July 2011 we're entering the second half!

[confuddledDOTcom]

F1rstT1meMummy 25/6/11
Ickle: EDD 29/6 pg#1 age 31
Pesha: EDD 30/6 pg#4, age 32, (dd 10yrs, ds1 7yrs, ds2 3yrs)
Blueberryjam EDD 1/7 PG#5 AGE 27 ( 7,6,4 & 8 months)
Loueytbg EDD 1/7 PG#3 Age 37 (DS1&2 3.6, 1 mc)
Tebbles EDD 1/7 PG#1 Age 29 (No DC yet)
Orchid: EDD 1/7 pg#2 age 31 (DS 2)
WolfcubEm83: EDD 1/7 pg#1 age 27
Phlebas: EDD 2/7 PG#10, age 35 (dd1 10yrs, ds 4yrs, dd2 18mo)
Riddzy: EDD 3/7 PG1, Age 31
MadAboutTheBoys 3/7 PG#3 Age 34 (DS1 3yrs; DS2 17 months)
Emmylou30: EDD4/7 pg#1 age 30
Mitchell81: EDD 4/7 pg#4 age 29(dd 10 yrs,ds1 4yrs, ds2 2yrs)
Eglu: EDD 5/7 pg#3, age 33 (DS 7 & 3) - Girl
Twit: EDD 5/7 pg#6 age 35 (3 ds's 12,9,3 one dd 4)
Countrybunkin: EDD 6/7 pg#14 age 26
Miss Lolita: EDD7/7 pg#1 age 31 - girl
ScarIettOHara: EDD 8/7 pg#1 age 34
Oceanfox: EDD 08/07 pg1 age 37
Smiler80: EDD 08/07 pg#1 age 30
Fiatlux: EDD 08/07 pg#1 age 36
MeesaMum: EDD 9/7 pg#1 age 30
wolfhound, EDD 9 July pg#3 age 40 (DS1 is 3 and DS2 is 16 mths)
Mrsfarge: EDD 9/7, pg#4, age 34 (ds 9, dd 3, ds 2)
Scarthy: EDD 10/7 pg#2 age 35 (DS 3yrs)
SpannerPants: EDD 10/7 age 27 pg#1 - boy
emilyplus1: EDD 10/7 pg#2 age 25 (DD 17 months)
confuddledDOTcom: EDD 11/7/11 girl (expected to last until May, ELCS will be mid-June if I last that long and they get their own way) age 30 (3 girls: 1 angel and two amazing girls age 4 and 2)
Sweetiexxx: EDD 11/7 pg#2 age 32 (DD 17 months)
Highheelsandequations EDD 11/7 pg#2 age 30 (no DC yet)
Rarewelshbit: EDD 11/7 age 33 (no DC yet)
Scrivette: EDD 12/7 pg1, age 30 (no DC yet)
canny77 12/7/11
NNABAIW: EDD 13/7 pg#2 age 33 (DD 15 months)
Stottiecake: EDD 13/7 pg2, age 37 (ds 2)
StormBird: EDD 13/7 pg2, age 28 (no DC yet)
Squirrel007 EDD 13/7 PG#1 Age 29 (No DC yet)
BeatrixRotter: EDD 14/7 pg#2 age 34 (DD 2)
kalp12 14/7/11
Sues1974: EDD 15/7 pg#2 age 36 (DS 21 months)
filey1: EDD 16/7 pg#1 age 28 (no DC yet)
pennyly: EDD 16/7 pg#1 age 32 (no DC yet)
JazzS: EDD 16/7 pg#1 age 29 (no DC yet)
Nicolamumof3: EDD 17/7 pg4 age 33 (DS's aged 11.6, 4.11 and 3.3)
youpie: EDD 17/7 pg#2 age 34 (ds 16 months)
Nitnatnaboo: EDD 17/7 pg#2 age 38 (ds 5 yrs)
Highfibrediet EDD 17/7 pg#4 age 38 (ds1 8y, ds2 6y, ds3 2 1/2y)
Fraochsmum: EDD 17/7 pg2 age 33 (dd 11 months)
Hefner: EDD 17/7 pg#1 age 28
a11J: EDD 18/7 p#1 age 21
Stangirl: EDD 19/7 pg2 age 41 (DD 9 months)
Fab123: EDD 19/7 pg#1 age 29
Zanzicat: EDD 20/7 pg#1 age 30
Pregnant inParis: EDD 20/7 pg#1 age 30
isitreallythattime: EDD 20/07 pg#2 age 32
Dynababy: EDD 21/7 pg#1 age 34
FessaEst: EDD 21/7 pg#3 age 30 (mc & DD 13 months)
cara2244: EDD 21/7 pg#2 age 31 (DS 2 years)
FallingandLaughing: EDD 22/7 pg#1 age 33
Geordiemam4: EDD 23/7 pg#4 age 31 (DD age 13, DS age 11, DS age 8)
Brassicababe: EDD23/7 pg#1 age 37
Brightsideoflife: EDD23/7 pg#3 age 33 (DD 19 months)
PixieOnaLeaf EDD 23/7 pg#6 Age 44 (DD1 16, DD2 12, DS 9, DTD1 8 months, DTD2 8 months)
GruffaloMama EDD 23/7 pg2 age 35 (DS 2.1)
Inbetweener EDD 24/7 pg3 age 36 ( DD 8 DD 6 )
LadyGoneGaga: EDD 24/7 pg#3 age 32 (DS age 2.5, mc)
honeybabymoon EDD 24or 25/7 age 30 (no DCs)
Emmywoo: EDD 26/7. pg## age 33 dd 4 and mc
Chocoflakes: EDD 27/7 pg#3 age 37 (dd15,ds13)
Ivegotmrbitey: EDD27/7 pg#1 age 31
SelenaDoula 27/7/11
Sugargirl1: EDD 28/7 pg#2 age 32 (DD 13months)
Badgerwife: EDD 22/7 pg#1 age 30
Buttonmoon78: EDD 29/7 pg#5 age 32 (DCs 13, 10 & 3)
ddas: EDD 31/7 pg#1 age 26
sunshiney78: EDD 31/7 pg 1 age 31
ZuluWarrior: EDD ?/7 pg#3 age 32 (DS 20 months)
JimmyChoo17: EDD 16/07 P#1 Age 29

