Nov 2011 - almost time to push!

[TerrysNo2]

Last thread was full so thought I would just start this one off - hope you don't mind as I know I've not been a regular but god forbid you guys having nowhere to chat ;)

Right, caz what's happening, I am stalking you all over the shop and need more news :)

Ah Mrsa hope you are ok. Will have a read of thread later but am supposed to be finishing an application and just taking a quick tea break!
Mw later, glad am taking dd1 in as am less likely to rage at her about the growth scan and refusal to book hb. Am going to say that we are going to the clu but may manage to not say because unfortunately I've had a rubbish cmw experience!
Hope our thread babies and mummies are doing well.
H007 my bump is really low down too. I could feel my ribs yesterday! I'm hoping she has engaged but not too worried if she hasn't as I know anything after your 1st doesn't always engage until late/labour.

MrsA Hope you are feeling a little better now, either that or something is definitely happening so you know for sure!!

FX for those being induced at the mo... hope the waiting around in hospital is not too long!

Been quiet for me last few days, mums been here but she's gone now, so a couple of quiet days at home for me (DH at work) then some friends coming to stay at the weekend. Spent all day yesterday washing and ironing baby clothes! So sweet to see them all hanging on the airer/radiator.

Hospital bag is now packed! (Still a couple of things missing, but the basics there). Going to pack babies bag today.

Hope everyone is feeling OK, mood feels much more optomistic here this week than last!

xx

Oh staceroo you just reminded me I need to go and buy some hospital bag stuff for me! Nice smellies. I love the pounds op that's just opened on the retail park near me and stocks all my nice hair stuff etc. I think I'll be done after that. Just need to get some money changed into change so I have parking money as you only get a parking pass once in established labour! Also got to get some juice and snacks. My OH Os awful if he hasn't eaten so need to keep his blood sugars up or I'll have to boot him out my room!
I'm constantly feeling achy and crampy. I notice it more when I don't but nothing is happening at all.

MrsA I had that last week and again on Sunday. Mine came with temperature and the OB was convinced it was all fine and just an upset stomach. He blamed the ABs I was one. Mine stayed all day and night though :(
Hope you are continuing to feel better and that bean stays put till after bonfire night :)

Hospital bag here is packed for my, DH's and LO's 3 day stay. I'm glad I have this out of the way to be honest, as it was playing on my mind.

Is anyone else having really weird dreams again?
Oh and also, baby movements seem to be sleepier the last few days. Still plenty there, but aren't big shoves anymore and more lazy rolling over. I'm not worried, but has anyone else come across that? I'm 36 weeks today

Hope everyone is well

Never lol! Thank you, you?re so right: I do sound like I was going into melt down, but no, no melt down for me ? just like to consider all the possibilities ? I?m still working so Bumpalicious can?t come early! My MWs are brilliant, so I feel very supported & given how much we?re paying them, I would have no hesitation in calling them if I really was worried, but y?know how these thoughts go through our minds occasionally ? I now feel bad for just momentarily worrying out loud here now, especially when there are people in far more worrying situations ? sorry, my languaging can be a tad dramatic at times & I should try to rein it in.

Thanks cep, I?m REALLY hoping for a due date baby ? 1/11/11 ? what a great date!! Shame we?re not having a boy; we could call him Juan!!

Truffkin, you?ll find your time off will whoosh by ? we?re moving house too, once I?ve got the build finished on the new place ? packing takes forever!! & if you?re wise (unlike me,) you?ll start it before baby arrives; that?ll take up a lot of your time!

Well done for reaching term, MrsA, - yey!!! for the Indian head massage! Hope it helps you feel better.

Thanks for the reminder staceroo ? still haven?t done my hospital bag ? my MW says as I?m planning a home birth, I should at least have it done as it?s sod?s law I?ll need if I don?t?

