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

[mummychicken]

Got there first - thanks Sarrita for the suggestion!!

Congratulations to all new arrivals!! We all seem to have decided to pop at the same time :)

All going well here although having a few troubles feeding. thought id come and post my birth story.

readyornot I also gave birth at the JR although due to high BP was unable to go to the spires unit but glad you had a good experience its lovely up there.

I went into hospital on wednesday morning after a sleepless night of contractions. Was 3 cm dilated and asked to stay due to BP. Was fine with just paracetemol until about 3pm when was checked and only 5cm. had my waters broken as contractions became more irregular and after that decided to have gas and air. Again all was fine, until 8 o clock when i suddenly felt i couldnt cope with the pain,contractions suddenly felt unbearable and I was very sick. begged for an epidural but anaethetist was in theatre so had a 45 minute wait, thought i was being completely pathetic until as epidural was being put in my DH noticed the gas and air had been pulled out of the wall. not sure how long had been off for but even when put back in decided to carry on with epidural. was a godsend, reexamined and found to be 8 cm so got a few hrs rest and normal conversation with DH. 10cm dilated at 1am started pushing at 2am and midwife said i was doing great could see the head etc etc. then at 3:40 she called in the dr i was knakard and i didnt know at the time but position of cervix meant rory was stuck. kept pushing till 4:10 dr had decided we needed help. so Rory arrived by ventouse delivery at 4:19am. episiotomy and lots of stitches but i was in awe. DH recovered quickly from nearly fainting, apparently the recuss team were called and he nearly went.

3rd stage not according to plan either. had injection but no placenta. cord detached from placenta and nearly had a trip to theatre but thanks to an amazing dr who managed to retrieve it by forceps all was ok.

Despite being rather a complicated birth i felt I had amazing care and wouldnt change it for the world now that our LO is here.

sorry for v v long post !! :)

Welcome to the new arrivals, I love reading all the stories and now noting the times the posts are made - it's 4:15 now, anyone else feeding? Hehe

Congratulations funkymonkey & wintersnuffle!

hannnah sounds like you had quite a time of it - funny how those little bundles make up for everything!!

Well last day for me, I'm in at 7:30 in the morning - i'm ready for it all to be over now

hannah - what an experience, glad you were well taken care of These babies do make it all worth it, thank goodness!

kiwi lol at the posting times!
Good luck for tomorrow ladybuzz - hope it all goes well!

Have managed to get a last minute reflexology appointment for today, and it's my due date Not expecting anything though, but if she does want to come this week, hopefully she'll decide weds is a good day whilst the boys are at nursery

Oh Hanna, your birth experience sounds a bit like my first one with DS 1. It was long and had rocky patches, but a lovely babe at the end. It's great that you have remained so positive, I did too, and had a super fast recovery. Congratulations and enjoy your LO!

My due date is tomorrow, but I am SO ready for her to come out as soon as!

congratulations to all the last arrivals!

if i thought i was a bit tired at the end of pg now i am absolutly exhausted,
Brooklyne is now just over 3 weeks and wont sleep at night, she got major tantrums for no reason from early evening til about 3am, every single nights...
any advice?

littlehuman - if you're breastfeeding the baby has several big growth spurts, and if my memory serves me right 3 wks is a big one! So baby's usually become very fussy and want to feed pretty much constantly from early evening sometimes ALL night. That's about the age when I started co-sleeping with mine as I just couldn't stay awake sitting up to feed and kept nodding off sat up, which is dangerous. So it may be easier to lay down safely and feed so you can snooze a bit too? It can last from a couple of nights to about a week (mine always took a week to have a growth spurt!) If you're feeding baby on demand that is the best thing to do and IT WILL settle soon

It's very hard in the first 6 weeks, but once you reach that point, EVERYTHING is much easier. Just take 1 day at a time, and DO NOT think 'how will I manage', 'keep doing this', get through tomorrow' etc. You will Hope that helps a little?

DP and DS have gone to visit granny and DS2 is asleep so I thought I'd have a go at the birth story.

Contractions started 13/1 afternoon after defrosting the freezer (so that's my suggestion although I had plenty of pineapple and raspberry leaf tea too). When DP got home from work we decided to carry on as normal and put DS to bed so he could sleep through if everything went well and we'd only have to disturb him if things stopped going according to plan.