hope everyone had a lovely mothers day. I got sand on my crutches so i'm a happy girl :)

Hello all, returning after a long absence! Have been scanning the thread for info on what people are planning to do birth-wise. Feel a bit cheeky having not been on here regularly over past couple of months but would love to know what people are planning. Frankly, I have no idea what to expect as this is my first and think I'm starting to get cold feet about the whole thing and am really starting to dread going into labour.

We've booked a birthing pool for home and have read lots of other threads on this subject or around it and am currently reading a book on practical homebirth/waterbirth. Thing is, I'm just not convinced and now feel silly 'back- tracking'.

Those of you who have had kids before, what were your first experiences like? Were you anxious too? What are you planning now? I know there are lots of threads on giving birth but it would just feel a bit more real coming from people who are actually going to give birth in just a few short weeks. First timers, are you starting to freak out too?

Hello everyone! Feeling much better than I was last week. The obn told me to eat more protein and drink more water. It seems to have helped as have the 9-10hr sleeps!

Everyone seems to be way ahead with getting baby things. We have bought 3 baby grows, one pair of booties and a crib (which DH put up last night). I found a couple of very good second hand baby stores and registered for a glider and the citiselect stroller. I will probably have to buy the stroller new but I figured I would give it a whirl at buying it second hand. The glider I would like is about $600 new and they sell for about $200 at the second hand shop. We are still not sure about the mattress. The one we were told to get by the shop is $350 and has one side for the 1st year and a softer side for after. I am thinking that there must be something similiar for less.

Ickle - i am a 1st timer and as I get closer I am getting less nervous. We are doing a hospital birth as I might need a c-section. The obn has me doing everything to avoid this but they have been great in preparing me early for what could happen.

As to people making rude comments, I had client tell me that I should wear my wedding band so people don't think I am having a child out of wedlock. There isn't much you can say in return as they are paying for us. What annoyed me more was that I helped his son get his current job after he was fired by my employer for poor performance.

Highfibre I never bother to buy supplements as I am the world's worst rememberer. Seriously, even when I was in agony last time, I'd have to set my alarm on my phone to help me remember to take my painkillers. I am hopeless... Besides I find it easier to take my aunt's advice a little every day helps apparently... (she's a gp!)

Just today and Friday then that's it for me and work - yay!

$350 sounds a bit steep for a mattress Want2b. I've got a lovely one which I'll be reusing - it's a mothercare one which is fully sprung so offers plenty of support but also has a zip off top section which you can boil wash - great for sicky babies...

