April 2011 - towards motherhood boucing on yoda balls, eating coc pops and riding frozen surfboards we are

[SnapFrakkleAndPop]

Raspberry leaf and all round.

Continuation from here. No Mofo C bombs yet been dropped in the delivery room although our first 2 babies have arrived. Congrats to gormers and Jo, we hope your little ones are still doing great.

Sassy - Was officially due last Weds but I know it was actually last Fri (possible TMI there!) so only just four days over I guess, pretty similar to you - we shall have to keep each other posted!! Intermittent gripes so far today, nothing major. of zen resignation.....

My favourite question to my MW is 'et ca veut dire...?' which literally translates to 'what does that mean?' - helpfully both in the sense 'I don't understand what you just said, can you put it more simply?' but also 'What does that mean in practical terms?'.

I don't know what would be best to ask for if baby isn't head down and at least partly engaged. A presentation scan is only accurate the minute that it's done and if you have a bobbing baby it might give a false sense of security. It's knowing the position of the baby when you go into labuor which counts....

I know that my maternity notes are full of contingency plans (I just posted them on another thread in Childbirth about risks for a transverse baby) but it is worth knowing whether you need to be examined for presentation the minute you arrive at the hospital, what your MW thinks the chances of your baby turning during labour are, whether you need to prepare for the possibility of a CS etc. It's entirely possible that the first phase of labour will manouvere your baby into an optimal foetal position! It depends on just how skewed its positioning is and you need to insist on your MW telling you all the possible scenarios at your next appointment. Forewarned being forearmed and all that.

Daisy I've just got constant dull period pain now but that feeling that it could start up again anytime! Poor us!

I know what you mean SJ, sometimes you have to know what questions to ask in the first place to get the information you need - especially if the healthcare professional is not very forthcoming.

TBH I'm quite shocked that your MW has seemingly told you nothing about your situation. She is obviously not into explanations so I think it will be up to you to pressure on her for information, which can make you uncomfortable because there is something in all of us that doesn't like to question professionals and their opinions. I suggest you make a list of questions in advance that you would like to ask and if possible take someone else with you. It is often easier to have an advocate than stand up for yourself - especially at such an emotive time.

sassy, sounds like things are heading in the right direction for you to. Labour (especially latent phases) can be very stop start and that is normal. However I think we've become programmed to think that labour starts like it does on tv and films, with woman suddenly getting really quite established labour pains and waters gushing everywhere - drama drama drama!

Just a quick post to say that I had our not so wee boy, Archer Ethan, yesterday evening at home. It was a perfect waterbirth, very relaxed, which given he was 10lb 2 and a half oz I'm pretty chuffed about. I hope all the other ladies hoping for a home birth get your wish. The midwives who were stars, left us all curled up on the sofa with jammy toast and tea a couple of hours after he popped out. A very happy family of 4.

Wow jaylar huuuuuuge congratulations! I think you win biggest baby so far It sounds like a really lovely experience.

Congratulations Jaylar sounds like everything went perfectly for you.
I hope you're right iliketomoveit it definitely felt like something was starting but just frustrating after having fairly regular contractions from 8pm to 7am that it all stopped when I went to sleep!

Congratulations Jaylar. Archer is a lovely name, did you say before you DD had a "nature" name too?? And 10lb 2 and a half yowsers!! I will await your birth story with baited breath as I'm on track to have a big 'un too!

Lovely news, you're the first of the Scottish ladies too!!

Congrats jaylar sounds like a lively birth, but wow what a whopper!

Er LOVELY birth!

harrumph! So Holly Willobooby may or may not be in labour. She's not due til May. She has jumped the queue and stolen one of our April spots ladies!

I'm very grumpy today can you tell! Its only Tuesday too!!

Think I need something to eat!

:o

Lis - have a Fox's choccie biscuit :)

Jaylar - congratulations!!! So hope I can post similar soon (with a slightly lower weight if poss, lol)

Nothing doing here, despite more efforts from DH

Willo-booby's in labour??? How, how, when did that happen, I knew from the size of her she was further on than me!! S'not fair she is queue jumping!!

Congratulations Jaylar and welcome baby Archer - love the name, 10lb2.5ozs tho - ouch!!! Birth sounds like it went pretty much as you'd hoped for :)

Am now slightly concerned about planned sweep on 27th, which I know is completely irrational but I have only ever met MW's in a formal capacity at clinic appts and now I've got to bare my fanjo to them for them to have a rummage about in!!! I know that sounds completely ridiculous as that was always going to be the end outcome somehow or another but I've just suddenly gone off the idea of other people looking at my lady garden!!!

