Remember, remember, the month of November (2010), babies all over the shop!

[PrivetDancer]

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Exciting stuff, 4madboys. Good luck if it all kicks off. A home birth with it snowing outside will feel all cosy and Christmassy too.

Okay, daft question of the day. Still having cx sporadically, started timing them around an hour ago and so far it's about four an hour, but not very evenly spaced. The feeling I'm getting a lot now is very low, in my cervix I think. If I get a squeezy twinge there that makes me say "ow", does that count as a contraction or is that likely to be LO just making me uncomfortable. (Ignorant first-timer )

comtessa, I think contractions are usually considered labour when they're 1-2mins long, whereas BH are typically shorter - tho there's a lot of variation. I met a lady today who got to 6cm dilated without even noticing . I get short sharp ouches v low down sometimes, think perhaps that's bladder or ligaments? Is that what you're having? Or more like tightenings?

Bit of both, really. Low down ouches interspersed with cx tightenings. But nothing close enough to call labour suite about yet. I would call my mum but she didn't realise she was in labour with at least two of us until late on so not so good on the signs! Thanks umf.

They don't really sound like contractions to me, comtessa, based purely on my experience.
But if your mum had similar not quite sure experiences then maybe this is how it's going to be for you too, you do often hear that people have similar labours to their mums.

Wow, pretty impressive birth stories there - I suppose there will be some letters going out to those hospitals

Sounds like things are hotting up for you comtessa, 4 and lainey :)

Privet, I'm sure your cervix is just perfect

comtessa, I asked my Mum what contractions are like and she looked at me quizzically and said she couldn't remember! Having now experienced them I'm sure I couldn't ever forget :) Hope they get over their shyness soon...

Ooo sounds like early labour getting going, doesn't it! Good luck!

Beginning to think will be last one left on this thread. Sniff.

Couldn't remember??

Thanks, just hoping mine isn't wishful thinking. Am so over my swollen ankles, aching feet and hurting hands too big to wear my wedding rings on. On a happier note, just discovered a stash of dark chocolate I'd forgotten about, that'll help with my iron count then .

To be fair she did have a cs as I was horribly overdue, but I was trying to find out if she'd had any cx before needing the section to try to work out my odds of having a natural birth. I do think though that if you are tempted to answer, "I don't know," to that question you probably just mean, "No"

Comtessa, suppose the twingy ows could be your cervix softening/dilating/effacing with the pressure of your baby engaging. Contractions are more obvious tightenings accompanied by pain in lower back and belly, AFAIK. They can ebb and flow with a peak of sustained pain/discomfort. Mine steadily increased in frequency and length as labour progressed.

When I got into active labour, mine were back to back with no break. Could have been down to DS's position, not sure.

Your results may vary, of course; that's the annoying thing about labour! Hope they start to come regularly and get things going.

comtessa, I think everyone is different. I still can't really describe contractions and I've just had number 3, but they did involve all kinds of different twinges in strange various places.

This time my contractions were very mild and sporadic right up until about 2 hours before baby arrived, so just because you're contractions aren't that strong or regular doesn't mean things won't be happening soon, but then it could be ages away! (not much help am I ). What I do remember is you will know when things are really happening! Good luck!

Thanks again all. Have just had a bath which was temporary relief. Off to bed now to try and get some sleep in case this is the real thing. DH on way home now too - he was out for post-work drinks for mutual friend, on my insistence as really wanted to be alone to concentrate on things, total hibernation day today.

Goodnight all, wishing you all a comfortable night's sleep.

Just wanted to pop by during night feed :) and say good luck to all those waiting/with things starting to happen etc!

Not sure who said about syntocin (sorry for inpersonals, brain doesn't function too well this early!) but I had that and labour was fine. It was the build up to it (delivery suite full etc) and the stiches after which I found much worse! Not sure if I have a high pain threshold but found it reasonably enjoyable (very odd person emotion!!) & said during that if this was as bad as it got I wouldn't mind doing it again!....goes off now to actually think about what I'm saying here!! :)

Hopefully that will help to all waiting, that it doesn't have to be that bad even with interventions etc

Morning all
4mad & comtessa what news? any progression over night?

Have woken up for second day and feel sick sick sick, like I have morning sickness again, forgot how horrid it feels to be on the brink of vomitting all day plus my bump just hurts, it feels really bruised (has done for a while now) guess it's the weight of baby but am looking forward to waking up one day very soon and for my stomach to be smaller and not hurt.

off to hopsital at 12 for more man handling, am shall be back to report on the current state of my cervix privet - sorry if that makes you lol

babybean good to hear from you again - how are things going?

fenouille lol at your mum

I have caved - I rang the midwife this morning and asked for a sweep :)
She'll be here at half 10. She's tiny though and I normally have to have the longer speculum for smears etc, [cavern emoticon] so I'm fully expecting her to not be able to reach anything.

