weeks ago I finally have my glucose levels under control but it is taking 8 needles a day!!

However, they have given me a date for induction which is 29th Dec (which is 38+4). Only 115 more stabbings of needles left!!

At least everything else is nornmal - the baby is 6ilb 10 oz according to scan on Monday which is pretty much 50th percentile so at least the GD has had no effect on the bump!

(I've lost 2lb in the last 2 weeks, baby has put on 1 lb so at this rate I will be lighter when s/he is born than I was before I conceived! )

36 weeks

Turns out I was being a bit hopeful in thinking I'd already had the bug, finally came down with it sunday. I think we're all just about getting over it now but it does seem to have been a long week!

On the subject of trainees doing stitches, it might sound awful but I'd recommend it. In the same way that when you get a trainee hairdresser they have a senior stylist right behind them checking every move they make sure the trainee stitchers are very closely supervised. I probably would have refused if I'd not been so far gone on gas and air, hours without sleep and 'I've just had a bay' shock but I have to say the end result is very neat and healed very quickly. It is probably the most perturbing conversation you will ever hear when 2 people are going 'no you don't want to do it that way, a bit more over here...' but worth it in the end. I think you've got far more to worry about with the ones who've been doing it for years and have got a bit blase about the whole thing!

Glad to hear a few more of the babies are getting themselves the right way round, considering 37 weeks is full term it can't be that much longer until we have a few more arrivals.

37 + 4
Doing ok but feeling tired & a bit out of sorts, don't know how I'm going to keep my 3 year old amused all day. Had lots of BH which stresses me a bit, am booked for a CS on 29th (snap!) & whilst I'm ready for it to be over I'm not prepared for an early arrival!
Hope everyone doing ok, hugs x

mummychicken you're so brave, well done!

I AM HOME! Yay! 6 hours on the road yesterday was tiring (driving a 3.5 tonne van, don't ask) but I feel normal again and was so good to see dh after 4+ weeks of no visit.

Scan wasn't entirely good: Prawn still breech and I am low on amniotic fluid so they don't think she'll turn. They hooked me up to the monitors (bit of a shock) and everything else is fine, big relief. They were going to turn her immediately, but then it hit 5 oclock and the doctor vanished... so we wait another week (and a 500 mile round trip). Meanwhile, must stand on head.

My course said I could finish 3 days early (they were worried I'd go into labour on the floor I think) and get home before all the snow comes .

Are there any other problems associated with low amniotic fluid? Is this why I'm drinking 2.5L water a day and still thirsty?

beijingaling now that is care. Not sure about the bath thing. I'm amazed how many cultures have these worries about colds. In Sri Lanka they won't give babies bananas - one of the few very cheap nutritious things there - because 'they give babies colds'!

WalktheDog 95th percentile - wow! I'd get on with your perennial massage asap.

mummychicken ouch! Good luck with it all. Guess you can practice your relaxation every time you get a jab... It is all very sucky .

jobi my three year old's with the childminder now. Think I might just go for a nap... I'm shattered.

MacMomo glad to hear you are home at last!

Just blown my HIP grant on two 3 hr hypnobirthing classes with DH. I am very glad as DH has not got his head around this pregnancy at all. He thinks that women who have epidurals are wimps and doesn't see why I need to go this time if I didn't last time. Given that both of us know exactly what is coming I would have thought he'd be a bit more up for it.

Feel very short of oxygen? Anyone else?

Think DS might be coming down with something as he got into my bed at 05:30 very hot this am.

Of course his snow suit arrived yesterday in time for the melt!

33+2

Looks like there are a few toddler bugs going around-DS up in night with temp over 40 and very coldy today. Can't wait to catch it! wintersnuffle glad you are all on the mend. Better now than on due date.

Macmomo glad you made it home! Have you had exam results yet?

Mummychicken pleased you have a date sorted, let the countdown begin and should that be the end of the diabetes?

Sarrita yes very short of oxygen too, out of breath before I even set foot on the stairs.

Stars hope baby Elias doing well. Thinking of you.

