We're BROOKING NO ARGUMENT for easy and blooming pregnancies and pain free sneeze births (part 9)

[scarletfingernail]

Here we go again.......

Oooh jaggy well done you, you sound very upbeat indeed, congratulations!!!!

will try to answer questions before i pass out, not had any sleep and adrenaline wearing off.

we're all home safe, DS2 is lovely and was 7lb3 so just a wee guy. his big brother seems mildly impressed so far!

yes it was a vbac. had a few contractions an hour from around lunchtime, they got closer during dinner and were about 5/6 mins apart by 9pm. was pondering going to bed for a bit, but my waters went while i brushed my teeth. cue summoning gps from far away!

i did get an episiotomy, the forceps were to hurry DS2 out a bit as his heart rate was dodgy during pushing and he got scalp blood taken which had pH they weren't happy with. DH reckons it was hardly worth it as he was nearly out! was born within 2 hours of getting to hospital.

feel so much better that last time, up and about, not spaced out on drugs, only missed one night of sleep during labour! didn't feel so out of control this time, MW was awesome.

Jaggy that just all sounds amazing, you did so well! I can't believe you're home already!!!

Congratulations again! So jealous of the birth weight!

Congratulations jaggy xx

DS1 was nearly 8lb so was expecting bigger really! however he was over a week late not a week early like this one. :)

I've still not quite taken it all in myself and DS2 is lying on my knee. seems a bit surreal still.

aw jaggy thats lovely. And I would say it fits pretty neatly into the category of sneeze birth. Well done you

I'm afraid I must have a grump. Dp is out and ds is in bed and I have no-one else to grump to. We have been told where ds has a school place. It is a school not even on our list (although it is nearest our house) and hasn't even been built yet. God only knows how they'll get it done before September. And even when the school is built there will still be massive building works going on as they are building a walk in centre on the site too. I know I shouldn't grump too much as we have really good schools round here but to not get any that were on our list? It has pissed me off far more than I realised it would. Dp has said he will call tomorrow and ask what happens if a) we move house which will happen in the next few months and b) how to appeal and find out where are on waiting lists for our preferred schools. And to top it off there is NO chocolate in the house.

Congratulations jaggy what a lovely birth story and well done for just squeezing it in before the next thread!
musical the skin on my bump is really sensitive too, I am putting it down to stretched skin. I am using Palmer's tummy butter all over the bump now!

Ninja how annoying that they have disregarded all your choices! So frustrating! I hope your appeal goes well.

Wants and Musical I've been using bio oil since the beginning of my pg and I think it's been great for keeping my skin supple, not itchy or uncomfortable. On saying that though, this last week during the mammoth growth spurt some stretch marks have finally shown up! So it's not a magic cure all, but I'd still really recommend it. My stretch marks are currently the same colour as my normal skin tone as well, and DH very sweetly says he can't even see the marks, so I do think the bio oil has minimised the damage!

I can't believe Jaggy is snuggled up at home with her gorgeous new little No Brooker! I'm still so excited by the news!!

ninja, I'd appeal. I know they need children for the new school but surely lots of parents will choose it anyway.

My tummy was/is more stretch mark than skin. I used bio oil religiously. Big red angry stretch marks, more purple now boys out. It's their due date today :-) . Another awful night though.... Gp for them both today for the constant puking n needing holding up for half hour at least post feed as i don't know how I'll manage it once dh back at work. Don't want to medicalise them as both growing well etc but having some gaviscon in the cupboard would reassure me....

Dream, sorry to hear you had another awful night. I hope it calms down soon :( Happy due date to your boys!

I don't think the sensitivity issue is due to not moisturising enough. Scream and Wants (and Dream!), I too used moisturiser religiously - a mix of wheatgerm oil (apparently better for making skin elastic? So said a friend who's a specialist and knows about this stuff.. but I only used it as someone had given me some in a gift set!), bio oil and Palmer's moisturisers, using one in the morning and one at night. Stretch mark wise I've only recently started developing tiny ones under my bump, though I know I'm prone to them (I have lots from when I started growing curves!), so I'm quite impressed by that. Sensitive skin wise Scream, it's only started in the last few days really!

Actually beginning to think the pain is muscular, or at least partly that way, after having done some Googling! I'm in agony whenever I sneeze, cough, or try to do anything that would involve core muscle support. Feels very similar to having a bad cold/flu. I'm thinking it may be a combination of things - overstretched skin, being constantly kicked in that area, and bruised/unhappy muscles around there, who don't like being made to work! Think there's nothing much I can do about it, so lots of rest and no more playing wind instruments for me for the time being.

