Feb 2011 - growing bigger, loosing our figure

[angels1]

Just a new thread as I noticed we are near the limit (again)!

My fiance and i were very lucky to conceive on the first try! I was expecting it to take a while and was so shocked with my bfp! He is still bigging up his "super sperm"! Hope everyone is well, have a fab day mummy's to bumps

Was It half term frolics, teachers???

suzy it's rough feeling so bad isn't it? I'm sure if you had even a few days off to rest the sickness would be improved. but it seems your school arn't making things easy for you. For me, like ledkr pointed out a few days ago, the lily allen story put everything into perspective for me and now I don't feel guilty for not working. I find it really frustrating when people at work say to me 'STILL getting nausea?' in a shocked you-must-be-makeing-it-up type way.

oh jenny hoping you're not getting too stresssed over there.

I read in the pregnancy for dummies book last night that I should be starting to toughen up my nipples by rubbing them with flannels every day to help prep for breastfeeding.I mentioned this to DH and he got the giggles

zero I share your love for the chocolat orange - they had them buy one get one free a while back so got (ahem) a few. mmmmm, they're not terrys, they're mine :)

janedoe my DH thinks the same about his sperm now too - we conceived first month trying last year, then mc, then second month trying this year, which I'm told is quite lucky/quick. Maybe everyone was so bored with nothing but election stuff on TV in May they had to think of other things to busy themselves with

Morning ladies. Hope everyone is feeling OK, and those that aren't are at least getting to take it easy.

Thought I'd just come on and share my funny pregnancy experience last night. Went round to a friend's house who has a 3 day old baby girl who is very cute. Baby was just waking up for a feed, but neverthless got passed around the visitors, and a strange thing happened. DH had a hold and a cuddle, fine, non-pregnant friend had a hold and a cuddle, fine, I had a hold and a cuddle and the baby immediately apesh!t, really trying very hard to forage for food from my boobs, big wide open mouth really very persistent and kind of noises of effort in trying to get what she wanted! Handed to another guy and another non-pregnant woman, and totally chilled slightly sleepy baby returned. So obviously, there must be some kind of hormonal thing or smell or something that she sensed already from my boobs, as the change in behaviour and general 'settledness' was remarkable!

So that was quite funny, fortunately, Mum shortly came to the rescue with actual supper for baby so all was well, was just a strange experience and another thing that brought it home to me how real this is and how our bodies are doing amazing things right now!

Stay happy and healthy ladies xx
Dx

PS Another one with a DH who thinks he has super-sperm, we concieved from literally one time, in that we were actively preventing all the rest of the time, and only didn't bother that one time as I was convinced it was too late in my cycle to concieve, but against all odds, here I am!

Ha ha I call DH super stalker sperm as it must sit and wait for an opportunity! We have had 3 'accidents' but obv very happy ones!

Us too, Delia but once we'd come around to the idea very happy, of course!
LOVE that story, that's amazing. Must be all those pheremones we are giving off. Apparently, once the baby is here we give off special hormone things that make our partners more in tune with babies crying (ha ha payback!)
I was off sick yesterday too, only a common cold but I must have needed the rest as I slept literally all day! DP woke me up at 6pm with chicken soup. Bless. Now I'm at work, wishing I was at home and that my sinuses would clear... TMI?
Have a good day everyone

Buy one get one free? I've been on buy two get one free. Bah.

Hello everyone, dropped out for a while there, just busy with work & house selling. I've missed 2 whole Toilet Paper Tuesday's!! I'm 8 now so very much on the expanding side. I'm sorry I haven't gone back to where I dropped out & this thread moves so fast it's virtually impossible to catch up if you miss a few days! Hope you're all feeling well, hope your nausea passes soon those of you still getting it :( and suzym get the aching ribs checked out, sounds horrible, I think it's just that everything is stretching & pulling apart! My pelvis gets very achey and stiff esp if I've been sitting for a while & first thing in the morning, I'm walking like an old woman then once I'm up I'm back to normal! I was so sorry to hear the news of Lily Allen, she was at the same stage as us, it really brings the fragility of it all home, very very sad. I have booked my Doula who is someone I knew from my last pregnancy & is lovely, she has already given support through suggestions to address certain issues of my last birth so I have an appointment with a consultant to go over my birth notes (it's obviously a bit of a blur to me) but I'd like to know for how long I was pushing, I have a lot of questions & the answers will help me make a decision on this next birth. Anyway, I'm very happy with my decision to have a Doula there. Still considering home birth & enjoying reading Ina May! My midwife is less encouraging of it due to the fact I tore last time, she feels there is a good chance it will happen again & she feels hospital is the best place to be should I tear. I argued that surely I could transfer but she remained discouraging. Any thoughts? She went on to further discourage me by saying a home birth isn't straight forward in terms of planning (fair enough) but that I will have to check with my home insurance that I can have explosives on the property! Explosives?! Yes apparently the gas & air. She went on to say that they always have to inform the fire brigade before a home birth because of this! Have a got a total loon fir a midwife or is this fact?! Anyway, she finished by saying it was my choice etc & I could decide at 28 weeks. Needless to say I feel undeterred though DP still has reservations. Sorry for the over long me-post. Take good care all of you & have a great day!

