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

[mummychicken]

Got there first - thanks Sarrita for the suggestion!!

Hi all! I haven't been on for a while, I was on it previously pre festive name change - was RoxieP. Hope you are all doing well and getting excited! Like Kiwi I had scan today and am breech. ECV on xmas eve but if this doesn't work will be strongly advised to have CS especially as it's my first.

Pacit & littlehuman From my birth books I had understood that it's the first that doesn't always engage until the end and it's the 2nd that engages earlier.

ps littlehuman I'm 06/01 - Beijingaling, 25, pg1 GIRL

Seems like there are lots of breaches here but it's good news that the drs & mws are looking after us all!

Still getting period like cramps on and off with a very hard tummy. More in the morning than afternoon.

Just if anyone is interested (as long as you give birth before the 1st of Feb) we'll all be having Tiger babies (Chinese Horoscope) as the Chinese calendar ends at the end of Jan not the end of Dec. This is a "golden" Tiger year which means that the child is considered lucky. Being born in Jan is considered double lucky as you are caught between the end of the western new year and the Chinese new year. My MWs keep telling me how lucky I am and how all the locals want golden tiger babies!

Just to mention that from my experience of CS, (emergency), the reason you don't have proper skin to skin immediately is because you are flat on your back, unable to move, and the screen is a bit in the way. They can't just plonk baby on you like after normal delivery.
They gave DS to my husband very quickly, and took pics for us, and were generally wonderful to us.
As soon as I was ready they took both of us to recovery where we had well over an hour of skin to skin & BF, which was great.
To anyone who may end up having a CS, just try to see it as the best way to achieve the only outcome which matters, which is healthy mum & baby. This is just the start of the journey of motherhood xx

To echo what jobi said the skin to skin is difficult but definately not impossible straight after the birth. iirc DS1 was taken away straight away EMCS and was dressed by the time I got him - I was not happy but hot e fed well so it wasn't a problem, DS2 was wrapped in a towel and snuggled in my arms, not skin to skin but lovely to have him there all the same.

I will ask for this time to be the same I think.

I do hope you find something that suits you both.

Well I am finished work now, which is a relief. Off to the pantomime with the DSs this afternoon then staying warm and cosy at home until at least Sunday!

Aw I love that my baby is going to be a golden tiger - sounds so cool! I'm a dog I think - doesn't sound as cool!

Beijing I am also getting lots of period cramps and really strong, quite uncomforatble BHs that are almost constant unless I'm sat doing absolutely nothing. They are particularly bad if I'm out walking in the cold. I assume that as they are reactive to me doing something/exerting myself and stop when I rest that they are not proper contractions as these would just happen anyway?

Bit worried as I obviously have quite a twitchy reactive uterus atm so I worry about how easy this ECV will be to do...

Jobi - thanks for sharing your positive CS experience. Makes me feel lots better! x

ooh a golden tiger, I like it

I'm a pig/boar and OH is a dog, and our dog is a rat - so it'll be a right old zoo in our house

Making christmas cake today, debated about soaking the fruit in brandy, but have decided that 4 tablespoons in a big cake will be fine and I don't plan on eating the whole thing!

After the consultant's proding yesterday had an afternoon/evening of a very active baby and loads of BH, baby doesn't do that after MW.

thanks everyone for so much support, was too upset to log on until today. Am feeling better for your messages. kiwi had fingers crossed for you, sorry the ECV didn't work. They weren't able to even try with me (I'm still mad that they didn't try last week before the dr clocked off ).

jobi thanks again for your positive experience. Why can't you have the baby immediately if you're flat on you back? Just want her on my skin and I don't care if I'm naked infront of everyone (they're already looking at the inside of my uterus). I will ask them again next week.

Almost constant BH, but that has been the case for a while for me. As for the flu jab, the govt announnced in something like September that all PG women should be offered it - I haven't in all the appointments I've had (I didn't ask because I don't want).

Tiger baby news made DH very happy indeed! Thanks for that one beijing.

Hope you're all ready-ish for Xmas. Loving the weather/CS news as an excuse for totally opting out of doing anything at all! I suspect it's the last time I'll be able to have a free ride at Xmas - ever!

FED UP! It's one thing after another! I finally get rid of the cold and then I pull my rib! It's been agony today! Hardly able to move! Just lay there with a hot water bottle feeling sorry for myself! Finally relented and took 2x Paracetamol. I've been so against taking anything so far and I didn't take anything during my cold but this rib pain is too much!

