Feb 2011 - The home stretch! Let's see more of those babies :-)

[WanderingInAWinterWonderland]

A shiny new thread for a shiny new year.

PDR My Mum is a nightmare re doctors/ midwives etc, when I was pg with dd1 she couldn't comprehend the meaning of midwifery led care, she kept asking when are you seeing a dr, I was like I'm not, round and round in circles. With dd2 she said "going with dr care now seeing as dd1 labour was so long!!. She was really pleased when we had moved because the hospital I was supposed to heve this one at, you do see a dr, but the procedure at the hospital changed a few months ago

I keep having to remind her that she had both her children young, with no interventions and my sister was born abroad, thousands of miles from her family in a nightmare of a hospital where they didn't let husbands in to the hospital never mind the delivery suite. But I suppose I'll always be her baby and she'll always worry, and that's the way its supposed to be (although she can be really irritating

wiggles lol at the sore lady but at being with other women in early labour. warning first timer naive question coming up - I assumed when you got to hospital when in labour you were booked in and automatically sent to a labour room of your very own where you stay to give birth in - is this not the case (now shutters and imagines a big room full of women in early labour all togehter groaning and grunting at vatious times waiting to be sent to their birthing room) [very worried emoticon] ?

eaurouge great news on your DD sleeping on her own now (I think....)

I was sent straight to a delivery room the third time I went in- the first two times they just sent me home. I think most hospitals will send you home if you are not far enough along rather than stick you in a ward. I was on the ante-natal ward for a week when I was about 20 weeks with DD and the only women labouring on the ward were the ones being induced or high risk ones.

thanks eau - I had a friend who was sent home for going in too early too. I'm a bit about when to go in (I know they say when contractions are every 5 mins or too painful to cope with or sth like that) but my hospital is an hours drive away in peak bad traffic (much less in the middle of the night ). Don't think I could cope with 3 trips to and from hospital lasting that long each time whilst in labour, but I can see that if I'm in labour and know rush hour time (which lasts a couple of hours or so) is coming up I might be tempted to go in a little earlier rather than later to miss traffic, but not sure if that will be a good idea if they end out just sending me home .

angels if there is room to spare I think they would keep you on the delivery suite but if you are in the very early stages and go in too soon then they tend to send you home or up to the ward if there is a complication. You may also find women who have been induced are on the ward waiting for it to kick in. IME they are usually short of beds on the ward anyway so unlikely to be sent there. Both times I went in for monitoring back at 28 weeks or so I was kept on the delivery suite.

I know, I was the same. It was 40 minutes to the hospital where DD was born down the most awful road that can be at a standstill for hours. I was having contractions 3 mins apart and then they would stop as soon as I got to hospital . The last time we went in I was begging DH to make them keep me in, I'd been having contractions on and off for 2 days by that point and I'd had no sleep.

The problem with the guideline things about contractions being a certain number of minutes apart and pain levels etc is that we're all different. The first time I went in with contractions 3 mins apart I was 0.5 cm I suppose they have to have some guidelines but you just have to play it by ear I think.

With any luck you'll go in in the middle of the night and you won't have to worry about traffic.

angels again sorry x posted - if you do go into labour during the day and want to go to the hospital a bit early to miss the traffic then I know some people who have been sent off to have a walk around the hospital grounds / drink in the cafe / to the shop to buy some magazines. You'd only be sitting / pacing around anyway so not a bad idea to keep mobile / do something to take ur mind off it!

When I was induced last time I went down to the delivery suite at 9am and had the pessary insterted etc then DH and I went off to the cafe at 12pm for a spot of lunch! It was so nice as I had been on "bed-rest" for 2 weeks and now allowed to leave the ward!