Will hopefully have some TMI for you later :o

Oh and 40+6

lol privet - look forward to it

All going great thanks lainey although not sure where the last 3 & half weeks have gone to be honest!

Evie is putting on loads of weight which is great (7oz in 5 days the little munchkin!) so obviously enjoys mummies milk!!

Just started expressing so DH can feed in the eve and incase I'm caught short whilst out! Very annoyed tho as got to almost 4oz after a slow start, to then look again and it was then only 1& half!! Now have a very wet duvet!! and empty breasts!! Argh!

Anyway,all part of the fun I guess! Will try to log on from laptop later and share a pic for anyone wanting a peak

Looking forward to hearing more TMI stories and more popping :)

Morning all,

Sadly no baby yet, despite proper contractions for quite some time last night, getting as close as four minutes apart. Was about to call labour suite at around 4am then the next one was 7mins later and decided to try and get back to sleep again. Woke up again around 7am with just sporadic cx again. So tired as very little sleep over all. DH gone into work today very relieved that I told him to come off the computer around 10.30pm and come to bed as he might need his sleep, even if I didn't get any!

Lainey I've kept on thinking I'm going to be sick, too. Which has made me think that this could/should be part of the real thing. Just hoping LO is having a short break before deciding to aim for her EDD. She's definitely got lower as it's painful/tender further down that it was.

Privet hope your sweep goes well today! Looking forward to the TMI

Lovely to hear that Evie's thriving so well babybean.

39+6

Congratulations on all the new babies and I hope we have some more soon.

Good luck with your sweep Privet. I could have kissed the consultant who did mine. Lovely, lovely woman. I was so ready to get that bay out. I think my cervix was prime and ready to go though and I think I would probably have gone into labour naturally over that weekend anyway.

Abbie is 4wks today and another good boob muncher. She's put on 8oz despite being a bit of a puker. She has difficultly with her wind and I can't decide if she's a bit refluxy or she's just a binger! She certainly guzzles the boob with great enthusiasm. Unfortunately Abbie has a really sore bottom at the moment. The HV prescribed mantanium on Mon which normally works great on nappy rash but if anything, it made it worse. I spoke to the Doctor on the phone yesterday and she prescribed a thrush cream and some antibacterial cream just incase it's thrush/infected. Poor wee girl screams every time I change her nappy even using cottonwool and water. I feel so bad. She just poo's continually though so short of putting a cork in her, I'm just hoping the creams work. In all my years of nannying, I've never had a child with bad nappy rash and feel so guilty that Abbie has it even though I know it's not due to anything I've done or not done.

Anyway meeting up with Babybean and Harmony next week. Can't wait to see the babies.

Well had my sweep and it was fine. Nothing too exciting to report really, cervix was soft but not effaced, dilated 2cm but that is apparently standard for people who have had a baby before.
She stretched it to 5cm apparently but it didn't hurt. She seemed very pleased to have blood on her fingers afterwards!
Was instructed to go for a walk afterwards which I did, and now bouncing on my ball.

Next sweep on Sunday, and induction booked for Friday 3rd dec if nothing by then. Can't believe I might end up with a December baby! That wasn't in the plan.

Hope your Abbie is better soon, Ebb, my Abby had thrush a while ago and it cleared up pretty quick with the right cream. Watch for your boobs getting sore though, if she has thrush that end I think it's easy to get it in the mouth too. Or perhaps if it's in the mouth it's easy to get to the bottom, which would make more sense.

afternooooooon, back from sweepage - much more painful than wednesday. nothing too exciting to report here other than cervix is now 1cm long (was 1.5 on weds which = 50% effaced) still 1cm dilated. she did seems pleased with the changes over 2 days.
My induction has been booked in for wednesday morning - which is 1st December eek . really really hope it doesn't get to that point as have never been in hospital before and don't want to have to stay for a couple of days.
she also talked about higher chance of instrumental delivery and how a lot of women end up with epidural - neither of which are what I want.

not sure what to do now - can't bounce on my ball as me and DP 'killed' it the other day after I tripped over it and hurt myself

Hi lainey try not to worry too much about the induction. While I didn't have that great an experience my friend who was popped a few weeks before me had a perfect birth apart from having to be started off artificially. And it sounds like your body is (slowly) getting there anyway so you might not need the drip anyway.

lainey - you could always ask for the induction to be later if you wanted. Mine will be when I'm 41+6 as I just said I'd rather wait a bit longer than when it was initially suggested.
How did they say they'd do it? MW told me they'd probably break my waters first off. but then it would be drip soon after if nothing happened. Anyway it sounds like your cervix is moving the right way already so hopefully it will all be irrelevant.

I have a friend (who had a really bad time with induction with her first baby so is very anxious to avoid it) who has got her induction booked when she is 43 weeks, so they can certainly be flexible! I'm not that worried about it, really, I think with being overdue it will make it easier as our bodies are on their way already, when people are induced for other reasons early that must take quite a bit of persuading for the body to let go of the baby.