Around 11:30 we called the midwife to say things were pretty regular and I'd like the gas and air fairly soon, she said she'd finish what she was doing and be right over. About 2am we were starting to get a bit worried that she'd forgotten so we gave another call, she finally turned up at about 3 when I was already fully dilated, apparently I'd sounded a bit too calm when I spoke to her and what she'd been planning to finish was a whole other labour! I was really lucky and it was the same midwife I'd had throughout so brilliant continuity of care.

Midwife immediately called for the 2nd midwife ready for the actual birth, started pushing and DS2 was out by 4:20. MW1 and MW2 agreed I had a 2nd degree tear which could be stitched at home but neither of them had been trained to do it so they had to call MW3 and unfortunately that's when things went a bit wrong. MW3 decided it was a 3rd degree tear and I'd have to go to hospital so DP had to wake DS and take him up the road to Granny's and I had to get ambulanced into hospital.

Got to hospital expecting to be taken to theatre but the registrar took one look and said it was a 2nd degree tear so could be done under local anaesthetic which meant I escaped having a spinal, catheter and going to theatre and was home 2 hours later.

It was a textbook birth and I'm relieved the tear wasn't worse but still a bit sad that we came so close to having the perfect scenario with DS1 waking up, meeting his new brother and all having breakfast together but had to have the panic plan b at the last minute and when it wasn't necessary. As it was DS1 and Granny came to meet DS2 as soon as we got home from hospital but poor DS1 was knackered from the early start and really just wanted to go back to bed instead of meeting his new brother.

DS1 and Granny went off to playgroup, DP, DS2 and I went to sleep and missed the MW calling to do the new baby check so we had to go back to hospital to have it done, paediatrician was called to an emergency so it took 2 trips to get that done in the end.

DS2 is feeding constantly - which is a bit of a shock after DS1 who was sleepy and had to be woken up every 4 hours and reminded to feed. Big hugs to everyone who is struggling as even having done it before and knowing how easy it is after the first few weeks I'm finding this stage hard going.

Sorry if post is a bit rambling, MW arrived just as I'd finished typing so hit post without proof-reading.

DS2 back to birth weight so doing well, just need a name now.

wintersniffle sounds like almost the perfect birth story, well done! We took 10 days to decide a name.

mamasunshine can you explain a bit more about the co-sleeping? I think I need to do a bit of that but I'm nervous about how you do it? When I have suggested this before (in hospital) the staff reacted as though I had suggested something illegal and insisted they would take the baby away if I fell asleep with her anywhere but the cot (so I stayed awake for 24 hrs). Also, home visit mw said no(they do put the fear into you, don't they?). Mum said 'rubbish to the mw' as she had fed me laying down and fallen asleep etc - co-sleeping was 'in' in the 70s. Would be grateful if you could tell me how to do it safely

Just a thought Macmomo, could be colic. Generally turns up at this time for a few weeks and makes evenings a bit rubbish but soon passes. Could try Infacol or Dentinox colic drops to help get wind up. Patience and changing position usually works in the end. Sorry no advice on co sleeping, always worried that its a hard habit to break but reckon it could really help when mega tired!

Massure congratulations to all the new mummies! So lovely to hear of all these babies arriving and sounds like amazing bravery in all these birth stories. Well done everyone! Enjoy those precious first few days.

Massive not massure!!

No, dd not very fussy, just sometimes needs to feed very frequently through the night (probably normal). I think the co-sleeping for a few nights might help increase the breastmilk flow if it allows me to feed more frequently.

wintersniffle - great birth story Can't believe how long it took to get a midwife to you I'm planning a homebirth and have been told not to phone until my contractions are 3mins apart Unless I need G and A before then. Last labour my contractions never became closer than 4mins in the whole thing!

macmomo - I'm suprised you've had that reaction about co-sleeping, I was given a leaflet after ds's showing me diagrams of how to co-sleep safely etc from Health visitor. It also said it helps for longer continuation of breastfeeding. I'm not an expert on it so please google, maybe have a look at kellymom website and La Leche League etc (both excellent breastfeeding info). Bascically co-sleeping with us happened due to so much night feeding and lack of sleep. Main points are: NO alcohol, medications, drugs, smoking from either mum/dad. No duvet/pillows, you just want nice tight sheet on mattress and blankets over baby (or dress well, but bear in mind baby will take heat from your body so start with less layers and build up if needed. Makesure no gaps around mattress for baby to roll into. Have bed next to wall, unless mattress on floor, or get a guard. If you lie down on your side when bf your body should cocoon itself quite naturally around baby. Don't co-sleep when exhausted. I used to start the night putting mine in the moses basket, have a couple of hours good sleep, then as soon as the feeding began brought them into bed with me.