Ooh, voodoomunkee I?m getting those cramps & aches too, but on one site I read these can be felt up to a month before birth. Technically, there?s another 3 weeks before I?m classed as overdue at 42+1, so I?m just going to try & ignore them & view them as the body doing a little bit of forward planning now, which might mean the actual labour will be less painful (laughs hollowly at that silly thought!)

Hope Hump day is good for everyone! xx

37+4 weeks today I've found movements have cranked up. Last growth scan last week showed plenty of room he is currently average size so I reckon he hasn't got too cramped yet.

MrsA I had a day of what I call "first day discomfort" that kind of feeling that you just know your period is on it's way. It isn't period pain as such but the whole area fels electric and buzzy just before the cramps start. I had, erm (TMI) loose stools as well - I get that on the 1st day of my cycle.

Nothing came from it but The Boy did a massive 360 degree turn swivilling his head in my pelvis and the feeling went away. At my last mw appt I was 2/5th engaged (2 weeks ago?) pretty sure I am more engaged now - will find out on Monday.

Truff I'm at a bit of a loose end - I stopped work on Friday last week. I have LOADS of cleaning and nursery building to do but motivation isn't high. God knows why - energy levels are lowish. I want to pamper myself but feel too guilty when I have higher priority to do lists. I need to schedule a reward system - unpack my house move boxes from nursery = massage. Seems fair?

Pam definitely work=pamper! I have to set myself rewards or I get nowt done! I know exactly what you mean re the buzzy feeling. I have similar.
MamaA i refuse to go overdue! I was nearly two weeks late with my other 2 and no way can I cope with that again. As soon as I have this application in then she can come as far as I'm concerned.
The one growth scan I had last week said that she was 6'10-15, i was 37 weeks then. Both my babies were over 7 so I think that's 'normal' for me!
My mil has got ms round the twist, she's bought us a snowsuit thing only not one that I would have chosen, it's at hers, she washes and tumble dries things to within an inch of it's life and I haven't yet worked up to asking her to give it to me to wash as I want to use our washing stuff. Petty I know but still. Then last week she commented 'oh here's fatty!!!' referring to me. Fortunately I was able to stop myself ripping her throat out then yesterday she looks me up and down and says oh your sprouting. I felt like saying oh but it's baby and I'll lose it, shame for you..... God people are insensitive! She suggested that I was 'funny' (bad way) cos I said I was tired of lugging the bump around.... Grrr. I am limiting visits. The one good thing about the clu is no grandparents allowed! She would literally turn up and either annoy me or OH or start cleaning for the midwives cos they are 'busy'. When OH was in for some tests she insisted on bringing food for the other patients and the nurses...

LOVE, love, love the rewards scheme PamSco that's exactly what i need too! i want to start relaxing into the last few weeks, but there are things that ideally, need to get done before Bumpalicious makes her appearance.

may i ask, why are some women having regular growth scans? Both my IMs & my GP measure my bump once a week & have a jolly good feel about for positioning & i'm right on the button for size/dates - but even though scans are a tad unreliable in guessing the weight of the baby & even the growth measurements rely on the operative putting the cursor exactly on the right place on the screen, they are obviously much more advanced than a tape measure! should i be requesting this scan? or are you receiving them due to other factors being in place? pamsco i think i'm right in believing you have quite a fight on your hands regards where you can give birth, so i think your growth scans are partly to prove you're fit to do what you'd like to do (or have i confused you with another lady - ugh! talk about pregnancy brain!! apologies if i have confused two stories!) but even so, i see quite a few of us are having them. the last scan i had was at 20 weeks! haven't been to St Georges since!

voodoo our MILs could be related!!! Mine called me "chubby" - ok, so i've gone from 8 & a half stone to almost 12 & it's all on my bump - but, er....???? she's not even slim herself!! not that this matters one jot, but y'know what i mean! well, you have science on your side for the snowsuit: you must wash everything in your own washing liquid/powder so it smells like your home - otherwise it will discomfort baby, in actual fact, everything we wash we should then put into our beds so they smell of US, as it is our smell that will comfort baby! (ok, ok, not the clothes, just their sheets, but hey, why left the facts get in the way of a good reason to win this one!!?)

i've been a super cow & told everyone that if they insist on buying "off list," then they should supply us with a receipt as it would be a shame, in these tough economic times, for them to waste their money on things I won't let my daughter been seen in that might be replicating what we already have.

