Still Brewing a March Baby!

[Carlitawantsababy]

Shiny new thread!

Oh, wow Northern! Glad all is well- that's amazing. Lots of luck to you all.

I wonder will we have a 'I brewed a March baby' etc thread? Would be nice to hear how everyone is getting on.

And funny to think of you being in Hastings, Carlita- hope you're having a good time. I'm too terrified to step out (I have a bit of a slipping-on-ice phobia!) But my friend is coming over in a minute, and I've loads of provisions, a big pot of homemade soup and a nice view! I didn't know about the Aquababes thing, I'll have to look it up. My only thing about classes is that I'm a real lazy bones and a lot of baby & toddler groups seem to start at about 9am- I know for certain I'll still be half asleep and doddering about at that kind of time- especially with a baby! If you spot a baby yoga class let me know- I'd really like to do that. I saw there's baby massage somewhere, too- I quite fancy that. Hope you have a lovely weekend. X

Congratulations Northern
The March babies have started to arrive!

kiki I too have a slipping on ice phobia and for good reason with my hypermobile joints! We're staying in the house! Aqua babes starts at 10 or 10.30 depending which day you apply for, Mondays being later than Thursdays. I've applied for the Mondays starting in June for the same reason! I have found baby yoga and baby massage but details are at home, I'll post when I'm back in London later next week!

Congratulations Northern!! Can't belive you already have your little one here!

I haven't posted for ages, so there was a lot to catch up on. I have started packing my hospital bag, just need to finish washing and ironing the babies clothes, which I will do on my day off on Wednesday. Also we had our Birthing Information class on Saturday, had a tour of the maternity unit and learnt all about labour & delivery, pain relief, breast feeding and the practicalities of bathing, changing etc. I start my Antenatal/relaxation classes on Wednesday.

Has anyone got any experience of Pre-eclampsia? I have swollen ankles and fingers, raised blood pressure, protein in my urine and headaches. The midwife sent me for a blood test on Friday and one of the levels was raised. They want to monitor it once a week, but I am completely paranoid now that it will develop and they will take me in and deliver the baby early (I will be 34+1 on Friday when I get re-tested).

moffit don't know for abso sure but that sounds to me like pre-eclampsia how is your vision? Blurry/spots? That's another sign. I completely understand your apprehension/concern but you have to be positive that they are testing you for these things for your safety and that of your baby. Fingers crossed for the best outcomes xx

Thanks Broody, I will try to stay positive. My community midwife is a bit flippant about these things, but the Maternity Assessment Centre are lovely and they explained about the bloods etc a lot more than she did. So I will just have to wait until Friday!

Hope it's all okay moffit. That is not that early when you consider term being from 37 weeks so your baby will be fine which is the important thing, scary though I agree. Keep us posted and really really hope you start to feel better soon!

Thanks Carlita. I'm going to call the mid-wife this afternoon and see if I can see her on Thursday (thats my local clinic day), just so she can re-check my blood pressure and urine.

Hope everyone else is doing well.

Hope you're doing OK, Moffit and can take it easy. If you're worried at all I'd stay in bed and call the hospital/ MW with anything specific. Hopefully it's nothing.

Carlita- I had a great trawl around the St Leonards charity shops today- bought a Moses basket for £2.50 & some baby clothes. I don't know if you're into their stuff but one shop (Shelter) had a whole rail of brand new JoJoMamanBebe women's tops in a range of sizes, including some breast feeding ones all for just a few pounds each...

Those of you whose babies' heads are engaged (or partially)- did you feel it happening? I've had lots of slightly uncomfortable sensations down there the last 24 hours, was wondering if baby was trying to get into position?

Hi all. So in NCT last night, we discussed pain relief options. V interesting to hear what's available and their pros and cons. I'm still thinking I'd prefer gas and air but perhaps with the use of a tens machine. Still want a water birth so no epidural or pethidine. Of course, i am aware things dont always go to plan so things may change on the day but this is my preferences now anyway! Has anyone had any thoughts on what they'd like to use?

Broody- my first NCT class is next week and I think we'll be discussing the same. My dad (a GP) recommended to my mum that she didn't have an epidural because of the potential side effects, so she had pethidine. I suppose I'd like as little pain relief as possible, but at the same time am quite realistic and from speaking to close friends and family, I know people often change their minds when it comes to it and is just much more painful (in some cases) than they expected- especially if labour goes on for days or there are complications etc.

As I can only have a water birth if the one pool at my hospital is free, it's all going to be a case of being flexible and seeing how it goes for me, I think.

Ladies- are any of you going to have the text for Strep B? Just I think they advise it between 34-36 weeks if you do. I'm thinking of doing it, just wondered what your thoughts were? My friend's cousin had a healthy baby about 8 years ago who caught Strep B during her labour and died at a couple of days old. I know it's very rare, but just having that association with someone makes me feel I should take it seriously.

When I mentioned it to my MW early on without advising against it she didn't think it was too much to worry about, and that if you test positive (1/4 women do) then it could cause unnecessary stress. It seems to me that knowing you carried the infection would just make you more alert/ vigilant if any of the risk factors occurred?

There's more info here: www.gbss.org.uk/index.php tests are £35. Sorry- hope this doesn't sound doom-mongering. Just wondered if anyone else was thinking of having it. X

Kiki yes we discussed the possible side effects of an epidural last night. However, the teacher did say it's v few and far between that people get a reaction so maybe not as bad as years gone by. Re pethidine - the side effects to the baby worry me (sleepy for a few days after, prob won't cry when it arrives, breathing difficulties...)
But yes, as you say, it's a matter of what we all feel at the time. It's so hard to make a decision before D Day!
Hope you like NCT - we are getting so much from it. How long is your course?

