Due in dec 2012 - things that go BUMP in the night!

[WerewolvesDoTheFandango]

New thread here ladies!

Someone said u can hire tens much cheaper from a Lloyd pharmacy than boots or mothercare but I couldn't find one. In.the end I've got a pack from boots, think mother c cheaper but I happened to get one of those 'extra points' vouchers on top of baby club points so sort of worked out tiny bit cheaper.

Another thing u can ask for is s very new thing where they inject small blisters/bubbles of water beneath the skin in lower back, supposed to work same way as tens but u can go in pool with them - anesthetist at nct class told us about it, and one woman said her friend found it helpful. Can't remember what called and only been at our huge hospital since last year.

Oh Clarella someone on one of the earlier threads mentioned that, whoever lives in Sweden? We have a Lloyd and boots so I might look into it

If I don't get ill this time they're going to start sweeps from 37 weeks, then it'll be pessaries then hopefully ARM as last resort as I don't want the synto drip. I wasn't allowed off the bed last time but after speaking with mw she said its because I was so ill so I suppose they were doing what was best....

Tesco TENS hire is £27.50 and available from my local one (not very big but has pharmacy)

Thanks pidj

this is quite funny don't know if it's going round here anyway

I got my tens from ebay, 2nd hand but only used once. Its a lloyds pregnancy one.

I had ARM, then hormone drip, eventually ending up with a ventouse delivery. Im really hoping it will be different this time...

Good morning everyone

Good to know about the Lloyds tens machines. How long in advance does one hire them from? (I'm assuming you don't collect them on the day!)

Pidj, last night the pumpkin (apparently they are small pumpkin sized now, ironically!) was also banging on actual exit area. Preeettty uncomfortable!

I heard about this blistering thing, I think on another thread, but it sounds super sadistic to me. The logic seemed to be along lines of if 'I slap you on the face you won't notice your agonising broken leg as much'!!! Seems like labour will be bad enough already TBH

I'm interested why a few people very anti epidural? Of the friends I know who've had them, said they were a huge help so I wondered about other experiences. I'm quite keen I think!

Queen I think it's because it can increase the chance of instrumental delivery/CS because you don't push effectively, you can't keep mobile, which obviously helps with labour, and you can't get up and about for a little while after. Not that it stopped me begging for one last time! wasn't allowed one though and still ended up with forceps

Oh they send the tens out three weeks before your due date

queen all of spotty's reasons plus I have the heebie jeebies about a needle going into my spine I also have a lot of lower back problems and although the risk of lasting effects is small I really couldn't cope with anymore back pain.

Is there a different type of tense chine for pregnancy? I have a Lloyd one for back pain but am unsure if there's more than one type.

Thank you spotty & werewolves.
Annoying how everything seems to have a downside. At some point I'm going to steel myself to discover about forceps. From everyone's reaction on here I'm guessing it ain't good news. Gulp.

Good to know about tens machine!

I'm kind of expecting forceps queen as everyone in my family has had them with every baby they've had. I think the best way is to prepare for the worst case scenario and take it as it comes that's all we can do anyway

werewolves inductions aren't all bad, mine was brilliant but I only needed the first pessary and 3 hours later I was in established labour..gave birth upright and monitored on and off.

I didn't use tens, has anyone used them before and found it useful? I imagine they're like those slender tone machines which make your muscles twitch?

Queen What Spotty said and I'll want to come home asap to my other children, you need to stay in for a bit longer if you have an epidural.

Bella There are different strengths of raspberry leaf tea and I think the weakest is ok from 32 weeks. Check the boxes as there are capsules too. Be warned though, it tastes horrid!!

Typically, DH is away for the weekend and I've had a terrible nights sleep At least the boys made their own breakfast. I also realised that I can't stay in bed and not have anything to eat. Has made me feel most peculiar!! Ds1 has brought me some toast and juice in bed, I'm a very lucky mommy. I think it was in part to make up for him knocking over the ironing board

I can't think about my birth plan yet, I think because what I want this. I get to the hospital, the mw says you're 9cm, get changed, start pushing, baby born, all fine. Unrealistic? Me? Although I was 8cm when I got the the hospital last time, so maybe it's not to far fetched.

