The We Will Brook No Argument for a totally boring and uneventful pregnancy, in which we shall bloom, and a pain-free birth thread, part 3!

[dreamfeeder]

Hands around a mixture of V-shaped pillows, pregnancy pillows, and re-arranges the glittery vom buckets ready.

Gets the jelly snakes going, along with some Cadburys for good measure, and a strategically placed fruit bowl to disguise the unhealthy choices.

Flicks the duster round, sinks down into a comfy sofa and awaits the rest...

oh, and my neighbour from my mums house had 2 paracetamol, and no tears!!!! with her first. She's pg with her second now too.

lol real, sadly I have no need to embelish, hence my referral to the consultant for number 2 (and 3 as it turned out!). TBH the tear at the time wasn't the worst bit, it was the not knowing if I could or would do it when I was struggling in labour- monitored and starved for section and consultants shaking their heads and saying 'oooh, we'll see in a couple of hours, but prepare yourself for CS'. I then got terrified the baby would get stuck in the birth canal or something horrible. The theatre bit I hated, and then being stuck flat and numb and not being able to pick DD up afterwards, and when I did stand up, and had her, I nearly fainted as I'd lost loads of blood- luckily a mw grabbed DD, and helped me to me knees, but wasn't great. And I was very sick, stuck on my back in the theatre, trying to turn my head enough sideways to puke into a dish but it was hard and got all in my hair etc etc. Did get three doses of IV anti-emetic in the end, but still felt awful. And very few people have big tear like me and biscuits and go into theatre anyway. Anyway, enough of that, why bother worrying when it's so unlikely to happen!?

It's true - I find talking about it is almost like therapy (sorry you've all got to be my therapists!)

Oh yes, and I had an episiotomy (which I also didn't feel - like Real) and forceps etc and only had G&A. Had a spinal for the stitching up but just G&A for the birth.

And Dream - I won't allow you to say you are wussing out if you have a CS - not even if you use strike out!!! I would be doing exactly the same thing in your position. You have medical advice that says you should at the very least consider / be prepared for it! A CS is NOT wussing out.

Don't make me come up there with a wet fish to slap you round the face woman!

I had no tears, just a couple of cuts from Dds fingernails as she came out with her hand by her head. I didn't have stitches I refused and all done on G&A and two cocodamol, Oh and tens early on. I was induced with propess and my active labour was recorded as 2hrs 38 mins. I only lost 250mls of blood and Dd was 7lb 1 1/2 oz so sounds very good on paper...

Oh yes CS is definitely not a soft option!

hmmm yes dream I hated being stuck flat afterwards. I couldn't get DS out of the cot without calling the mw or whatever - twas very odd and hopefully to be avoided this time.

I'd definitely have that-stuck flat- again with a CS. But I really don't want anything to go wrong with twin 2 in the birth, especially as he's breech and may still be. He hasn't been not breech since 16 weeks already! I am finding it very hard to 'choose' an ELCS, even though it is clearly being advised. The doctor did say if I was desperate to try a VB we could but was not in any way encouraging me to try one. She said it's up to me though!! I wish it wasn't, and they'd just say we think it's best if you try for a VB, or we think you need a CS. But if twin 1 stays cephalic, I can choose

plus, the mum I talked to this morning had assiste breech delivery for twin 2 and put me right off, and the other mum had one VB and second CS, so doesn't sound promising...

What does cephalic mean? Head down?

Plenty of people would have a CS for a breech singleton, and I think having a VB for twin 1 and then cs for twin 2 would be the worst of both worlds. Apparently the recovery rates from an ELCS are much quicker than for an EMCS - I think because you've not been through the labour bit first.

In my opinion, you need to somehow find the best balance of 2 healthy babies and a healthy mummy after their birth and whatever is going to give you that best mix is the best way to go.

First timer checking in here. I'm not really worried about labour, it is the blood tests during pregnancy that worry me more. I guess a needle phobia is good for something.

Glad to hear you were right about your boys dream. Most people seem to think that spud is going to be a boy but I'm not going to find out.

Afternoon brookers

Had my 20 week scan today and all is looking well!

What a relief. No problems detected, growth is good and it was so active. It was a job to get a good photo as it was moving about so much. Was funny to see it giving it's legs a good kick and feel it moving at the same time. It did a big yawn at one point and put it's hand in it's mouth, was so cute.