Ninja, definitely appeal! I didn't know a new school was being built round your way... appealing definitely can't hurt.

Musical if your pain is a bruise rather than stretching then I can definitely empathise! My LO usually lies with her back along the left side of my stomach, so her feet like to rest under the right side of my rib cage. She has kicked me there so hard so consistently for so many weeks now that it's just one big bruise in that area. I'm convinced she's been kicking my liver against the bottom of my rib cage, and that I have serious bruising on my liver now! Soooooooooo cannot wait to have her on the OUTSIDE so that she can kick Daddy instead of me occasionally

Whatever is causing your pain I hope it subsides soon! Not long to go now!

Dream sorry to hear you had a bad night. I think you've been doing the lion's share of looking after your babies so far anyway, because of your DH's unfortunate illness, so I'm confident you'll be fine when he returns to work. The boys are bigger now, and getting more experienced at bfing everyday. Plus all three of you are No Brookers so there's no stopping you! I can see why it's a scary prospect though, sending lots of hugs your way!

As for me, my body is just a bit of a mess at the moment. I spent yet another night unable sleep and alternating between violent puking and, well, clearing out from the opposite end (ahem, apologies for TMI). If this was the first time it had happened I would really think my body was trying to clear itself in preparation for labour, but actually this has been going on for days now. I'm like a zombie, soooooooo tired. Every time I start to drift off though I end up having to "run" (read - painfully hobble) to the bathroom to get rid of yet more stomach contents! Considering the small size of the dinner I had at 7.30, I literally do not understand how I could possibly have had so much gunk still in my system by 2 a.m.!

I think it might be my body protesting at being made to eat and digest whilst lying on my side, but my hips have deteriorated to the point where I literally can't sit down anymore. I have to stand or lie down, when I sit I can actually feel the joint at the back of my hip shift into the wrong position and it is excruciating when I then stand up again and it tries to move back into place. I'm especially gutted because I've arranged for my NCT group to meet up at a pub with sofas tomorrow, so this would be the first time I've seen them since the classes, and now I'm not sure I can go :(

(Popcorn here - new name, hazzah)

Oh scream I'm so sorry you're in so much pain, that sounds awful :( I hope you feel better in time for your NCT meetup tomorrow, but try not to worry about if it not, it's not worth the pain imho.

Scream - don't panic too much about the NCT thing - they'll understand and love you (like we do) once they finally get to meet up with you.

We were supposed to all go out for dinner with our NCT class before all the babies arrived. But it turned out to be the day ds1 was born! DH failed spectacularly at actually managing to text anyone to let them know so as far as they knew we'd just stood them up .

They still forgave me though when I could finally meet up with them and win them over with my natural charm

Hopefully you'll feel better enough by tomorrow to go along. Or even better you'll be having your CS and the whole pg thing will be becoming a distant memory....

Oh Scream, that sounds so awful. Just remember, less than a week to go!

Went for an antenatal class last night at the MLU. They were talking about what situations would require a transfer to the main hospital and said that there, they kick you out 3 hours after birth! I was quite shocked that you get so little time but they did say that you can come back to the MLU if you don't want to go home to get breastfeeding support and/or some rest. They also asked us how long we were planning on staying in afterwards if the birth is at the MLU and so I found out that you can stay for a few days or go straight home if you want. Very flexible and all about what you want, rather than fixed targets.

I just had my first pregnancy meltdown burst into tears over nothing at all, DH found it highly amusing

Jen your MLU sounds excellent - one has just opened in our hospital, I'm hoping I give birth there I have no idea how it all works, I've not discussed with my MW yet

They do seem lovely there. The only issue is that there are no doctors so if an epidural or cs is needed then they phone for an ambulance and blue light you down to the main county hospital. If you are high risk then you can't give birth there and also if your waters appear to have meconium in them as they don't have the facilities.

Scream is your CS the 25th? Oh my, you'll definitely have your wee bundle this time next week. I'm so excited that you're finally at the end of your pg!!

It is indeed the 25th. I can't really believe I've made it this far, even at the start of April I just didn't think I'd survive all the way to the 25th! If you'd told me then that the SPD would actually get WORSE by the 25th, and the baby would become huge, I think I'd have had a nervous breakdown! It's crazy what women can get through. I am completely gagging to reach the finish line now though!