No Mama that's not the issue with me. There is no fight on where I give birth - only a small disagreement (which I have resolved to my satisfaction) about constant monitoring and labouring in water.

I have a higher BMI so it is routine to have a growth scan rather than a fundus measurement. Though my fundus measurement has been spot on to my weeks everytime. My BMI isn't high enough to warrant the extra attention but I was asked at booking did I want extra scans - I didn't realise that "Yes" would be such a bother. I then promptly lost 2.5 stones thanks to gall stones so I get the scans but don't need them. It is nice seeing The Boy though. All sorted now.

There are other reasons for scans as well - one of my yoga buddies measures smaller regularly and another has fibroids. Both have regular scans.

Thanks for the messages ladies. Indian head massage was heavenly. Still getting a little pain/discomfort but i think it's down to baby engaging further/stretching pelvis. Nothing regular.

mama the NHS will recommend growth scans for all women who tick any boxes except '100% 'normal'' (whatever that means).
This is so they have the right equipment on hand when your baby grows far too big to birth... Sorry, that was tongue in cheek. It's just standard NHS policy.

I have an IM and am having a HB. I last had a private scan at 28 weeks as it was a 3d scan and the NHS wanted me to go in for growth scans cos I am overweight (this was around the time I engaged my IM), despite DD being less than 8lbs and there is no reason to think this one will be huge as whilst I am fat, I am small boned and only 5'3" and DP is 5'8" - no reason to think we will grow a big baby.

Having said that, to me it is irrelevant as I do not believe women grow babies that are to big to birth but that's a discussion we had a while ago :)
My IM measured my fundus last week (at 36+2) and it was measuring 37, so I'm happy all is OK.
The accuracy of scans depend on how much amniotic fluid you have, how much is tummy and how much is baby. They can be very inaccurate at this stage (DD was predicted to be 10lb and she was 7lb 15).

pamSco gotcha! sorry, baby brain definitely at play there by mixing up people & stories x

Pamsco fair point re women who have pre-exisiting conditions or grow small babies.

Hello ladies, hope those of you who have started the last leg are alright!

Work=pamper scheme sounds good to me Pam. Our house is finally starting to feel like a home. My parents came up this weekend and helped lay the wooden floor, and do a big chunk of painting. Yesterday I finished it off, now today I've managed to not get dressed yet and am watching peaceful waterbirth videos. Well sort of peaceful. Giant baby head, tiny punani is freaking me out a little bit but all the mum's do seem to forget what they've been doing as soon as they see the baby.

I'm 38+6 today, hoping that the baby is late so that we're ready for it. Bump is still really high and I'm getting lots of kicking in the ribs so I don't think it's planning on an entrance any time soon. I've never had any contractions, BH or otherwise..

I've also realised I haven't got loads of stuff - baby changing bag, mat, I'm not even sure what bedding we've got? I guess I've been focussing on structural house stuff rather than baby stuff. A friend of ours has painted some gorgeous fruity coloured monkey's around the top of the babies room so at least it will have something to look at...

Perhaps I ought to get dressed and do stuff afterall....

Agree with the inaccuracies on weight estimation. I asked at the last scan whether they give estimates. Lovely scan lady said they don't as they are always so wrong it demotivates the staff :)

She looked up my AC and HC measurements and the table said he was 5lb 6oz last Tues. We'll never know. I reckon he'll be c7lb 8oz that's my guess for the work sweepy anyways. Though if this craving for Lurpak on granary toast persists (and I give in) he could pile on the weight!