We have an unidentified brooking bean. The sonographer made sure we didn't see that area, so we have another 20ish weeks to find out if DS has a baby brother or sister. DH thinks girl and I think boy. I think it's finally sinking in now, I was so worried about today and I now feel excited for 2012!

Biscuits cephalic does indeed mean head down.

I remember reading another thread which was discussing OBEM. I think each person filmed giving birth was given £10k. A lot of money and I can certainly see why it might appeal. For me personally, there's no way I could consider it. I was a nightmare in the delivery room. I was shouting "I'm doing a poo!" (when I wasn't but thought I was) every contraction from about 7cm onwards. DS was back to back and I was crying and begging the midwife not to let him come out of my bum. So, while it might have been entertaining for others to watch on TV, I'm afraid I couldn't live with the shame.

I don't think anyone wants to hear about my first birth experience. It's all a bit nightmarish now, although it has stopped playing on constant loop in my head like it did to begin with.

CS are not wussing out - mainly because I plan to have one this time! I was feeling a bit wistful yesterday for a normal birth without medical intervention, though. The actual pushing stage felt good, because by that time I had been lying in pain and shock for more than 12 hours waiting to get to 10cm (they don't do walking epidurals at RIE, and they had me connected to a blood pressure cuff constantly in case I developed pre-eclampsia anyway, plus catheter and two cannulas, one in each hand, so I couldn't move) and it was good to finally be allowed to do something to make it stop. I suppose if I go into labour naturally before my planned section I could give it a go, but I might panic too much. The MW said that unless I arrive at hospital at 8cm or more, then they will do an emergency section for me if I do go into labour early. I just want it to be really fast, whether it is labour or ELCS. It is the recovery from the C section that fazes me a bit - being stuck flat, unable to pick up Bean, etc etc.

Oh yes, I couldn't be on OBEM either. I was constantly going on about the pressure in my bum from about 7cm because I had learned from watching OBEM that that's what the urge to push feels like, so I think I was anticipating a bit. Plus I threw up dramatically all over the floor at one point - revenge on the MW who forgot to give me the anti-emetic even though every time the epidural got topped up I was sick. I was begging to be allowed to drink something and they wouldn't let me because they were worried about my kidney function . Think the reason my kidneys were producing no wee was because I was severely dehydrated!

Scarlet, yay for a good scan and happy healthy bean! You have such willpower with the unidentified brooking bean!

Yay Scarlet for a great scan

And another UBB

Funnily enough DH thinks girl for us and i think boy now!

Now £10k you say for OBEM.....

scarlet - Excellent UBB news! How cute on the yawn! dd was back to back too (for the whole frigging thing naughty minx) and I kept talking about my bum too. Constantly asking people why my bum hurt so much in-between vomiting mainly. Annoying thing is they still didn't twig she was back to back until I'd been pushing for two hours .

It does feel nice to talk about birth doesn't it? DH won't as he is still traumatised by it and is denial about us going through it again.

I think I had it easy for both my births. Longish labour, ventouse with failed epidural and G&A DS1. Arrived at hospital at 9 1/2 cms G&A 2 hours later no tears DS2 arrived. I have been told 3 rd babies are akward! I am not worrying about the birth yet, I know I need to move around and I asked to come off the monitor so I could with DS2.

A good friend of mine has just had her third - it was more awkward than her first two (which she describes as having been a piece of piss!!) but only when it came to delivering the placenta - she had a straightforward if unexpected home birth (which she was over the moon about) but then had to be taken in by ambulance to deliver placenta. No idea why/how that came about - she refused to tell me knowing how squeamish I am (and given some of the stories she has deemed appropriate to tell me in the past, I am guessing that this one wasn't that nice!)

You will all be super fine and straightforwardly pop them out - that is the very purpose of this thread!

Lovely,scarlet, wonderful news!! Both boys were sucking their fingers in my scan, and one was yawning! Cute. Was in a good hour though...

Wants 9.5 cms when you arrived at hospital? That's incredible!

