April 2011 - back to back sex and other mysteries

[ILikeToMoveItMoveIt]

Here we go ladies, a brand new sparkly thread that should see us all into our 2nd trimester

Many thanks for the warm welcomes

I've felt lots of movements this evening, I was sitting in quite a twisted position which is why I think I felt it so much.

Blimey that post was rather long sorry

By the way catheter is now out and after 24 hours of having to measure my wee in a jug have been given the OK. Just have to remember to buy a new jug before doing any baking. So apart from a lingering cough am now starting to feel vaguely human again.

Bladder nurse came round at lunchtime today to scan my bladder and she also had a peak at the baby as she said she doesn't normally get to scan PG ladies as her clients are usually well past child bearing age. It was a lot blurrier than the hospital scans but baby def. still there

Liv so glad you're on the mend. Hope you shake the cough off soon too.

It's funny, we had almost identical births, DS back-to-back (cheeky monkey), got stuck exiting, ventouse failed, yanked out by giant bbq tongs aka forceps. If you had told me during my pregnancy that that was how my birth was going to be, rather than the water birth I had dreamt of, I would have totally freaked out. But the reality wasn't as bad as thinking about it beforehand would have been, if that makes any sense . I remember thinking just get the baby out however you can, I don't care anymore as long as it's ok!

And hideous as the birth sounds I'm signed up to go through labour again. I think that makes me think however bad it could be, whatever happens, as long as the baby is fine it won't matter once it's all over. That gives me comfort in a strange way.

But I totally understand the worry for all those facing their first labour - about the pain and the lack of dignity! You can't imagine that you simply won't care!

Welcome Osch, nice to see you on the thread , but I am so sorry to hear about your son. You're very brave embarking on this journey again.

Apologies if I'm speaking out of turn, but I'm on another MN thread which is for bereaved mums. Please feel free to come and join us anytime for a chat, or just lurk.

I'm sorry I laughed Liv, but the sonographer's comment about most of her clients being well past child bearing age made me giggle. Am glad the catheter is out and the wee output has been good

For the people who are worrying about the birth, I think the best thing you can do is research it as best you can - knowledge is power.

And don't worry, you really don't have to have your fanny on show for hours on end ..... unless of course you want to. Whatever you want to do, goes. With both births I kept some sort of bottoms or knickers on until the pushing stage. I don't do public displays of nudity

Thanks Caramello

Totally get what you mean

Iliketo Don't worry I laughed too when she told me and thought it was quite sweet she wanted to look at the baby too. Although there wasn't much ignoring it as his/her feet were practically in my bladder

Aw, thanks for sharing with the birth fears/advice. It really helps to chat on here and I am delighted to hear that you can keep your pants on for some time at least! I don't know why that freaks me out so much but it does - still think DH is going to pass out or throw up.

Quite happy to get a bikini wax without worrying about getting muff out but in my head this is so VERY different.

Glad you're feeling better Liv77

No more You Tube for me, I really should know better!

Off to MW now - might share a few fears with her, though I expect she will look at me with 'seen it all before' expression.

I'm the opposite i'm such a prude i can't imagine having a bikini wax

Pre-DS1 i could not see how i could cope with people examining me/looking at my bits etc.

I did keep my knickers on for quite a while until the MW said ahem, i think perhaps you should take them off now
I kept a t-shirt on though, kept changing for a dry one (was in a pool most of the time).

I think i may be quicker with taking knickers off, lol but keep the t-shirt thing on i just wouldn't be comfy with wandering around (even at home) totally starkers.
Ridiculous really but you have to do what you're comfortable with.

And i never got bothered about them looking at my bits - it was like they had a different 'function' so it wasn't like being with a bloke for the first time, if that makes any sense?

MW appt all good, v supportive of HBAC, heard hb - was 141, according to old wives tale i think that means a boy, but have looked back through my notes x 2 and no numbers were written anywhere. Anyone else got a hb rate to compare?
(and btw i'm not finding out the sex but that doesn't stop me guessing like mad lol!)