Hope everyone else coping with the last few weeks well, I don't really feel like I am there yet but counting down my 5 weeks and 5 days! Looking forward to some sleep over Christmas as DH off work for 10 days.

mummychicken I would be like you counting down each injection, glad baby doing well. Are they inducing you because of GD? - I can't remember.

wintersnuffle hope you feeling ok. You are right re trainee with full supervision, my big issue is the doc doing it. Problem is that I did extra training on pelvic floors as part of a previous job and read a few research papers on docs stitching, esp in middle of night - too much knowledge can be a bad thing!

jobi would they move your CS sooner? I know it was all complicated with chrismtas etc

macmomo glad you are home. What a shame re doc vanishing. Hopefully with you being back home you can spend more time trying to spin baby. Don't know anything re low amniotic levels, but think your drinking is just a pg thing - I've been drinking loads pretty much all the way through and I drink a good amount anyway.

sarrita being trying the perennial massage, bit difficult to comfortably stretch past my bump! Hope classes are good and you get DH sorted out. I've had days of being really breathless, as much as it says don't worry you are gettting enough air it is not a nice feeling, esp as I can get in lying down.

Hello ladies.
Breaking news!

Our bundle of joy arrived (2 weeks early) on Sunday, 12th December at 11.23am.
Her name is Hannah Maeve Carter.
She weighed in at 7lb 4oz.

Birth story:
I was out shopping all day Saturday with my mum. When I got home I was cramping and just assumed it was Braxtons. Went to bed with two paracetamol and had a good sleep. Woke at 6.10am with contractions that were 8 minutes apart.
DP had to go to work at 8am and contractions were then 6 minutes apart.
Rang midwife at 8.40am and she said to come in.
So DP came back from work and we went to hospital at 9.00am. Contractions then jumped to 3 minutes apart. Weren't too painful. I refused the physical exam. I'm glad I did cos it would have scared me if MW had said I was only 2cm dilated or whatever. My sister arrived at about 10.00am to be my birthing partner and I was glad that DP could then leave. He kept talking to me during the contractions... argh! Contractions were so painful then and I asked for gas and air but MW said it would make me groggy! Waters then suddenly broke at about 11.00am and then I was like "I want to push". I was on the floor on all fours pushing and panting. Hannah then dropped out at 11.23am :) I cocked my leg up like a dog and shouted "It's a Girl!"
So no pain relief and no stitches - feel all earth mothery and incredibly lucky :)

The last few days have been good. Obviously I feel tired. But Hannah is a great little breastfeeder and my milk came in last night (thank goodness).
But my nipples really hurt. I gasp out loud when she's feeding. Hope it gets less painful.

I see some of you are reading up on your hypnobirthing and attending classes. I did the class and it really helped me. Breathing the pain away worked for me and at the end of each contraction I kept saying "One step closer to meeting the baby". I remember the teacher saying if you measure the birth canal, it's like the length of your thumb to your first finger and I remember thinking that's not too far. So during labour I would measure how far from the top of the head to my vagina and it was getting shorter and shorter.

Oh and as far as hospital bags are concerned - pack more sanitary towels than you've already packed and a straw.

Anyway, I'm rambling now.... I feel incredibly lucky and I'm enjoying my new life as a mum.
I hope you're all doing well. Not long now, girls. x x

:) congratulations!!!! thats awesome news! glad youre both doing ok and thanks for the advice too! x x

Brilliant news stenogirl - welcome Baby Hannah!

Glad you say your hypnobirthing worked. I'm just worried I'll never make it to see the hypno woman on the 22nd. Feel about ready to pop now. Nearly 37 weeks.

Thanks for sharing your very positive story.

Congratulations stenogirl brilliant news! Love the name Hannah - it was top of our list had DS been a girl. Breastfeeding definitely gets less painful - my midwife for DS said - "don't worry you will be hanging things off your nipples in a few weeks" [I didn't, for the avoidance of doubt]

Stenogirl well done you . Can't believe the MW refused you gas and air - it was the beat thing about Ds's birth- I giggled through every contraction !

stenogirl congratulations and what a positive birth story .

stenogirl congratulations! So glad you had a positive birth and feel like all earthy mothery!