Also to add I slept pretty much every night with ds2 (no time for naps in the day with toddler!) until he was 9/10months old. I then moved him out of our bedroom and he's since slept 11/12 hrs trhough each night (ds1 also did this after co-sleeping). So from my own experience I've had very good sleepers later on

I also used the colic drops that jobi sugggested and found them very helpful at times, especially if I'd eaten onion and garlic!

Also baby feeding between 2-6am is VI as this then increases milk supply for the next day!

40+1...trying to take my mind off being pg, so going for a very long walk and outr for lunch

hi everyone
i love reading about all the birth stories!

I gave out on the dummy last nighti told myself she would never have one but hey that settles her pretty well!

about co-sleeping , i ve done it from day 1.
she spends half the time in bed and the other half in moses basket depending if she ll go to sleep ok or if she struggles a bit.
I always slept with my cat(s) b4 so i am used to be careful and aware of someone sleeping beside me. sometimes my cat wants to sleep with us too, in this case i dont have much space left for myself as well as dh sleeping diagonally!!!its a bit of a circus at time! :-)

Hey there,
We are also co sleeping as DD wont sleep in her Moses basket, I'm in one bed and DH is in another (although we have done it sharing) she sleeps so well with us, it's the closeness to a heartbeat I guess. It was also very useful when she had a growth spurt on night 10 and feed from 11-3am solid. Went to a BF MW today to check about a possible tongue tie, and she also said night feeding is really good, builds up our stores and it's good quality milk. If anyone is having trouble BFing I'd recommend seeing someone, I saw a MW from the NHS at a childrens centre and she was great, v.supportive.
Good luck to those due soon!

my baby girl arrived at 11.24 this morning. 6lb 1oz and gorgeous!

Congratulations LadyBuzz!

I am due today. Come on baby, make an appearance!

Congratulations ladybuzz

40+1 today, have walked 6 miles with dbl buggy...and nothing Twiddles thumbs, bored now!

Congratulations ladybuzz!

Pacita and mamasunshine, hope you do not have too long to wait!

Gorgeous news Ladybuzz!
MamaSunshine, I can't believe anyone could walk that distance while that pregnant!!! Def puts me to shame, I was waddling tiny distances when was me!! Hope that contributes to a quick labour.

Ladybuzz and wintersniffle Congratulations!

Not felt ready to share my story yet. It's not that bad just not what I hoped - if they ever are?

Littlehuman I found Baby Bliss brilliant. Show's you how to calm newborns. It was a big help with DS and now with DD.

Try a baby hammock if baby won't sleep in a moses basket. www.naturessway.co.nz/shop.html We have one of these. It is brilliant, and bounces and swings well. So once I have swaddled DD, fed - etc, I put her in and she sleeps. Yes!

I am soo tired. DD has still not recovered her birth weight from 3 Jan. She is not latching on properly I think. She sucks for 10 mins then chokes and gives up. I am feeding her every 2 hrs and it is getting too much.

DH only took 1.5 weeks off and now it feels like its all me and I'm stuck at home with a baby who won't get bigger. I have to wind her and then try and get her sucking again. Plus she does these scary stringy green poos.

It was so easy with DS. I'm supposed to be expressing now, and then feeing her with a spoon.

Monday was anniversary of my Mum's passing - so kind of a crap week anyway. Wish she could have met her first granddaughter.

high speed check in - congrats on all the arrivals - have read but not quite taking names etc in! Will reread later and see all news.

Eilidh (yep another one for our thread) arrived Friday by planned CSection - ?waters broke as waiting to go down, but since still high and she was 9lbs 11.5oz, Dr/MWs pretty much said we did make right choice to go for section. Took bit of a turn in theatre - lot of blood loss as anterior huge placenta - team fantastic and just had to be attached to IV and on bed rest for 24hrs. Have been good since.

Home today, was supposed to be yesterdy but wee one had lost too much weight, had horrible 24hrs of having to BF and top up every 3hrs - not sure who made more of a fuss me or DD! But had put on enough to go home - yipee :)

Sarrita, really feeling for you. Is scary when they won't feed properly, that is exactly what happened with us last time. DD did get it eventually, but it took us quite a few weeks to relax. You become obsessed with nappy checks to see if they look right! And am so sorry you are feeling sad about your mum, of course you would do at a time like this. Really hope the feeding issue resolves itself soon (it WILL, she is learning all the time) and that this is a brighter week for you xx