Yes definately stay away from You Tube videos!

I remember from giving birth to DD that birth is not pretty and there are many things that happen that are not glamorous (I remember vomiting all over the pretty nightie I took in to give birth in and ending up in a hospital gown!) and things you would rather not know - my lovely DH muttering something about poo but the first cuddle with your little one makes all this go away.

And it is true about the fact the memory of the pain goes away very quickly, why would people have more than one otherwise!

The best thing to do is not to worry about it, certianly not now, long way to go yet. And make sure you are not too rigid about your birth plan because all sorts of things can change your mind. The one thing I remember my cousin telling me was that "no one gives you a medal for giving birth with no pain relief!" All that matters is the little ones safe arrival.

Anyway sorry that was long wasn't it.

Happy today as have lots of wriggling going on inside and my colleague said I was glowing today

Off to DDs parents evening shortly, not sure how much they can tell you about a 4 year old though

oh and diabetic clinic tomorrow

Whey-hey! Just heard heart beat. How very cool. And good to know there's still a baby in there as sometimes I do wonder, maybe I am just really tired and have imagined it all.

Didn't get told the heart rate though JustKeepSparkling so can't compare. I was just told it was ok. Know exactly what you mean about keeping a t-shirt on, wouldn't dream of walking around the house with my ar*e hanging out, even. Ha ha. I am just going to have to get over myself.

Tried to ask the MW some questions about various birth options and she gently told me that I might want to wait a while before worrying about these things, as it was wise to see how the pregnancy progresses. I put away my list of about 20 questions, sheepishly.

That was very wrong of your MW to be so dismissive JoEW. If you need to talk about it, you should be able to talk about it as and when YOU choose to. Isn't it annoying how Healthcare Professionals can make you feel like a foolish schoolgirl with just one withering comment? I really hate it when I let them make me feel like that - ggrrrr

My bil is very squemish (he can't watch Casualty, ER etc) but he was fine at the births of his dc. You'd be surprised how little gore is involved actually - especially if you labour and give birth in water, as the pool contains it all

Also for me, being in a pool allows me some privacy. People can't just come along and examine and touch you. It's like a little haven.

Am about others hearing the hb, I think I've got to wait about 10 days or so until my 16 week appt.

Hurrah for glowing polarBear, I've got a face full of bloody spots

Iliketomoveit

I'm wondering about water birth, this is baby no 3 however this time around I'm recovering from a nasty break to my tibia plateau and knee cap and am unable to kneel, squat, run, jog or even walk up and down stairs unaided. I've only added a few lb's so far and have already dusted off my walking stick ready for the months ahead. Needless to say birth options are worrying me and this water birth maybe the perfect solution. Would you do it again? What did you think were the pro's and cons? I'm not one for much pain relief have both previous with gas and air and lot's of sweat so I don't have to worry about that stopping me, but I would like some advice from someone who's already done it, Please!

Not trying to be smug but I thought some happy birth stories might cheer up the first timers.

My labour with DD was relatively quick. First proper contractions started at 2pm and daughter was out by 4am which I know sounds like forever but for large chunks of that time I was fairly chilled pottering about, chatting, watching telly or splashing in the birth pool. I used a TENS machine (fabulous for early stages) then birthing pool which made a msssive difference. I had to get out for a while because I was so relaxed my contractions slowed down. G&A made me puke which is a really common reaction but just breathing through the mouthpiece without the G&A helps psychologically with breathing and concentration.

It was painful but not overwhelming. I once had a compacted wisdom tooth and that was way worse. I wanted to put a nail gun to my head. And in between each contraction it was like someone flicking a switch and all the pain disappears. I can honestly say I enjoyed it. There is almost no blood and gore unless you have a C section.

Though I have to admit I did poo in public but I blame the feckwit of a MW who refused to let me go to the toilet insisting it was just the baby's head I could feel. DP still dies laughing remebering me standing naked in the middle of the room shouting at the MW "I told you I needed a shit!". Not my finest moment.