Plus I get coldsores but I usually manage to keep them at bay with a multivitamin and extra dose of zinc if I'm run down. I'm now on my 6th coldsore this pregnancy! It's always a sign I'm run down so my immune system must be very low! I bought a light zapper thingy from Lloyds chemist which uses light to promote healing. It really does seem to help so hopefully it won't last long!

At least I'm not as emotional as yesterday though! I think I spent most of the day crying!

Still, all minor ailments compared to some of you! You're all being so strong considering the traumas you're going through!

We're nearly there though and once we're holding our little bundles in our arms I'm sure all the stresses and concerns will fall away! As long as they're healthy, how they get here is less important I say!

macmomo, I believe the reason why is probably because you are covered in surgical drapes and also the screen is in the way. Perhaps there simply isn't room for the baby to be placed on you immediately. Plus you will possibly have a drip and other paraphenalia in the way, and at the end of the day they want to ensure you're both ok and there job is done properly. As the baby won't have been through a vaginal delivery it may also be that they are keener to check agpar and vitals etc.

But, ask again see what they say. I do promise that if your experience is like mine the baby will be given to you as soon as possible and it will be fine.

their job, grrr.

Yep. Golden tiger sounded pretty cool to me too. Just remember that western Chinese calenders will say 2011 is year of the rabbit (which it is) but if/as our babies will be born before Feb 1st (this years Chinese New Year) then they are still 2010 tigers.

I think skin to skin is important but not end of the world. I don't honestly think it will affect (effect?) bonding if we don't get it nor will the birth of our children be any less magical without it! All we can do is hope for happy and healthy mummies and babies I suppose at this stage!

Parker I was sick at the start of my pregnancy and I was miserable. Hope you and your ribs are feeling better.

I had a routine drs appointment yesterday and all looks good. They gave me a stress test as I had felt no movement that morning even after food but everything was fine. As soon as they strapped me up the baby went bonkers with movement and then got hiccoughs which was funny to hear on the monitor especially as it must have freaked her out because her heart rate zoomed when the hiccoughs first started. Not dilated at all, she's not dropped and a couple of other things indicate I won't be having a Christmas Day baby.

Hope you're all with your loved ones this Christmas and that you have a wonderful and stress free day tomorrow.

Same here, Merry Christmas everyone!!! And all the best for a Happy New Years with new babies!

xxx

Just popping on to wish you all a very Merry Chritmas No doubt I'll be too busy to actually type anything for the next few days...I am keeping up daily with you all!!

hannah - sorry to hear you've been having problems. Hope all stays well now.

Hope all the little one's that have already arrived and the mum's are doing well

In ref. to skin to skin, in an ideal world it's obviously great etc esp for breastfeeding. Howeve,r with ds1 I couldn't hold him for the 1st 3 days, or breastfeed him until he was 4 weeks old (he was expressed bm though a nasal tube). I was only 'allowed' to hold him for up to an hour a day for the 1st 4 wks. But we have had an amazing bond from the moment I saw him, he bf exclusively for 6 months, then continued til 17months with no problems. And he's always been the most laid back, lovely, easy baby/toddler. So I believe you can make things work whatever scenario, please try not to worry too much

DS2 on the otherhand was a homebirth, laid straight on me, crawled to the breast and helped himself for the first feed. We spent the first 2 weeks just curled up in bed together feeding etc. Breastfeeding went well, but he's been a nightmare, unhappy/not a good sleeper/grumpy/sickly etc etc so just goes to show you can do all the 'right' things and still have a hard stressy baby!

Well pregnancy going very well here now, 36+4 now, no homebirths til the 3rd Jan...so she can't come until I'm 38wks at least!! Lots of period pains, BH's and back ache etc, so all good body getting prepared VVVVVV excited about Christmas and can't wait for the boys to open their presents! Dh off work until the 4th Jan too so even better for me!

MERRY CHRISTMAS

Christmas !!

Happy Christmas! I hope you all have a wonderful day and remember this time next year we'll all have an extra guest at the Christmas table! Some of you may well get an extra one this year! I'll be watching out for any news!

Went to the doctors this morning after a night of agony! She gave me some low dose Co-codamol to cope with the rib pain! Feeling much better now! Funny how I wouldn't even take a Paracetamol until a few days ago! Now I'm popping pills with enthusiasm!

I'll be thinking of you all!xx

Happy Christmas everyone! I wonder if there will be any Christmas day arrivals... Hoping all the mums, bumps and new arrivals are keeping safe and warm even if it's a white christmas outside.