I think it's me who was having the fight re where I wanted to give birth MamaA. Mess up with my community midwife and not measuring my height and then my BMI is wrong even though it's higher than it should be and would have limited my birthing options. I've had a mare with consultants and midwives etc. Then the last bit re my growth scan was the last consultant deciding that the baby was large, which she isn't really and then my mw refusing to let me book a homebirth because of the growth scan and argghhh just argghh! Now OH and I have decided to go to the clu as I can't be doing with how incompetent my cmw's come across at times. The midwives at the hospital are lovely for the most part. Hope that's cleared up some of the confusion!

Hello everyone, all very chatty.

Before I forget - CEP, you have my understanding of your frustration re your DS's op. My DD got sick 3 times on the week of her eye op and it felt like it would never happen. It did of course and the only downside was the hole in our bank account where we spoilt her rotten with toys and taking her out (same when she had to start wearing glasses)!!

I have to say I raise a wry (annoyed) smile when I see how the NHS is forcing over the top care at people who don't want it. My first pregnancy was, to be honest, not a nice experience as everything I suffered from was ignored, a real "suck it, your pregnant" attitude and there was no continuity of care regarding issues found with DD in the 20 week scan and the actual birth which lead to issues.

I have no clue why the maternity services don't look at the individual and work out what is needed case by case. It would seem to stop a lot of waste and free up overstretched staff. We don't all fit into a bloody box. I know I didn't match their expectations at all. I had loads of complications and a medical birth and a poorly baby. All good now but guess what? My BMI was 21 when I fell pregnant so according the CMWs that's why I was "low priority" for care despite all that happened during/post pregnancy. Grrr, rant........ I'll stop now.....

So this time to be honest we have scraped together the money to go private and it's been bliss. A consultant who looks at me and baby, not via a book, protocol or list and has helped quickly resolved all the same issues as last time so I have enjoyed this pregnancy. A midwife who will lead the delivery who I see at each appointment too (and she is lovely too). Bubba was looking big on a scan I had a couple of weeks back when he went all quiet after I had a heavy cold. However the consultant said "thing is these scans can be so out, unless it looks tiny or really massive chances are it will be a normal size for the Mumbaby to cope with birth". He also reassured me (as MrsArch said) that size isn't the issue with birthing, it's when babies can get themselves into a daft position or come out with the cord over legs etc.

I am too nervous to have a HB after DD was poorly.

Still hoping the induction train has left the station for all of you waiting for it. Been there, ate a mountain of snacks whilst waiting for mine!!!

Off to sniff out more chocolate now....... sorry for massive rant in my post today.

Hi, everyone. Congrats to all that have already had babies and best wishes to those still waiting! Just joining in for the first time. 38+2 today and hoping baby will come sooner than later & not follow DC1's record of 40+. Especially as I'm in another country & hubby is already with me & would love for him to have as much time with baby b4 returning to work in the UK.

Katie tou epitomise my argument with the 'system' in some ways. My BMI doesn't preclude me to problems but from their point of view they have to make some judgements I guess. Hasn't helped me and didn't help you 1st time round! I would have liked a homebirth but the rubbishy cmw's have put me off. I just don't have any faith in them.

Hello Voodoo. Your issues have had me champing at bit here!!!! Just beyond stupid I would say about your CMW to be honest.

We did initially stick with our CMWs this pregancy - for one appointment. I was told that I should either go for a planned CS (trouble is having suffered severe immobility due to SPD last pregnacy and a smashed up spine some years back a CS without absolute clinical need would be very stupid due to the impact on my back!!!!) or a homebirth. This seemed to be a massive black and white approach and illogical to me so we counted our pennys and found a lovely consultant and midwife team. I felt guilty at first until all the same pregnancy complications started and were actually resolved. Now I just feel very very lucky we could find the money to opt out.

I had a dream last night I was with the team, giving birth half asleep and it just felt like passing a poo. Here's hoping eh???? Oh and no, I didn't have any accidents in my sleep!!!!!

Welcome Coolsticks!