To be honest unless I manage to start at least holding down fluids today I might end up going into hospital tomorrow anyway. I'm so hungry and thirsty but everything I've eaten/drunk today has just come straight back up! I don't want to risk my LO to dehydration at such a late stage, if this doesn't resolve within 24 hours I'm going to head into hospital for monitoring tomorrow I think.

Biscuits how could your NCT be anything other than completely charmed once they got to know you! You're one of the nicest people I know!

Fluffy (loving the new name btw!) I'm impressed you've made it this far without a pg meltdown before now! Don't worry about your DH, mine found the meltdowns funny at first but as they became more frequent and more likely to be directed at him he soon learnt to respect them!

Jen they sound like lovely people at your MLU, I really hope everything goes smoothly and you get to have your sneeze birth there!

Now where is Scarlet? I'm turning into one of those annoying people who wants constant updates just in case labour has started! Scarlet was here yesterday as usual and I just need to learn patience...

MLU sounds good. At my hospital the birth centre (MIdwife led) is just down the corridor from the main labour ward so not far to go if emergency or you change your mind about pain relief! You are also given the choice to go home after 3 hours or go down to the ward for a little while. Apparently the 3 hours is the time it takes for all the relevant paperwork to be filled out!
I am quite tired today as I was up and down like a yoyo but hats off to you scream for enduring all that you have so far! You are on the homeward stretch, this time next week you will be a fully fledged no brooking mummy:)
I said goodbye to a few uni friends today which bought home how close to the end I am getting! I am slowly crossing off things on my 'still to buy for baby'list and there is nothing really urgent on there so I am pretty much ready.

3 hours for paperwork, wants Ours is in the main hospital too, I think...

Today DH was putting a new-to-us wardrobe up in our bedroom so that we can empty the soon-to-be-nursery (where we currently store bed linen and towels and DH's clothes because I have too many ) but they're missing some screws so I'm going to have to go all the way to IKEA to get some at the weekend I must not go into the kids section, I must not go into the kids section, I must not...

I think they allow 3 hours so that they can factor in things like attending another birth, alone time for new family etc. According to one of the midwives, throughout the nhs maternity are the department with the most litigation cases so they have the most paperwork!
Our tentative plan so far is for me to have my sneeze birth, DH to go and pick up boys and come back to take me and baby home. Do you think I could put that as my birth plan:)

We have a birth centre too, main hospital is an hour away. So any probs or stronger pain relief needed blue lights down to main hospital. I checked out birth centre stats, for year they have 18 babies were born at the centre! I think they allow you to stay 6hrs after birth and they have a rocking chair so they obviously allow for bf 'lessons'

Not long to go Scream

I had my 16w mw appt today got to hear baby's heartbeat :o lovely 140bpm! For once in my life I am boringly normal everything is as it should be which is lovely! See mw again at 25w.

Sorry Scream I'm still here. I must be mad, I made so many plans for this week so I've barely been at home. Regretting it now though, it's taking it's toll on my poor pelvis. I figured time would go quicker and possibly even labour would start if I was out and about. No such luck, I can't believe MY DUE DATE IS TOMORROW and there is absolutely nothing happening.

Hormones are definitely getting the better of me though, the slightest thing is setting me off at the moment. Major meltdown in the car yesterday morning due to road rage. Just now I was sitting blubbing at the beginning of The Lion King DVD when Simba is born and The Circle of Life song is on

Tomorrow Scarlet! So exciting! Fingers crossed all your activity will pay off later this eve, and you'll have a perfectly timed sneeze birth in the morning!

My Mum has just told me that my Dad has taken next week Wed, Thurs AND Fri off work! My Mum works for herself so she's always flexible in the day, and she's already given my baby sis permission to skip school on Thursday. Argh!!!! I think they have the wrong end of the stick... I've been trying to gently hint that actually we were only expecting to really have very brief visits in hospital. They already know that there's a two week ban on visitors when we get home, but somehow they seem to think they're going to be camped out with us all day while I'm in hospital! I love them all dearly but - nightmare!

I'm kind of expecting to get zero sleep at night in hospital due to being in pain and trying to look after a newborn, so my intention during the days is to sleep while DH looks after the baby, and only wake up whenever bfing is demanded by the LO! Seeing as I will NOT be bfing in front of my Dad or sis that makes any long visits a bit of a struggle!!

Not sure how this is going to work out.... I'd just assumed they would pop by briefly in the evening after work/school, this all-day idea is new to me!!!