I came of my pill at the end of March ready to start trying in July/August when we got married. I didn't particularly want to be pregnant at my Hen or wedding so you could have knocked me down with a feather when I got my BFP! I was actually on the verge of changing my mind and was waiting for AF to go back on the pill. I was 12 weeks pg at the wedding and was panicking like mad that the dress wouldn't fit but now I wouldn't change anything for the world .

Amazing story deliaskis! All in the hormones, very primal! My DP too thinks he has super sperm after just one try lol! This was our first planned baby (DD was a total surprise!)

Angels, there's no need to toughen up your nipples (unless you want to make your DH laugh!), that's very old-fashioned advice TBH I haven't read many books that have impressed me with their BF advice, there's a lot of misinformation. Something like the Womanly Art of BF or Food of Love would probably be better. Some LLL groups do ante-natal classes too if you want to get some expert info.

Earlgrey, Ina May is next on my reading list. Is it good? I'm hoping for a home birth this time as well, so far it's looking positive. I had a second degree tear last time but neither of the MWs I've seen have mentioned that it might be a problem. Did you have a worse tear? I think water birth is meant to lower the risk of tearing, could you buy/hire a birth pool? I've not been told about the explosives thing at all, sounds a bit to me. This is a brilliant reference site.

We conceived first time with DD (I say 'first time' but we were on holiday and there wasn't much else to do ) but this one took longer, around 6 months iirc. Think it was a combination of not having the time and energy to try much and DD still BF a lot. As soon as she was night weaned I got a BFP.

Ah yes Eau Rouge, my Doula also referred me to that website, it's very good. Thanks for that. My tear wasn't bad as such (it wasn't given a "degree" that I know of anyway, so I have no idea). It was a Labial (unusual I think?) tear but the main problem is that it was missed post birth & was only noticed 24 hours later & that's when I went into surgery to be stitched. The wound didn't fuse and I was basically in surgery a further 3 times over the following 6 months after continual failed fusing. It's ok now but following this I developed an auto immune condition of the skin there called Lichen Sclerosis. It can come about through repeat "trauma" to the area. Anyway, it's not bad and doesn't effect my life at all & I can get away without using steroid cream which is the recommended treatment. To be honest most doctors haven't even heard of it so this midwife is perhaps erring on the side of caution in the unknown. Still, I'm quite sure of what I want this time & what I'm capable of. I'm certain that I tore because I felt threatened by the midwife when she told me that if I couldn't push better she would have to cut me. I screamed the head out very quickly in anger and fear (sorry first timers if this is tmi!) I am really enjoying the Ina May book, the birth stories are incredibly inspiring. Let us know what you think of it!

Morning all, great story Deliaskis I have another story/old wives tale, it took us 5 years trying on and off to conceive dd1 , I was just giving up hope, starting to get quite depressed and sil told me she was pregnant (we don't get on, so was not good time for me!!!) Anyway she had beautiful little boy, I conceived dd1 just after he was born, dd2 was conceived one month after my sil had another baby, again we had been trying for over a year. This baby was conceived the month after my best friend had a baby, (had been trying for quite a while) think all the holding of newborns kickstarted my hormones

Jenny good luck for later, will be thinking of you all!!

Err 40Weeks, just so you know you're making me hate you a little bit, with all this talk of body pump and spinning!! :) I really thought I'd be one of those people that continued my normal active lifestyle during pregnancy, but with the tiredness and back / hip pain, it really hasn't happened . Generally feeling lazy & rubbish.

I'm a bit behind with all the delivery talk - so far I've been trying not to think about it, but I can't really escape it now, can I? It's coming in 12 weeks whatever I do! I have however been watching 16 & Pregnant (guilty pleasure, but will admit it), and thought "if they can do it, then I definitely can!" :)

We started trying in May presuming it would take a year or so... another first time 'bingo'! (feel so lucky). Did mean was bride with bump at October wedding though (already planned).
As for books, The Food of Love and New Active Birth have just arrived from amazon. Am first-timer so trying to research what ACTUALLY happens apart from the pain and the gore!

tallulah I LOVE 16 and Pregnant. Always makes me cry though.

We started trying in January, but only hit the jackpot when I had reduced DD's breastfeeds down to 1 per 24 hours (I dropped 1 feed for each BFN that I got (DD was 1 in March, so I wasn't depriving her too much!!)) - I was starting to think that I would have to give up all together, and was feeling very torn about it, so really pleased that it happened when it did! Was temp charting and having lots of sex -a stark contrast to the practically zero amount at the moment!

I have started watching the 'One Born Every Minute's that I saved on the V+ when TTC - I found them quite upsetting when repeatedly getting BFNs so recorded them for a time when I could actually enjoy them (not sure that enjoy is the right word there), very educational and incredibly moving.