Not a lot to report here, just hoping the heartburn doesn't stop me enjoying the Christmas dinner and DS enjoys himself. We're a few presents short as some deliveries haven't made it and I've not been able to get out as much as I was expecting to but I'm fairly certain all family members will be understanding about it. Next year I will be better prepared earlier .

Have a great day tomorrow everyone. They are predicted snow for us tomorrow so we def don't want any unexpected guests arriving!

My first ever attempted at christmas cake went ok, need to get a smaller diameter tin for next time though. Off to cover with marizpan and icing :) and make some soup.

Saw our two wee nieces today, both excited about Santa which is so cute.

OH now off until the 10th . He is much more usefeul round the house when on holiday, he's hoovered and done a wash today whithout me having to say a word.

Happy Christmas everyone - hope you manage a relaxing day!

We have had a very poorly couple of weeks here - DS had nasty cold virus for 10 days and I am on day 5 now, temps over 40 at various points and I can only speak in a whisper my throat is so sore (great for telling off a 2 year old ) DS has been making the most of the unusual unrestricted access to the TV this week. DH off until 4 Jan now though so I am planning lots of rest to get better before baby arrives. Pacita hope your DS is better now?

Walkthedog I am really proud of my first ever christmas cake too - hoping to be well enough to make some mince pies tomorrow with my home-made mincemeat too.

Parker hope the painkillers help and you feel better soon

Macmomo sorry you are likely to need C-Section if you don't really want one. I had a delivery in theatre last time following rotational forceps (so had had spinal block for that procedure) and, similar to CS, did not hold DS until we were in recovery (although DH looked after him and carried him to recovery) - as some others have said this did not affect our bond/breastfeeding at all and in my case I was just pleased we were both OK after traumatic lead up to theatre, which you shouldn't have the worry of with an elective CS at least. From then on we got on with breastfeeding fine.

Beijingaling I too am loving the golden tiger - thanks for telling us!

Littlehuman Hope you are still hanging in there OK, or will have a Christmas baby to tell us about!

Merry Christmas everyone!!! Also glad to have my DH off for a few days until Wednesday hoping to get a few days together before LO arrives, will be excited to see if there are any christmas arrivals.

I hope everyone has a great day tomorrow and gets spoilt. DH and I looking forward to our last christmas lie in as will be years before get to do that again!!

Have a great day!!

Merry Christmas everyone!
DH and my cousin are going to have a quiet day, rack of lamb (its a kiwi thing, ) and my first christmas cake too!

Hope you all have a relaxing and happy day!

PS not cake and lamb together hehe

Hope you all had a great day. Any Christmas day babies?

Morning all, happy boxing day!

I'm really sorry to share this, its way TMI, but there's no one else I can tell. In a world of pain & barely slept, & struggled yesterday . Having made it nearly to the end, & section booked for weds thank god, I've gone & got bloomin piles! Its bloody agony & nothing seems to help & I feel really fed up about it. So glad the end is in sight or I'd be even more hacked off.

Sorry for venting, hope no one else feels like this!

Was sure we'd get a Christmas baby from one of us!! Wonder if we'll hear of one :).
We had a lovely, lovely day, was so glad my little dd got this christmas without having to share the attention with the drama of mummy-going-into-labour!! Now it feels like there is nothing between now and baby arriving, had been so focussed on getting through Christmas, anyone feeling the same?
Hope everyone feeling well - I managed to polish off a huge Christmas dinner no problem!!

Jobi sounds rubbish. Hope it hasn't ruined your Christmas. It will go once you've had the baby. This is the advice from 'Natural Pregnancy'.

Homeopathy: Arsen alb 6c for internal ones that bleed - have a warm bath;

Nux vomica 6c for external ones that bleed an itch, bathe in cold water;

and for large ones at the end of pregnancy hamamelis 6;

for oozing painful ones that protrude Sepia 6c.

Western Herbalism: you can apply StJohn's Wort ointment that has been kept in the fridge;

Cold witch hazel, or nettle tea compress; grated raw potato or carrot (put directly on the affected area); or ice cubes put directly on the area in which leeks have been boiled.

Diet & nutriton: drink lots of water; limit processed food, eat plenty of fibre; eat psyllium seeds and linseed to soften stools; eat oat bran dried fruit cabbage peas papayas and figs; eat honey and bananas for bulk and honey for lubricant.

Not sure how practical any of the suggestions are, but worth a try...

Didn't see your post jobi1, didn't mean to ignore. You poor thing!! Sounds grim. Not long to wait till baby comes and should hopef disappear fast.