Thanks PDR and eau . There's a TKmax 5 mins away from the hospital so maybe I could go there to waste some time (not sure I'll quite be in the mood/able though) [worried my waters could break all over tkmax emoticon]

DH has gone out to lunch (he's been off work since chrimbo and still has another week or so to go and is getting increasingly grumpy old man-ish being stuck in with a useless pg woman and so much unpacking from moving) so I've got the house to myself for now

I dunno, there are plenty of urban legends about women's waters breaking in John Lewis/Debenhams/Primark/Wherever and them getting vouchers out of it, if you do go to TK Max in labour you might want to jump up and down a bit

Hello all

debka I would deffo take the stuff you mentioned just in case. Probably won't need it but if it's there then you know you're sorted. Fingers crossed though you won't need it. Mu dh is away at end of month and I am deliberating going to my sisters in Gloucestershire. I will be almost 37 weeks though - silly idea I guess.

Watched 5 mins of ObEm.... Agreed it's much worse watching someone that actually doing it! Just remember that every contraction is one less and also one step closer to your baby! That will be my mantra.

Just off o collect ds1 frm his first day at new preschool

40 hope your DS enjoyed his 1st day!

Thanks for your reply 40weeks, thought everyone was ignoring me! :) If you going to Gloucestershire is silly at nearly 37 weeks then so am I! Ah well...

angels when I was induced I spent as much time as possible wandering round the hospital. Wasn't allowed to leave the grounds unfortunately but could go to the cafe, etc. 2nd day, when I was in labour properly, I paced up and down the corridors with DH, pausing to lean on the windowsills for contractions! Only went back to the ward when I threw up all over the toilet wall (bad aim- sorry cleaners!). Had to wait on the ward on my birthing ball for about an hour before I got my own room. TBH I didn't really care- you go quite 'inward' in labour and don't really notice what's going on round you.

Re. Setting up car seats and hospital bags- I will set up my car seat next time I get a chance but will keep hospital bag at home rather than in the bar, if that helps.

Re. Setting up car seats and hospital bags- I will set up my car seat next time I get a chance but will keep hospital bag at home rather than in the bar, if that helps.

Debka bring your notes as well as your hospital bag!!

angels didn't mean to panic you re maternity ward it depends how many women come in etc at the same time, apparently February is a quiet month!! When I was induced we were brought in at night so we could be started at 6am so obviously there were other women there. Agree with debka you don't really notice anyone else and I just closed the curtains. My hospital doesn't take you into delivery suite until you are 6/7cms. Besides you get to see the new babies coming back to the ward - great incentive!!

hee hee zero at keeping your hospital bag in the bar! depends how much time you intend on spendin in there really!

I keep forgetting my notes, had to go back home last time to pick them up, oops!

angels it sounds as if your new shiny ward will be so modern that i expect they'll have your room ready as long as it's not too busy. You could ask your mw to make sure though, she knows how nervous you are doesn't she? I think you'll surprise yourself with how you cope

I am beginning to wonder if we put too much pressure on prof with the stats etc, hope she's okay!

I'm having period pains on and off at the moment, nothing regular (mainly in the evenings) but think it's BHs getting stronger. I quizzed OH this morning about stages of labour and he did really well, he must have been reading stuff without letting me know.

Feeling a bit nervous about antenatal class tonight, don't know what to expect but hope it will finish on time or I'll be asleep at the back of the class

Sorry debka didn't mean to ignore you [apologetic emoticon]. If it were me I think I'd take hospital bag/birth plan/pg medical notes with me. Not sure I'd get around to thinking about car seat (you're very impressive with your organisational thoughts - I've lost all capabilities of mine!), but I suppose if I take all the other stuff I'd probably stuff that in too. Best be too prepared than get caught out.

lol at zeros typo re: leaving hospital bag in the bar (does she mean car???). I think that't what they call a freudian slip

Still a bit that I might be in labour on a ward - really thought I went straight into own delivery room. wiggles if they don't move you until you're 6/7 cm then if you're planning an epidural (as I am) do they give it to you before or after you reach 6/7 cm? I was under the belief that you could theoretically (so long as anaethatist about) have it whenever you felt you needed it. Not sure how bad pain is by 6 cm but would be at having to wait if I wasn't coping and had made it bitterly clear every second since arrival in hospital that I want one

needto hope antenatal class goes well. I've got my first one in a week or so and it's 4 hours long - really don't think I'll manage to keep awake - don't know how those still at work are managing.