Hello everyone,
I havent been on in a week as I was signed off sick from work lol. I get plenty of time to look at mumsnet when at work but not at home lol. I end up getting sucked into housework and kids stuff.

mrickle I am very nervous and this is my third !! strangely I wasn't too bad first time around and I think that was the sheer unknown or me being silly. Anyway, I wouldnt have been brave enough to attempt a homebirth first time around so i admire you for that ! Thats not a judgement by the way thats just me being petrified lol. DD1 was born with the cord around her neck and actually needed resusitation when she was born so that was quite scary. DD2 was born in 2 hours also at hospital and was lovely and easy so I am hoping this one will be the same. Hoever, as I said this time I am even more scared. i think I am too well informed as I hadnt discovered Mumsnet then ( 8 years ago !!) and so now I know what can/could go wrong !I have opted to give birth in the midwife low intervention suite as they seem to think i will be straightforward but you never can tell. I must admuit i DO like the backup of being in hospital but only you can decide what you really want. I think you have to just try and go with it on the day lol. What will happen will happen

Well im 24+4 today ! cant believe I will be 25 weeks this week! Im feeling lots of movements now, mainly quite low down. At my last MW appt she said baby was transvverse but i think thats quite normal at this stage so im not too worried. I dont have an appt till the end of April now which will be my 28 week appt !! Then i guess we can really start thinking about things happening...gulp.

I sorted through all the girlie baby things at the weekend and put them all in storage boxes in the loft. I have about 20 white babygros and 20-30 white vests I can use for my boy in the early months so have washed and dried all of them. new mattress ( it was £155 from mamas and papas ) and pushchair ( bugaboo second hand £100 ) is round my MIL's along with a new bouncy chair. I also have a new sterilisor ( £20 from Amazon ) in the loft just incase so i am actually feeling quite organised. Now I just need DH to dig out DD1's cotbed and find all the bloody screws and I will feel much better

MrIckle I attempted a homebirth with my first. I laboured in my birthpool and pushed for a couple of hours but he got stuck so transferred in by ambulance. This wasn't scary or panicked, I was just very tired by this point and needed help. They monitored baby closely throughout and he was never in any distress. I had a ventouse when I got to the hospital because he was badly positioned (hence getting stuck).

I don't regret the decision to try for a homebirth - it was the right thing for me - and will be trying again this time. You get so much more one on one care than you would get in the hospital - you have two midwifes with you all the time after a certain point, in a hospital you are more left to own devices if they are busy. however, you do have more pain relife options in the hospital and it depends how you fel about that. But you can elect to transfer in if you feel you are not coping and need an epidural for example.

I'd talk to your midwife about it and talk through your concerns. Best to be totally happy with your decision.

mrickle I am a first timer and know that by July 16th a new birthing process will have been designed where I have no pain, I ping back to shape (well better shape in fact) and am out of hospital within the hour and baby is healthy happy and in a decent sleep pattern already....

Lalalaaaala.......yep I'm in denial!! I get moments when the thought of it panics me and then I worry about something happening to baby or me. Then I get moments when I am so excited about doing it as I get to meet this lilttle amazing being! I've not been too emotional up until 25 weeks and now I could cry at will or suddenly seem to be manically happy about everything. I haven't really got a fixed birth plan but am discussing this with midwife today.

I want to be at home for as long as possible as am not a fan of hospitals but I don't live far at all (5mins!) I won't dismiss any pain relief but if can avoid epidurals I would like to. Mainly so I don't have to stay in hospital!!! I would love to have a home water birth but suddenly thought what would my poor old neighbour have to say about me screaming and sloshing about if I go into labour in the early hours!??!! Really I have no idea this being my first...whatis your due date?

I've got my 25 week midwife appointment this afternoon. I get kicked out so quickly but I've got a list of questions for once so she'll have to wait.

Need to do a urine sample but for once I don't need the loo, typical!!

Will she able to tell where baby is lying do you think?

I am soooo tired. Slept from 11-7 last night, back to bed for 2 hours this morning leaving dp with ds2 (dp on lates this week) and still feel like I've been drugged, my head feels heavy and woozy (sp?). Have my 28 wk appt tomorrow and hoping blood tests show I'm aneamic as then something can be done. But I suspect it may be my 'undiagnosed health problems' that I've had for years and had been much worse in the year leading up to this pg in which case I'm stuffed and just have to struggle on and I'm now starting to worry that if its this bad in pg then wtf am I gonna be like with a non sleeping newborn to deal with. Spent 3 days in hospital last May unable to walk, twitching and utterly exhausted because I'd overdone it with work and been pushing myself far too hard. I think having another baby was probably a really stupid thing to do! (Don't tell my friend I said that though as she told me that before I got pg and I ignored her!!).

Eek, nearly 3, have to do school run. Where do the afternoons go?!