That's interesting- I didn't know about those pethidine side effects. My course is just three two-hour evening sessions, but they're free as my hospital doesn't offer any classes- so I don't know if they're any different to standard NCT ones (though they're still run by the NCT.) I wasn't sure if my DP was able to come, though I think he can now- I've read up a lot more about things, but he already has a DS (8 years old) so we're both coming at it from slightly different angles...

I would imagine you'll cover what we cover just in a shorter space of time (ours is eight two hour sessions). I'm finding the teacher to be informative and not preacher like at all - she doesn't try to lead everyone into the same thought of hard core natural birth and hippy like existence recovery (which is what I'd heard from other people). The facts are laid out for us all to consider and question if we want to. We all go with partners and the normal NCT classes are v much encouraging about including dads in the ante natal care. My DH is absolutely loving them as he's finding he's not alone in the fact he's nervous about becoming a dad and that it's ok to feel that way. It's brill socially too - us girls are going to meet up next week and the boys are going out on another evening together too. It's exactly what I was hoping for. I really hope you get on well too xx

The charity shop shopping sounds great kiki but I went home yesterday evening grrr... Will check when I'm back in case they still have some!
I'm planning on using tens from the beginning then water from 5 cms. I will use my hypnobirthing techniques throughout and use gas and air as a back up if I really need it (but think it will make me feel sick!). I too am preparing myself that I might have to go in to hospital and may need some extra support but want to avoid intervention if at all possible and therefore an epidural would be a last resort for me. But hey, as long as I get a baby at the end that's all that really matters. I'll not have the Strep test kiki as think it would stress me to know but think it's a very personal choice and for some people they'd be less stressed if they knew.
Talking of stress, I arrived home to a letter from the hospital yesterday asking me to go in to do a repeat urine sample due to 'previous mixed growth' anyone else had to do this? Not sure whether I need to panic (need to do some research) but am a bit at the fact my last midwife appointment was on the 24/01 and got this letter 06/02, is that not a bit of a delay if they thought something was wrong?! Plus, hospital is a 2 hour round trip and I have pelvic pain.

I think if it was something urgent, they'd have rung straight away Carlita rather than send a letter. Does your GP surgery do daily sample deliveries to the hospital? At mine as long as you drop a sample with them in the morning they can send it over rather than you having to make the trip yourself. Seems ridiculous to do a two-hour trip just to drop it off, especially if you're not feeling all that well.

Sounds to me that they're just being careful- I had the same sort of thing with my bloods and the low iron- I was asked to go in to see the GP because the receptionist flagged up that the levels were a bit low- whereas actually my MW said they're completely normal levels for pregnancy & I didn't need to take the iron tablets at all- I think often it's all a bit lost in translation. I hope it's nothing.

Thanks kiki, yes, not at all urgent. I was able to give a sample to midwife locally instead of going in and it sounds rather like it's a mistake anyway as she said 'this was your second one wasn't it?' meaning that they were requesting a third because two in a row had mixed protein, but they weren't two in a row, I had one or two clear ones between times. She said she would check but in that case it will be fine. I know I'm right of course!

Happy Friday everyone! How are you all doing on the sleeping front? I'm now waking every 2-3 hours to pee; it's exhausting, feeling very glad I don't have to work!
34 weeks today! Eek!

Glad the test wasn't too much to worry about, Carlita. I don't think my baby has engaged- it's still moving position quite a lot, and depending on where it is makes a big difference in terms of needing the loo! I'm not sleeping well, though- it's still very wriggly at night, and I find it really hard to find a comfortable position (+ having to regularly swig at the Gaviscon.) I'm taking it pretty easy during the day, though- minimal work now, and just nesting/ sorting stuff mainly, so that makes a huge difference. I really can't imagine doing a 9-5 at the moment..

Glad to hear it kiki!
Guess what? We've just exchanged!!! Moving to Hastings next Friday 17th!!!

Congrats Carlita! fab news!

Can't remember who was asking about heads engaging ... But the MW said I was 2/5th engaged - not sure if that's 2/5ths engaged or 2/5th palpable. Either way baby has been doing the bladder bounce and I've heard that when baby really engages, it'll feel like you've got a bowling ball between your legs! I've not been feeling like that, but the bladder bounce move can be quite uncomfortable!!

I took a tumble down the stairs at the start of the week - I'm just a bit bruised and baby still kicking away, so all is ok, but it's not just the icy conditions us ladies need to watch out for

In other news, I've finally bought a changing bag! Woo! Spent a small fortune at a lovely little maternity & baby shop in Leeds (was visiting). Now just waiting for a few bits to be delivered & next week will pack my 'just in case' hospital bag!

Changing bag sounds exciting knitterati! A friend of mine is making me one and was telling me yesterday that all the fabrics have arrived for it which is rather exciting! Sorry to hear about your tumble, that must have been a bit scary! Our babies are very well cushioned though. Hope your bruising eases soon. Heavily pregnant and covered in bruises not a good look!

Woo hoo Carlita! That's great news! You must be so pleased. Hastings will be very happy to welcome you.

Glad you're alright after your fall, Knitterati- eek!

I keep thinking about a hospital bag, too. I didn't have an old nighty for the birth (I'm a pyjama girl!) but found a cheap dark one in the sales today (& a lightweight wrap/ dressing gown-type thing.) So I think I have most of the components now, it's just a case of organising it all...

I'm very pleased and very relived - at last! Starting our hypnobirthing course on tuesday 21st now which has been what I've been most anxious to get there for.
You sound like it's all coming together kiki!