Oh gosh DH just rang to say we are going to visit the school we would like to send DS1 to next Monday - my baby - going to school! Good job I will have another baby soon!!!! What on earth am I going to wear in my current state of hugeness? I don't think leggings are an option

40 wks im in Glos and the hospital is all brand new and lovely so at least that would be ok,i decided not to go to essex at xmas and was only 34 wks but i just couldnt face being there if started early.
My waters have broken everywhere but in a posh shop,first in video shop,2nd in sil front room and third in the street
I have got period pains as we speak and my bh were so bad last night i had to breathe thru them.
Managed to stay awake for shameless last night it was very funny and cheered me up.
Does anyone (prob you pdr)feel really achey at night,i feel it in my ribs and groin\pubic bone and just cant get comfy.My mate is doing my hair next thurs,she booked me and said yeah lets do it then and you'll only have a week to go

waters breaking all over the place there ledkr . I'm glad you said about being uncomfy at night - I wake up with some kind of pain or other and have to move to my other side (alot of moving from side to side all night), but the rolling to the other side is really quite painful and I'm getting lots of groin/pelvis/leg/arm/general aches/pains during the night every night now making it hard to sleep. I was going to ask if this was normal or not, I assume it is?

hello all, just back from a spa day in Southport. It was divine!

I'm having very disturbed nights due to aches and pains too. Went to see a podiatrist yesterday who has told my that my SPD is in part because one of my legs is slightly shorter than the other, and has given me a built up insole to wear in my left shoe to sort it out. It is amazing. I walked around B&Q for 45 mins yesterday with barely any discomfort. Just a shame no-one spotted this sooner!

I loved OBEM last night - wasn't sure I should be watching it when it started but now I want to watch more. DH said that the screamer needed a slap and that she should pull herself together! Apparently I was fairly dignified last time in the noise department - only a little mooing at the pushing stage (I can't remember).

I am pleased to hear that others are having odd pains in the night too (sorry- that sounds really selfish!) I am like a zombie as every night I wake up with stabbing pain under my left rib, how weird!

Angels at my local hospital they move you to a delivery room at 5cm, and at that point you can request an epidural (they arent advised before 4cm as they can slow down labour). So dont worry- just make sure that you are very clear about your request!

I ordered my TENS machine today, I really hope that it works as the thought of pethidine or an epidural really scares me! Has anybody been doing hypnobirthing and can recommend a CD or course to me? May be a bit late but I am getting anxious!

Oh, and my Babystyle Oyster arrived yesterday, it's amazing! so easy to push and manouver, cant wait to get baba and go for a spin!

Anyway, lets hope for a better nights sleep for us all tonight. I am going to have a lavender bath before bed.

Oh......and is anyone else drinking the raspberry leaf tea?

I can watch bits of OBEM online which I didn't think I could do. Mistake - had me in tears straightaway! Not long now, ladies!

Oo ive got the oyster too,in black and pink.Its paid for but in the shop and wont be getting it out until dh dd and I can all take her out,not having bossy mil muscling in on that event Good news at the mo they are still allowing siblings in to visit but not pils other people.Mw said it was "bloody ridiculous" for anyone to stay with someone so soon after birth.Scared now that she will still insist on coming down to "help" the day after baby born cos we are telling her im staying in until sunday pm thus no point her coming as cant visit etc.Ill be stuck in hospital haha.Dh will have to be strong.
angels do you get that sort of numb hip pain at night?And rolling over is almost hilarious,i grunt and groan and as for my language each turn is accompanied by a list of expletetives that turn the air blu.

What's wrong with a heavily pregnant woman spending all her time down the bar? No, of course I meant car, I've bearly drunk in a year since ttc but luckily (for him) dh has been doing enough drinking for the both of us.

angels pain like that is definately common, I have a terrible time of it at night. Its hard to turn over, impossible to get out of bed and my groin aches constantly. Don't forget you can take paracetamol if you want.