Hey Jimmy - yes, she should be able to tell which way bub's is lying. Well my MW did anyway at my 24 week app. She also measured bump which was the first time for that too.

I thought about home birth and also had the thoughts about the neighbours! Wish I had a detached house rather than a semi. Even better would be in the middle of no where so I could have her in the garden without fear of anyone peeping through a window . I have good news though as my friend told me yesterday that she got a letter through to say the Birthing Centre will now be open from mid June, so just in time! Bit miffed my MW didn't bother to tell me and I never got a letter myself, but at least I know I only have a 5min toddle up the road now :)

You are very right fab! Bubs was head down and am rubbing his back as type! I'm in one of my excited moods today, popped into sainsburys on way home for some more baby bits for collection! Muslin cloths.....very exciting I know! More neutral bits but can't seem to get any long sleeve babygros in neutral that don't cost the earth. Heading to good old matalan after work tommorow so hopefully they'll have some.

Am measuring bang on my dates which was great to hear seeing as those stupid tactless people keep telling me I am huge.

Have not been feeling r ight for 2 weeks nearly now and she said sounds like me being Ill not baby which is good. she said there are so many weird viral bugs out there at the moment. What i thought were braxton hicks, she thinks were bad cramps but said if I get them more and if feel worse to get to a & e.

She still tried to rush my appointment tho...I just kept reeling off my questions I didn't want to be rushed today. About to call and book my classes too. Got my mat b 1

Right I'm off to satisfy my craving....rocket salad and coleslaw... well I suppose I should be pleased it's not coal or chocolate!

Good news about birthing centre fab! I've been looking at tens machines reviews as may invest in one for home.

MrIckle I'm a secondtimer and asked for - and was given - an elective c section for my DD. No medical reason - I just don't want to feel any pain. I have no regrets. I'll be having another csection this time at 39 weeks.

stangirl I am utterly intrigued by that !! They gave you an ELCS for NO REASON what so ever ?? Did you have to give a reason or put up an argument ?
I have never heard anyone being offered major surgery for no reason what so ever ?? and I work for the NHS !

inbetweener I met with my consultant (Kings College) and said all my friends had had awful births (2 nearly died) and I was terrified of pain. The consultant gave me a leaflet to read and then I confirmed that I wanted an ELCS. No argument. If you look on the childbirth threads you'll find several people have had the same experience. I'm sure they probably put psychological reasons, but it was easy.

This time round when they asked what happened last time and I explained ELCS because "that's what I wanted" the consultant just shrugged and said "so I presume you'll want the same again?'. Which I do - and is now written all over my notes.

evening all.

Im toying with home birth or full on hospital with epidural or might even end up with a section (my least favourable) have to wait on several things before i can really 'plan' have GTT end of month and scan to see where my placenta is lying.

My first labour/birth believe it or not was my easiest. think this is due to several factors:
was very fit and toned (size 8/10..now a 14!)
was young..22
was unaware of just how painful it would get..so kept thinking it will get worse, it will get worse!

Then he arrived and i'd barely used the gas and air.

My top top tip is to stay at home as long as possible. I have always done this and by time got to hospital always been at least 7cm dilated, and given birth withing 2/3hours.

If you stay at home....do you know when to go in? Does that sound like a stupid question? I really want to stay at home as long as possible but wonder when it actually comes to the day...when to go in? (Prob after 1 contraction and in a sheer panic ha ha!) I dont want to put baby in danger of course - Im literally 5 mins from my hospital which is a good thing mind.

Another q for you ladies - if everything goes well and you have a problem free natural birth....how long do they keep you in for your first born now a days?

Have been given a hypnobirth DVD and just been offered a tens machine too! My friend said the distraction of the machine was the main thing but it helped but found the breathing fro hypno birthing helped too. Im keeping an open mind for both! My friend had an awful experience after her epidurals so I really would love to avoid that!

jimmy have you been offered ante natal classes they will be able to answer all these and more questions.

I went in when i couldn't cope with the contractions when they were barely minutes apart, and basically once i was forced into the car by dh!!

you should be home next day i would have thought.

MrIckle a friend of mine had a birthing pool at home for some of her labour but then ended up in hopsital, but still said it really helped and made the earlier stages much less painful.

I was terrified first time round and am again to be honest! It's only 1 day out of your life though and I was on a high for weeks afterwards.

Jimmychoo - The hospitals in and around Manchester send you home between 6hrs and 18hrs after labour and after 3 days for a c-section. I was a bit shocked so asked more questions. Basically, if natural, they won't release you until after the baby has been fed and both mother and baby are have been seen by a doctor. I didn't get a concrete answer on what the aftercare was beyond you leaving the hospital so you might want to ask what support is available for you for the first 72hrs.