Katie I hear you!

Whilst my BMI is high, I am a 'healthy overweight' person IYSWIM. I'm not blind to the fact that I am at risk being overweight but i do not yo yo diet, crash diet or eat crap. I exercise and I look after myself.
But just because of my BMI I am labelled high risk and have lots of unwanted/unneeded extras thrust at me yet go onto have an almost boring pregnancy, yet you who clearly need the extra support are ignored as you don't tick the boxes they think you should to gain extra care. Madness.

And your consultant is right that big babies themselves are not hard to birth (As Ina May Gaskin would say, ladies your body is not a lemon!) - your body will open up enough to allow the head out - in fact there is some evidence that larger babies can be easier as they have better help from gravity -but it is the ones that get stuck in weird positions that often need help. And, often, sad to say, if labour had been allowed to proceed naturally with no medical intervention the baby would not have got stuck in the first place!
It's when women are strapped to beds with drips etc that are not needed that problems occur.
(That's not to say that these things should not be used when required - but generally that would only apply to a minority of women who really do need the extra help and care to safely birth their baby.)

Sigh - I need to stop ranting, i am too tired and hormonal :)

Voodoo at least if you have decided on the CLU, you can mentally prepare and if you feel safe, you will be fine. Often the mws on the most run down places can be the nicest as they appreciate women are not able to labour in something looking like the Portland!

Mrsa that's pretty much why we decided to go with clu as needed time to prepare. Mw appt good, head 2/5 she thinks there is only a tiny proportion remaining out my pelvis. Also booked membrane sweep for 2 weeks today !

just soooooo agreeing with all that's being said here this afternoon - we have gone privately, with an amazing IM team after being pretty much told by the nhs to go away & gestate - i'm seen as low risk, as indeed i am; i have been truly blessed with an almost totally stress free, symptom-less pregnancy (i had one scare of the teenyist, tinyest bleed at about 6 weeks which, looking back was probably nothing to do with the pregnancy,)

i so wish i hadn't been almost "turned away," by the nhs - before we booked my IMs i felt very alone. i'm not stupid, I'm not out of touch with my health or body (i'm a yoga teacher for part of my professional week, so i'd like to think i'm pretty on it with being sensibly intelligent about my body & its capabilities & how it's feeling & reacting...) but even so - carrying my first child: i'd be weird if i didn't have questions & thoughts, right??

even though it's the opposite experience of y'all who have what sounds like an intrusive experience of the nhs, the feeling i have is the same: a lack of connection with our own health & pregnancy & a sensation that others will over-rule us at any point. grrrr!!!

anyway, just wanted to add my support to this conversation :)

keep going ladies!!! sounds like there's a generation being born right now who will be guided by sensible, empowered women who care deeply about what counts! yey for us!!! :o

Just popping in - Sprout, DP and I are currently in hospital as she lost 14% of her weight and developed a fever. She was dehydrated and exhausted, and has had a lumbar puncture and chest xray but they came out with only borderline white bloodcells. She's on anti virals and biotics, and looking perkier with every feed. She's very brave, little mite, but completely refusing breast feeding (we're suspecting she associates my breast with hunger, stress and pain) - I'm expressing every two hours though, and have bf consultants guilt tripping me daily about it, so we'll get back on track eventually.

PMA: sister arriving today, mother tomorrow!

Cali - hang on in there. Sorry you have this horrible stress. Expressing is fine (and hard work), make sure you get good advice when etc to keep up your supply. My DD only took 1 single 10 second breast feed so to me you are doing amazingly. She went balistic whenever I offered the breast.

Do what is needed for your baby and you. Glad she is perking up and if you are able to express and she is getting breast milk she's on the good stuff. You cannot force a baby to suckle if they are tired or stressed, best get her well again first. But that is just a mum speaking, not a medical person. Not sure what on earth the bf consultants can make you feel guilty about. Ignore them, you sound like supermum to me.

Glad your family are arriving soon. xx