I'd already been twice and sent home again before they finally admitted me when I turned up the 3rd time at 3cm I am a self-confessed wimp though and it had taken me almost 48 hours to get to that stage! I thought that was as bad as it could get and was fully expecting to deliver there and then. Little did I know....17 hours after they admitted me I finally had DS. I can laugh at myself now

scarlet, congratulations on a great scan - the yawn sounds so cute!

Another first timer here, who hasn't been completely put off by the birth stories :P I'm actually really excited and looking forward to it - at the moment at least, while I'm classified as low risk and will be allowed on the MLU!

I must admit to being a bit addicted to OBEM. I wouldn't have a problem with the idea of myself being filmed, and thousands of people seeing it - especially with £10k involved! :D The problem I would have is people I know seeing it -think that might be a bit weird. DH happened to be in the room when it was on a couple of times - I distinctly remember an episode with a woman labouring on all fours, and the head suddenly popping out - and DH looking up at the wrong time and being rather shocked! I imagine he'll be keeping away from the business end when the time comes :D

Thanks for the no brooking for today's appointment. It went fine, mainly because not much happened! The consultant wasn't entirely sure as to why I'd been sent there When I explained I suspected it was my back, he said "oh, yes!" and talked about it a bit, and then referred me to an anaesthetist - appointment in a week and a half - to do a more thorough examination to see if I can have an epidural/spinal should it come to it. Bit sad I missed my 16 week, potentially-hear-the-heartbeat appointment because of this rather unimportant consultant's appointment though - hopefully it'll be rescheduled for next Friday :)

musical that's quite annoying isn't it. At least you haven't got long to wait to see the anaesthetist though.

I loved watching OBEM. I know what you mean about not wanting people who know you to see it. That's what would put me off. I'm not bothered in the slightest about what people who don't know me think, but the thought of my Dad seeing me like that makes me cringe too much. I couldn't even breastfeed in front of anyone else who knows me apart from DH and my Mum. I'd go out of the room and do it if anyone else was visiting because I never quite mastered the art of getting arranged so that no one else could see.

I intended my DH to stay at the business end, but he was far too curious and really wanted to look. I had too much going on at the time to be bothered, so he did. I can actually remember telling him that I'd poo'd and that he'd have to clean it up before the midwife came back and He told me that I hadn't, but I'm still not convinced.

I was quite surprised too scarlet when the midwife told me the dilation. I was convinced I was going to be sent home as the contractions were okay to deal with at that point too! It got a bit scary when I got to the crowning bit as I did not experience that with the ventouse delivery first time around

Scarlet so pleased re scan!

Glad your appointment was OK too Musical.

Signing off for tonight - sicky, sicky! DH not here, so crap telly and an early night for me!

Look after yourself generic

Hello, glad everyone's appointments went well yesterday and today.

We had our scan this afternoon (20w and 4 days, apparently!- I'm glad the sonographer knew because I have really lost track, so different to last time). Everything looked fine and the baby's size is entirely normal. The pesky thing was in an awkward position so I am going back in a fortnight or so for another scan to hopefully get a better look at its feet.

Another unidentified bean here!

My placenta is a normal position, up towards the top but the baby was wedged right down on top of my cervix, transverse with its back along my stomach and feet towards my spine- if this is its preferred spot it would explain why I'm not feeling many kicks etc. It would also explain why I can feel some pressure on my cervix and why I need to pee all the time! Pee-wise, it wasn't this bad until the end with DD!

Those who are thinking about c-sections, I had a ELCS with DD. I know what you mean about 'electing' for it, Dream, I tend to refer to it as planned instead, as that feels a more accurate description of what happened. It was elective only because it was decided on several days in advance. I definitely think I had better recovery than my friends who had EMCS. I didn't lose much blood, I was relatively well rested, I ate a toast mountain provided by the lovely midwives at midnight the night before so I wasn't too starving!

I actually don't remember being immobile for that long afterwards. DD was born about midday and I'm sure I had the catheter out that evening and had a real pee by midnight. Because it was in the daytime there was no rush to get DH off home so he was around to help in the afternoon and evening and I was definitely moving around in the night once he went home. I wonder if because if the spinal dose is less for a planned section because they have a pretty good idea of how long they need you to be numb for? Maybe I was just lucky.

It still took a few weeks afterwards to get back to normal and there are annoying effects that you don't think about, like not being able to lift a full kettle for a while!