I find it funny that the hospital stay is longer here in the US compared to the UK. The hospital I am going to be delivering at won't release you until they are confident you know how to look after the baby and you have had at least 12 hours of sleep in a 36hr period. Their policy is to release you after 72 hours but you can discharge yourself earlier if you want to. As i will get my own room I am planning to stay for at least 48hrs and catch up on my sleep.

I was desperate to get out asap, Jimmy. I hate hospitals. I had DS at 10am and left the following morning. Would have been sooner but think they kept me overnight as had had an epidural.

The aftercare is great. Community midwives come out to see you every day at home for about the first week I think? They really help with establishing breastfeeding and answering any issues as they arise.

Thankyou for all your comments/info. We're a pretty mixed bag aren't we? Which only goes to show that surely it is just whatever works best for you. Pleased to hear I'm not the only nervous one too, even for those on their second and third!

inbetweener I'm not being brave by opting for the home waterbirth, the m/w's in my area are just very strongly pro home birth, so much so that it feels like the dangerous decision is to go into hospital. I don't feel like I'm getting a very rounded view - another reason I so badly wanted everyone's thoughts.

So far, everyone's comments have helped me and DH decide that we would like to try and stay at home for as long as possible with the pool, but that he will have to be extra firm with the attending Midwife to let me transfer if we get worried or I decide I can't cope with the pain - we're only 5 mins away from the hospital too so seems a decent risk balance if things do go wrong.

In the meantime I'm going to hold out for the magical new birthing process outlined by Jimmychoo above, hopefully this will be available before the 16th though!

would just like to add jimmy my epidural birth of ds3 was the most chilled easy birth of the lot! bliss. After having had amonth of chest infections and sinusitus i needed a sleep so i had epidural and they had to wake me up to get me to push him out lol! two pushes and i was done. Easy.

As yet I have no idea of birth plans or anything - think I'll have to wait a bit for that.

Anyway, having read all that I've now no time to post - off to hospital for ds's grommets (again). Really really hoping they work this time...

I'm still really unsure whether I want a home or hospital birth. It's my first one so I don't really know what to expect. My pregnancy has been straightforward and I live close to hospital so I'm probably ideal for a homebirth, but I think I would feel happier being in hospital, just in case anything went wrong (even though I know that's unlikely and I could transfer in if I needed to). I want as little intervention as possible and want to be able to move around during labour and get home soon afterwards. It feels like everything points towards a home birth being best and my midwife and everyone in my yoga class probably think I'm mad for choosing to go to hospital, but I think I would feel safer there.

Morning all,

stangirl wow well there you go, you learn something new everyday ! I must say as much as I hated the pain and the labour, the feeling of euphoria when I delivered was lovely . Was it worth the pain, well I havent experienced a CS so I guess it was for me lol. Good luck to you though as long as our babies arrive safely thats the main thing.

nicola thats exactly my plan too ! Stay at home for as long as possible ! With DD1 I got to the hospital at only 2-3cm and was so gutted ! i thought I had been managing amazingly well but in hindslight I knew nothing lol !! With DD2 I stayed at home for ages, pottered about, even bathed DD1 and did the bedtime routine before I went in. I got to the hospital, and was 7-8cm I was so chuffed !! She was born 1 hour and 45 mins later lol !!

So thats def the plan for this one. Stay at home and try, try, try. It was weird because second time around i kept waiting for it to get worse ( as I knew it would ) and so i knew that I could cope. I wonder if I will remmeber this time, its been ages this time !! I hope my body remembers how to pop it out after nearly 7 years !!

hello all..
I am very tired again, and going to have a snooze I think. hehehehe.
I've had 2 hospital births and 2 home births. I'm booked for another homebirth but what with being knackered and in pain I'm considering hospital purely so I can try an epidural [for shiggles].
I am a walker in the early bit up to transition, where I can't walk through it any more as it gets a bit, er, worse. [scared] After that I lie down, shivering, no contractions and fall asleep. Then I sit up yelling that I want to push and give birth. So no noise just lots of walking and pretty quick.

For me the transition pain and feelings around that is the worst, second to the placenta coming out.
Home births are great if the MW gets to you in time. With DD I had two MWs with me all through and it was lovely, with DS3 the first one arrived as I was shouting 'HEAD' as she pulled up and started unloading her boot. Looking back it was actually nice not to be fussed over, but at the time I was desperately trying to breathe to slow things down worrying about the lack of MW.
And now I shall return my head back to the sand for a while.