November 2013 anyone?

[stuffthenonsense]

Very early days yet but there must be a couple of others somewhere?

My friend had a home birth with her second. They'd hired a birthing pool but baby was born before her DH had finished filling it up!

I had home birth planned with DS but went 2 weeks over, was induced and had a very bad post partum haemorrhage. As much as I detest hospitals I needed to be there for my own safety, and I just wouldn't want to risk that happening again.

Totally understand why people have home births but after such a trauma I just feel too scared.

Suffolk, just remember that nobody has any right to tell you what you will do, they can advise and request but that is it. Do your research, tell them what you plan to do and negotiate from that point. I guess if you want mlu and they want cc then you could tell them you'll be home birthing at which point they will probably happily compromise to mlu. A friend of mine has just had a HBAC, can't get much more medicalised than a Caesarian and she got a homebirth with the next baby.
I'd never suggest taking risks, but most mothers to be are not aware that the choices are theirs and not the drs. Check out the AIMS website.

Suffolk, hope you're ok?

I had a massive wobble when I got home from work, as I was convinced the numb feeling in my arms was a result of me having an eptopic pregnancy - carpool tunnel the husband reassured me! And then my symptoms keep coming and going and I didn't know what was happening, finally I said I don't won't to disappoint you or for you to be mad at me if jelly beans not ok in the scan.

Thsnkfully lots of hugs reassured me everything would be ok.

Today at work I had some decaf tea and was convinced the milk had gone off as it tasted funny. Nought wrong with it.

Can I ask how people know so much about their birth centres and birthing options? Is it because you have had previous babies? This will be my first baby so I've no idea what the options are. I won't have a booking appointment till I'm 10.5weeks so I wont have an opportunity to ask the midwife for sometime yet. Can I just google it and find out about local birthing centres & hospitals? And how will I know which are good or bad?

well I took her out fairy and she was scared of everything, the wind was blowing snow everywhere making it all look funny and she kept shying....silly pooch. At least shes been out though.

I have no idea re birthing options, my nearest hospital is becoming midwife led, I thought that was fine but my mates a doctor and she said she would be mad at me if I didnt have doctors on hand.....tricky.

gin I asked my friends that live locally as I had 2 hospitals to choose from. I went with the one that they all said they had good experiences at, even tho the other was slightly closer. Was very glad I did as a friend who was pregnant at the same time chose the other hospital and had a terrible time with the staff, when everyone who looked after me was lovely!
So ask people you know who have had babies lately, or if you don't want to tell people yet, look up the hospital reviews online.

Lol mother poor cleo! It's rotten weather for animals.

I was v surprised to be asked so early where I wanted to give birth - eh how would I know!

gin for me, I learnt loads from my NCT course. I was always going to be consultant led as I'm high risk.
suffolk hope everything's ok. I found that the MW didn't rule out their unit until the consultant vetoed it. I think as long as your pregnancy goes well then you should be able to negotiate where you give birth.

at dizzy's paranoia. I thought I was bad. Glad you got lots of hugs and feel better now.

I wish I was brave enough for a home birth but dd needed to be resuscitated when she was born and I was soooo glad we were in hospital.
I had remifentinail (no idea how to spell it). I don't know if that affected her or if it was just bad luck. Maybe I'll try and stay off the drugs this time it really bloody hurts though

Ps Suffolk, it's really early days so lots of time for you to firmly but politely fight your corner. A friend of mine was put down at CC but at her Consultant appt in second trimester he took one look at her notes and said MWC was fine.

Whenshewasbad, it's all dr googles fault. I occasionally get a dull ache in the right of my groin, so google brings up horror stories!! Seeing dr on Wednesday, so will unload there!

I'm neurotic and not afraid to admit it.

With ds my birth plan was water birth and as little pain relief as possible.

40 + 12 my waters started leaking but sent home for 24 hours. Wiped myself after a wee and traces of merconium (sp?). Back to hospital where they agreed after much umming and ahhing that ds had had a poo so they'd induce me. Straight on to the drip and things progressed quickly. I ended up with 3 attempts at an epidural (third worked but only after I begged the anaesthetist who didn't want to try again). Ds went into distress, forceps delivery in the room, ds had cord round neck and wasn't breathing properly, ds went to scbu, I haemorrhaged!

Ds was out of scbu 24 hours later and we were home after two days.

My birth plan this time is hospital because there are doctors and nurses there! Sorry if I've freaked out any first timers but it wasn't that bad or I wouldn't be doing it for the second time so not too traumatised

As long as I get a baby to snuggle at the end of it all I don't care how they get this one out!