But I had a job to do and didn't give a toss about covering up my bits, which was unexpected.

This sounds nuts but the most surprising bit of the labour was when she flopped out and they placed her on me. I was concentrating so much on pushing, breathing etc I'd forgotten that a baby was the point of it all.

Each birth is different but it can be a fantastic experience. Even if it's grim it's the biggest high you can have when you see this little person who's yours forever.

So ignore the gorey screamers on Youtube. It'll all be fine.

lol at 'I told you I needed a shit'. That has really made me giggle

I'm planning to have another waterbirth this time SP. I cannot tell you the amount of pain relief warm water gives - omg it is out of this world.

I was unsure about actually giving birth in the pool with ds2, but tbh there wasn't any time to think about it as as soon as I got in the pool I started to push and he was there 20 minutes later! He was 9lb 11oz, I didn't get the ring of fire people talk about and I only had a graze. I put that down to the water making the skin stretchy and pliable.

Are you planning to give birth at home? If so an inflatable pool may mean you can use a position where you are on your knees? Or maybe if it's a hospital bath, would an inflatble pillow under your knee suffice?

The water gives you the mobility to flip and move about so easily, and get into positions that would be difficult on dry land.

You sound like you've had a nasty injury/accident. My sister always says that breaking her leg was way more painful than labour and giving birth.

I thought the same. ILikeToMoveIt but she informed me as soon I stepped through the door that my usual midwife was on holiday (I have no idea who my 'usual' midwife is) and she seemed a bit useless so I couldn't really be bothered to press her for information. Decided I had plenty of time and would wait till I spoke to someone who seemed a bit more authoritative. I do tend to keep my expectations very low with NHS. Even booking this appointment was a palaver and involved asking three different departments who I was supposed to be talking to, followed by calling the hospital several times, never being called back and FINALLY getting the answer, 'you just need to book it with your GP surgery'. Well, THANK YOU! Like I said, keep expectations low!

I'm quite keen on the idea of doing the midwife led unit at Kingston as it seems you can have your own room, bathroom and birthing pool - which appeals as it's all quite private and I like the idea of the pool for pain relief and also hiding! What I wanted to know was my chances of actually getting one of those rooms, they only have two and also how quickly I could transfer to the labour ward should I decide that I want to be pumped full of drugs RIGHT NOW.

LOL at "I told you I needed a shit" line. Oh, I hope I'm that classy. Things I dread in order of most to least feared: tearing, poo, husband fainting/being too scared to go near me again, semi nakedness, demonstrating dark side of character that hates everyone, parenting.

Thank you for the positive birth stories too, I do feel more calm now. Really.

Just back from my 16wk appointment and very jealous of all those who got to hear the heartbeat - my GP said she wasn't going to try to listen to it because it was "too early" and she didn't want me to worry if she couldn't pick it up. Boooooo. But everything else looks fine. Miraculously I haven't put on any weight since my booking at 10 weeks, despite having put on almost half a stone in the first few weeks. And I've been eating like a horse. I guess that's the benefit of having a little parasite inside you!

Actually I was in and out in 5 minutes. She did urine test, blood pressure and weight. It was really anti-climactic since I've been looking forward to the 16-wk check as a sort of milestone. Nothing to look forward now until early December and the 20-wk scan, which seems an age away.

I remember being really scared when pg with DS, I had never even broken a bone and was sure the pain would be too much for me. It doesn't help when most women have some horror story or other about being in labour for five days etc, etc...
When it comes to it you deal with it, then it's done and you have the best result ever, a perfect new baby, and it all fades (sort of lol, you remember but it ceases to seem that bad).

It's taking so long to get to the next scan, I really want to see bubba again, can't wait to find out what colour I need to do the nursery....roll on 18th

Thanks to all of you for your stories - I too feel a bit calmer - LOL Jaylar with your line! THanks for putting a smile on my face

Ecuse, I didnt get to hear this one's hb at the 16 wk check either. They did try to hear it but it must have been hiding. It did squirm and kick and those noises were picked up but not the hb.