Delia loved your newborn story , I really can't wait to have a newborn breastfeeding again, and just love that closed eyed single-minded rooting....ahhh (with the initial pain and sleepless nights that come with it )

Hello ladies - long time no post, but just down to work etc. Have had a quick squiz through the posts - hope all those with aches and pains are soon feeling better.

I went to my first Pregnancy Yoga last week and was lucky enough to be the only one there so got 1 to 1 treatment. Going again tonight. Have got achey pelvis so hoping yoga will help (have also got behaviour trouble with DS so Yoga helping me to keep calm and keep things in perspective).

Managed to swim 30 lengths yesterday, and felt better for it (and then fully justified when scoffing home made apple crumble!!).

One Born Every Minute was a brilliant show - they're making a second series so hopefully we can enjoy that when it's on.

What does everyone else feel about epidurals? Until recently I fancied a water birth as they look less painful (even if it's all in the mind) and I like the idea of squatting and don't like the idea of being forced to lie flat on my back (which seems to be popular in America from the videos I've seen... I don't know why they do it so much over there...) but recently have been wondering if maybe an epidural would be better.

But I don't think I've ever seen anyone on mn who wants or plans for an epidural. So is there some massive down side to them that I'm not aware of? It's just it seems quite obvious: if you're going to be in lots of pain, then get as much pain relief as you can. It's what men would do if they gave birth, I reckon.

I know it would mean giving up the idea of a waterbirth, presumably, and probably would mean I'd give birth lying down and might tear... but is it not worth it for all the pain relief? Or am I missing something?

ZeroMinusZero, there are downsides to epidurals just like every other form of pain relief. The things that put me off were that interventions were more likely, they make you stay in hospital longer and that you may have to stay still (I wanted the option of moving around). There's info here on the downsides.

Of course lots of women love having them but you might not even need one. I would make a note on your birth plan that you would consider one and then see how you go on the day.

Zero I have been having the same thoughts about epidural. At the moment I think I will just be not ruling anything in or out, but really, apart from that, I have no idea what I would rather do.

It's hard having not been through it before, I don't know what I'm going to feel or what my pain threshold is likely to be, so very hard to say what will or won't be necessary.

From what I can gather, downsides seem to be reduced mobility (although with 'mobile' epidurals there is some movement, not completely paralysed like in the old days), and less ability to feel what's going on so e.g. when to push or not, and yes tearing (which could of course happen anyway). But none of these seem to be a dealbreaker to me. I know for some reduced mobility would be, but for me I feel like I shouldn't be so naive at this stage, with my first baby, to claim I will be able/happy to get by without.

Tricky though and I have been pondering the same thing. I suspect I may end up adopting a 'go with the flow' approach, see how I feel and what is available at the time.

D

zero there's an epidural threat on Childbirth, I haven't had one before, but its like anything on MN people have quite strong views on it

I was induced with dd2 and found it a really positive experience and I know that most women on MN are not huge fans, with dd2 I was mobile the whole time and had her kneeling at the side of bed, tears aren't that bad, I tore with both dds and got stitched with dd2, not a horror story, just 2 quick stitches, some witch hazel - right as rain Ps don't tell anyone but I love pethedine.

Thanks eau and delia I think you might be right, just taking it as it comes on the day might be best. As long as the baby comes out in one piece and all that...

By the way, very at you trojan for swimming thirty lengths!!!

An epidural can slow down labour, intervention can be more likely, you are not mobile so you're on your back on the bed. Of course there are mobile epidurals but not all hospitals offer them (mine doesn't). There are other risks too, such as permanent paralysis and numbness in a certain area and you can develop a permanent itch. The anaesthetist explains it all before they administer the epidural.

I had an epidural with DD and found it amazing! Literally ALL of the pain went and I felt like I could actually enjoy labour and even slept through some of it. I recovered really quickly. I did have an episiotomy but DD was a big baby so I reckon I would have ended up with stitches anyway.

So I had a really positive experience and I wouldn't hesitate to have one again should I need it, although I'm going to try and stay at home for as long as possible this time!

Sometimes they don't work. A girl in the bed across from me had had one which didn't work and my sister had one that didn't work.

I think it's best to go in with an open mind! I hope everyone on here has such quick labours that they don't need one anyway .

zero what puts me off an epidural is the fact that your baby experiences more pain because you are experiencing less - when you are in pain you release natural pain killers which transfer to baby via your placenta, and you both experience a similar natural high when baby is out and placed on your chest for the first time which can help with bonding and that 1st all important breastfeed. Epidurals can also cause problems with breastfeeding (spoken as a bf peer supporter).

I had DD with just G&A, but was begging for everything that they could offer me at one point. I was too far dilated to have anything else at that point, and retrospectively am glad, as things progressed fairly quickly and the pain was soon forgotten. I'm going for the same again (providing my placenta gets out of the way), as I know that I survived it before, so can do so again. I was induced and did it all lying down when I would have preferred a mo0re active birth, but was only in active labour for 4.5 hours so the lying down didn't slow things down too much!

Re swimming - I doubt I could manage more than a single length at the moment!