I'm hoping for an ELCS this time after an EMCS & disc prolapse with DS - had a numb tingly leg for 6 weeks after the birth and horrendous back pain for 10 months. Very keen to minimise the risk of a repeat disc problem and not going to be fobbed off with talk of a trial VBAC

Lol my plan with dd was lovely water birth too. But waters broke and took 24hrs to get into established labour so we were high risk for infection. So was stuck in a bed with a drip and constant monitoring. Dd also turned back to back when waters broke so back to back labour yaaay. Epidural wouldn't touch the pain at all but slowed contractions, so then I had to have a drip to get things moving again. She then decided to turn completely around on the way out. Ouchey! But 49hrs, and a big fat episiotomy later dd was finally borned!

Hehe all these horror stories are gna scare the panties off all the first timers

I had the best birth in queen mum's hospital in Glasgow with a really low-key midwife who let me alone to labour without drugs and arrived to catch the baby. It was so good I have no qualms about another hospital birth and while a home birth sounds fab at my age (43, will be 44 when I give birth) I think hospital makes more sense in case there are any complications...

Mumma, pegster, mitsy - it really sounds like you went through a lot last time. Well done on getting through it and taking it all on again! I'll definitely be opting for a hospital birth as I'm a first timer. The stories don't scare me....yet! Getting to 12 weeks seems a million miles away so the though of giving birth just seems completely unreal and disconnected at the moment. I don't think it'll sink in I'm having a baby until I see something on the scan.

Thanks for all the lovely congratulations :) Lovely to receive well wishes and exciting to be at the same stage as everyone here. Getoff I had the whole shivers/boiling at night thing too, this now seems to have gone to bbe replaced by headaches and exhaustion. It is reassuring to read that I am not the only person who doesn't have morning sickness.. Have some mild nausea and cramps, but have had that all along. Hoping and praying that this works out for every single one of us, fingers and toes crossed. Will be keeping an eye to see how you are all doing! xx

Great to read all the birth threads and I am just hoping to get that far!!! So long as baby is healthy. Ginsling I am a first timer too and I can relate to it not seeming real until a scan! I also have a bicornate uterus so I think they may be doing more scans. I think at the end the baby may run out of room and not be able to turn, so high possibility of CS. Have to let go of those fantasies of a lovely home birth!! Will just be so happy to make it to a happy, healthy birth! Fortunately I have been at 3 of my friends births, none of which went smoothly, but all were ok in the end!! x

Wow snowdrop you were at three friends' births?! I would rather not have been at my own if at all possible :-)

I am also getting the freezing cold then boiling thing - like my internal temp control is broken.

So cannot face work tomorrow. Other symptoms have disappeared (making me paranoid) but just so tired!

blue my symptoms have disappeared today except for the temperature thing, making me paranoid too. Glad I'm not the only one sending themselves slightly loopy!
I was induced with DS at 39 weeks. Had gas and air and was on bed being monitored. DS arrived after a 12 hour labour. For me, it wasn't the most painful thing I've ever done, just to try and reassure you first timers. DS had an infection and dodgy respiratory rates so was taken to neonatal after about 30 mins. Scariest time of our lives waiting to find out what was wrong with him. For me, it's hospital all the way in case if any complications.

gin and snowdrop totally agree until that scan I can't even think about the thought of how it's going to come out. At the moment I just want it to be safely in there in the first place.

I had a bit of nausea last week but this week don't really seem to have anything. Don't even feel that tired- getting v paranoid.DH says it's just being good for me. If it was just a day of relief and then it started up again I'd feel better but it feels like everything has disappeared. Wish those tests did week by week up to your scan so I could merrily POAS and track my progress like I have been until now!!

I had quite a straightforward delivery with dd. We kept phoning in the hospital and they were telling me to stay home as it would be some time yet eventually they believed me when I said I didn't think it would be and sent a ambulance. Dd was born about an hour after arriving so I only had time for gas and air. I still want to go for hospital though as I think I would panic at home I am already stressing that surely it cannot go as straightforward a second time around. Am hoping for a water birth though as I managed to get to 9cm in the bath at home with no problems. I just hope they let me in the hospital earlier to avoid the last minute dash with lights and sirens!

My symptoms have all but vanished still even to the point where I took a drink my brother offered me without even thinking. It wasn't until I had a mouthful and it tasted awful I twigged! I managed to sneak it to dh to drink without anyone noticing though