JKS I am saving shagging efforts for nearer to due date!! Don't want to waste all my energy on ones that'll have no effect whatsoever!!!

Have had some soup and cheese on toast and feel human again! Funny how that happens!! Is it a blood sugar thing? DH calls it my incredible hulk moment! He usually only says that from a distance while preparing food to throw at me for me!

Max Beesley is on Loose Women so thats cheered me up too!!

Nothing doing here labour wise. I goign to stop thinking about slight pains and aches and only worry if it is actual contractions/waters breaking etc!!

Grrr at Holly. I'm secretly hoping kitten will cone on my due date (23rd) not the hosps (28th) yeah righto!

Can I ask a hosp bag q? I have a largish hosp bag that doesn't seem to be big enough. Mw suggested a bag for me a bag for kitten. What's everyone doing?

I have a labour bag, an overnight stay bag for me and a stay bag for baby (but my hospital gives you absolutely nothing).

My hospital has a one bag policy so I went out and bought one of thos big holdalls on wheels (its the size of a suitcase and pink). In there I have all my clothes, towels, snacks, toiletries, baby clothes, iPod speakers, camera, slippers, flip flops. And I've done my changing bag up for all the nappies, cotton wool etc, but that can stay in the car until we are on the ward and DH can bring it in.

My MW suggested I take bottles and formula too, but I don't think I will because I want to BF and that seems like admitting defeat before even starting! I have bottles here anyway, but no formula.

In saying that I have probably packed to many vests and babygrows etc, but everyone on here and in RL keeps telling me you can't have enough. I'm looking at a 2-3 night stay in hospital anyway (1st timers policy).

Kitty I have a small suitcase, like the kind you would take on the plane as hand luggage and have somehow miraculously managed to fit everything in there! Not quite sure how I've managed that, babies clothes are taking up no room at all but my dressing gown, pyjamas etc have almost filled it! Just have a seperate small bag for food and drink etc and things like TENS machine, phone charger, i-pod, camera etc to be thrown in at last minute and will ask DP to bring me in a change of clothes for going home. Keep thinking I should have more stuff but can't think what, I'm bad enough trying to pack for myself at the best of times, let alone pack for a baby when I have no idea what she needs!

Wouldn't have expected MW to tell you to bring bottles and formula Lis! Infact quite surpriised at that!! They are usually pushing for breast feeding!
I have bottles and steriliser etc at home too but not planning on getting it out until I can express. Was told by MW at breast feeding class NOT to buy 'incase formula' as at 3am on a bad night it would be too easy to think f**k it and give up on breast feedng, instead we were advised to call unit and request a home visit in the morning if having trouble with feeding overnight when first at home.

Apparently the hospital can't guarantee they will have bottles and formula for you(cut backs). It was probably more aimed at those who are going straight to FF. But I still found it a bit weird.

TBH my CMW (nice one) said she hadn't done a shift on the labour ward for so long she'd fogotten most of the "rules" so was always overly cautious when asked ward specific questions. Bit crap when you can't go for a visit to the labour ward now because of infection control, so who do you ask?? I was lucky I had a trainee MW one appointment who regularly worked the ward. She managed to put me right on a few things or was able to find out for me.

Kitty I have a small suitcase with everything for labour and afterwards for me then a small bag with all baby's things in. My hosp not told me if there's a one bag policy so not going to find out in case have to repack!

Yey, congratulations to Jaylar, wow, Archer is a good weight Lovely visions of you all snuggled up together eating jammy toast.

Just seen midwife again for 2nd membrane sweep. She can't understand why I haven't gone into labour yet. She had a real good old rummage so you never know.

MrsWajs I honestly wouldn't worry about having a sweep. I think its definitely worth a try if you are as desperate as me to get baby out. My 2 sweeps really haven't been that bad. I don't really have a shred of dignity though so have no qualms about stripping off in front of anyone!

Ladies, bit of a dilemma here.

I have the chance of Peter Kay tickets at the SECC on Thursday night. I really want to go, but ......

I think I know the answer but wanted to sound you guys out as you are all so much better at seeing sense than I am. My due date is Saturday, I have a MW appointment on Thursday too which I was hoping she would do a sweep for me if favourable.

I've also heard of people laughing themselves into labour, could this be an issue too??