All three of my birth's have been different but all positive, so am hoping that it continues this time.

Ds was 6 days late and had 1st cx at 1.30am, went to hospital at 9am to be checked and was 2-3cm. Came home to enjoy the April sunshine and was back there at 2pmish. Got into the birthing pool at 3pm and after retching in the G&A got at 4.30 (just as my mum arrived). Was examined and told to be 6cm. Requested an epidural and wandered across to my delivery room from the birthing pool room. Kept up and mobile as knew that gravity would help & at about 5.30pm I decided i needed to push and about 5mins later the nice man popped his head round the door to find that i no longer needed the epidural. Ds was born at 6.11pm weighing in at 7lbs 15.5oz without any pain relief!! Had a 2nd tear which needed stitches and they were far more painful than the birth!

Dd1 was born at 36wks and 3days and came as a complete shock. Waters went at home at 11pm, got to hospital at 11.30ish. Scanned at midnight as she had been breech. Dh arrived at 00.30 as he waited for the baby sitter whilst my mum took me in. Had to be monitored which meant i was strapped to the bed - not ideal!. Had pethidine at 2.30am as couldnt cope with the pain and at 03.54 Dd1 was born weighing 5lbs 10.5oz no stitches needed.

Dd2 was due on 18th Sept 09 and arrived at 00.14 on the 19th Sept! Cx's started at 8pm just as the older two were going to bed. Had a bath and an hour later decided (with the help of contraction master on the iPhone) that this was it. Cx's were 9mins apart whilst in the bath but as soon as i got out they dropped to 5mins. Got to the hospital at 9.40pm and stayed on my feet rocking with the cx's and after 4hrs and 14mins dd2 arrived weighing 7lbs 15oz. No pain relief but did need a stitch.

During the last 6wks or so I was having a bath pretty much every night with clary sage in, nice and relaxing!

Sorry i havent posted much recently. I have been lurking but dont really have anything exciting to say :)

Cant be long now before all the 20wk scans start.. Mine is in 13 days. We have now chosen the names and hopefully we will be able to find out at the scan.

Iliketomoveit Thanks that's a great help, It looks like my best option to stay mobile but it's always nice to hear how things are first hand, midwives (a few) are not always mothers and tell you what will make you feel positive rather than the whole picture! I'm heading to either the GP birth unit or hospital not sure which yet as I've just booked appointments to have a tour and chat with a senior midwife at each so I can make up my mind. The inflatable cushion sounds like a neat idea, I'll ask when I have my tours to see what they allow or can provide.

I won't bore you with the details but I cracked open my knee cap and snapped the top of my tibia clean off. Anyway point being I would rather give birth twenty times than repeat that once!

I'm loving some of these names

LOL about the 'I told you' through!

ecuse That seems a bit unfair, the appointment should take about 15/20 mins and they should let you hear the heartbeat. Ok it's not a written rule but when you read all the pregnancy bibles out there they pretty much state it as fact that at 16 weeks you will hear it. BIG BOO to your MW. Procedure vary from place to place though, but she still gets a boo lol I'm the meantime if you haven't felt baby already you soon will.

My two daughters were born with gas and air. My first I also had pethidine but had it too late and it kicked in after the birth so I spent the next few hours puking but with the fairies! Both births were fine, no stitches, a few tantrums and choice words but 6 hours first was good. Second 4.5 hours(plus 3 days in slow labour as back waters had gone, but no pain, got induced then 4.5 hours).

I wore a knee length night shirt so when I wasn't being examined to see how far dilated I was, I could cover up, my second I was so hot, I too it off and had a hospital sheet which at some point got thrown in a strop. Mum and baby matching birth suits lol

I'm loving some of these names

LOL about the 'shit' through!