I've used TENS twice and I'm sure it allowed me to stay at home longer then if I hadn't had it. Will be using one again, if I remember to order one, I have real motivational issues

Have bought an Elle tens machine as reviews were good and i had enough vouchers to buy for £10 from amazon. Now wondering if lloyds are better as you've all mentioned them. I was thinking better to buy as this is our first, plus i have 3 friends due after me so i can work as an informal/free rental service!

Hmm....maybe I will re-think my no tens then, I would happily have your last birth kate :)

For anyone using re-usable nappies they are on sale at zulily today, not sure if these are the right ones as I don't know much about them but I do know you can get an extra 15% off with a mumsnet code!

i had tens in the first part of an induced labour last time, and it was great to distract you from the pain. you have just reminded me to book in a rental. there are companies that hire them locally which are cheaper than the main pharmacies. your local nct group will have details i'm sure. i was induced with 2 pesseries then a drip. i was told i would be allowed stand up in the room but due to constant monitoring it would be limited. however the student midwife struggled to find a vein and so i ended up with things in each arms and drips on each side so couldnt move, they had to unplug everything just so i could go to the loo.

Same here pmgkt but they wouldn't let me go to the loo..... I'm sure dp lived holding the bed pan whilst I squatted over it trying to wee between contractions

I wasnt told Lloyds were better, just cheaper, so don't know - apparently v like the slender tone thing but may go higher? DH tried it in boost first go and was really put off it, a good thing considering boys like to put it on their arms and make their hand twitch....

Dunno about others but the boots one I've got has a dvd, its elle I think. Need to post off for it mind!

Queen, I am also surprised at the anti-epidural sense I get in the UK. I just asked a good friend who has had 2 babies, and she said that her learning experience after the first is - do whatever is necessary to keep you going, and given that parenting happens for the next 18 years minimum, don't use up all your energy on the birth. For her, that meant accepting the epidural, which meant that she wasn't completely exhausted by the end of the birth and felt much more about to cope with the next days and weeks. With her first she just kept going with gas and air etc, and could barely function afterwards she was so tired.

My birth plan: get it out, please. Use as few medications/interventions as possible, but I'd rather have a healthy baby and a not-too-exhausted set of parents than a 'perfect' birth.

I'm with you mamapo!
I don't know a single person who has ever gone to their DM and said either, you ruined my life with your birth choices or, Thank god you didn't have a c-section etc, I could never forgive you if you hadn't had a 'natural' birth!

Not expecting my children to be interested or in fact anything other than totally grossed out by the whole subject !

clarella yep if I squeeze or even press on either nipple I get a fair amount of neon yellow colostrum! DP was HORRIFIED!!

bella I'll admit I've started on raspberry leaf tea already, did it from about this stage last time too. I have capsules as the tea sounds vile and I take a lower dose and will increase in later weeks. The ones I have say not to take in first 30 weeks but I think the guy in H&B said 34 or 36 weeks? I chose to ignore! (No judging please) just read the packet. You need it to build up in your system so it is necessary to take it a bit in advance.

I have a fear of forceps it's the only thing I would say I didn't want.. And pethadine is a questionable one for me. Made DD really sleepy for her first few days and then screamed the house down when it wore off. I have no issues with having an epidural i guess if it will help me- there's one of those guilt things attached to it in my opinion- like you're a worse mother if you have one! Utter rubbish bollocks you have to do what's right for you when you're screaming, tired and in a hell of a lot of pain.

I would absolutely have an epidural if I felt I needed it (as I say plans 'a' through to about 'g' so far!)

Need to remind my self at what point you can ask and at what point its too late... any one know?

Pethadine worries me mainly as I don't think id like it cos codine and benylin make me feel rather yucky

You have to be over 3cm to have one and I think they won't let you if you're more than 8cm? But probably depends on how long you've been going etc? I thoroughly believe if they had let me have an epidural it may have made the whole experience better for me and maybe I would be able to look back and not cry think of it has a happy day rather than the worst day of my life....

I wasn't offered pethedine but had diamorphine. I had my last dose probably an hour before dd was born and her apgar scores were 8&9 so it didn't effect her it did space me out though...

I'm not anti-epidural, I just don't want one for myself. My mom had one both times and i'm sure she thinks i'm a bit mad.

spotty really hoping it's better for you this time. My second was loads better. You, your dh and the bedpan is quite an image