Liv Happy to hear your on the mend. lol bladder nurse ha ha ha ha

Hi everyone, I've been lurking too! Am having my 16 week appt next week and am hoping to hear hb - midwife was almost suggesting we listen for it at booking in as it was quite late at 9 weeks, but then she decided I'd worry if couldn't hear it. So will be really annoyed if I don't get to hear it at 16 weeks!

Re the birth, I like to calm myself down by thinking about celebs or friends who seem really wimpy / girly and think well if they can do it, I'm sure I can. One thing that does freak me out quite a bit is being induced. Is it as horrendous as it sounds?! I understand 1st child is likely to be late.

Others have suggested to me that by the time you're 2 weeks over you'll do anything to get it out, so maybe I'd have a different perspective then!

Like many of you I am going for a water birth at a midwife led unit if all goes to plan. Only 1 room out of 5 has the birthing pool but I'm prepared to fight for it!!

I weighed myself two weeks ago and had put on 5 lbs since becoming pg....weighed myself again today and had lost 1 lb I am not bothered how much I put on, I eat what I want when I want but have had a smaller appetite lately, didn't expect to have lost weight in last 2 weeks though. I was a bit overweight to start with so baby must be using my fat reserves lol

Just picked up my bounty pack, I know it's all advertising but the free bar of galaxy makes it worth getting

Ooh free chocolate! i might get one after all

Actually yesterday i had ketones in my urine and i had eaten some lunch so i'm a bit confused. anyway i have this horrid cold at the mo and not feeling like eating much so am now trying to make more of an effort to eat, not think about it just get on with it.

Mmmmmm chocolate...I think I deserve some after yesterday, when I finally saw the midwife (who was rather unsympathetic) but I hope things are going to get done.

I also appear to have volunteered myself as their guinea pig for continuous care from pregnancy through to birth by a team of 2 midwives. They weren't going to introduce it until next June with a small group of people but she thought it might help me (about the only useful thing she did have to say).

I'm loving some of these birth stories . I dread to think what gems I'm going to come out with in labour!

Hello everyone,

I'm rubbish at posting but have been lurking! It's lovely to hear how everyone's pregnancy is progressing and reassuring to find that lots of us have similar worries.

I am currently trying to think of a more interesting posting name that is original and clever, but no bright ideas at the moment.

I am nearly 19wks and not convinced I've felt any movements yet, but i didn't feel any until about 22 weeks the first time round so trying not to stress.

I was induced at 42 weeks with dd, (but I'm pretty sure my due date was wrong from my scan, so was probably only about 40+4) I've pretty much decided that if I go past my due date again I will opt for daily monitoring rather than induction if that's possible. I found that nothing happened for ages apart from back pain then contractions came thick and fast with no break in between and no pain relief offered apart from paracetamol as i couldn't go to Labour ward as I was only 2cm dilated.

I had convinced myself that labour pain wouldn't be worse than the time I had peritonitis from a ruptured, gangrenous appendix, but I think it was just the lack of any respite from the contractions that got me.

However all of my friends have had different experiences with their labours and births and many have had really positive birth experiences. The end results have all been beautiful babies!

Hello - I too have been rubbish at posting but following the thread intently to see all the highs and lows! I had my 16 week MW check yesterday, and after crazily panicking that something was wrong heard a very healthy heart beat and even baby kicking away MW's prodding! So huge relief & now looking forward to 20 week scan.

Sickness is, finger's crossed, almost gone - just need the evening tiredness to end so I don't have to go to bed at 7pm every night!!! And still getting up twice a night to pee.. probably not helping the lack of sleep.

Am trying not to think too much about the actual giving birth - what will be with quite literally be. I actually think too much information will worry me more! Hoping to go in & take the most natural route possible but if I need drugs then bring them on....

Anyone using a stretch mark cream/oil they think is particularly good? I haven't got a proper bump yet, more a rubbish fat roll type thing, but want to do everything I can to stop marks before they come, if I can!