May 2013: 5 in the thread and the little one said, roll over - there's lots more on the way!

[Rhienne]

Running out of space over here so a new thread for all our fabulous birth stories!

Mamma Does your new ob seem much better in general then I hope so.

Painful How big a tear was it last time did you need many stitches? With my epistiotomy I had quite a few stitches so second time around I asked for epistiotomy/assisted delivery to be avoided. I had a tear with second and I asked how many stitches it would need they said about four or five. Being quite a small tear after my bad stitching with first birth I asked them to leave it and it healed beautifully. It looked ahem a lot neater down there than my first stitch job with ds1 which like I said had to be corrected.

Tiger I think the general rule is that you are more likely to need an assisted delivery with a first birth than you are with subsequent deliveries

sorry yeah it was a third degree, that's all they told me, no one told me how many stitches I had but I was being stitched up for about 20 odd minutes so I am guessing a few! Everything seems to have healed fine down there.

A doula is a birth partner but with a greater knowledge basis I think really. She will help me communicate with the midwives etc, keep me focused etc. Support my DP who will also be present. Look at Doula UK there is better info on there than I can explain!

Tiger, it wasn't that bad. The level of care over here is excellent. When I moved over here I was 35 weeks and didn't have a Dr sorted so didn't have much choice of Dr as they limit their case load. He was quite old school (and intriguingly had a can of Elnett hairspray on the table with all his gynae equipment. I never managed to work out what that was for). My new one is much, much better thanks Beaut.

Hi everyone, I hope you're all doing well. I'm 38 wks now and it is all starting to feel a bit real and scary. I keep seeing people who say "you might have a baby by the next time I see you....", which totally freaks me out!

Finally have got around to packing my hospital bag. I just wondered, what food have people packed? I seem to being having a blank on what sorts of things I could pack. Any suggestions?

Last week of work coming up - feeling stressed about how much I still have to do. But I think also feeling a bit wound up about what a big change is just about to happen in my life. I've been so looking forward to it but now I just have the fear....

roast what about dries fruit, cereal bars, nuts? i remember devouring 3 cereal bars after I'd had DS. Some sugary sweets to give you a quick energy boost?

First timer checking out now, I understand people can and should discuss whatever they like but detailed chat about tears and stitches is more than I can take right now. Good luck and see you on the other side!

Don't check out SeaSalt!

Wow well if that's your limit you are in for a shock I am afraid!

I think maybe the detailed discussion is best taken onto a separate thread. - 'likelihood of assisted delivery following a previous assisted delivery' or whatever but I can imagine it is a bit scary for first timers. seasalt if you are getting something from the updates then it would be a shame to leave. I think it's cool to ask people to tone it down. It's a fine balance.

In other news I've had a vomiting bug thing today (38&2) along with BH .. I'm shattered. I was hoping for a lovely last Sunday as a family of 4 but instead my 5yo said he thinks I've been in bed for 92 hours!!!

Perhaps we need to open an 'explicit' thread or 'birth thread' or at the very least head messages that what follows is explicit..... It'd be
A real shame if first timers were scared off. I mind not one jot what I read nor did I the first time but my job makes me blasé.....

Seasalt........
Come
Back........ We will try to find a way of people
Sharing what they need without scaring others...

Sorry I realise that sounded a bit harsh.

Actually if we could keep the scary stuff to a minimum that would be great at the moment. Another first-timer trying to focus on relaxing as much as possible and avoid getting stressed about it all and in the 'real' world am already finding it really stressful when people tell me negative birth stories. sorry don't want to offend anyone

Hmmm. Impending child birth is why we're all here. This is the natural and obvious place to discuss it. I think it's a shame that people feel they have to watch what they say about their worries or experiences on a thread specifically for pregnant women.
That's just my opinion.

I agree with lolly and pregnant tbh, we're all either going to experience labour in the next few weeks or have just experienced it, it seems strange not to talk about it.

I've looked at the previous posts too and can't see any gory stories either, what post was it that was so bad?

To be fair that's what seasalt said, it just wasn't for her. I personally was so scarred about the idea of an induction from my over zealous NCT trainer that I totally freaked when it did happen. We just want to be aware I guess .

I Dont think anyone should refrain from posting anything they are concerned about or feel is relevant- I just think perhaps we have journeyed 8 mths together and it would be a shame for some first timers who need the support to be scared off...... Is it really so unreasonable
To 'head your post' with a warning or have a separate birth post? I for one would like to try and consider and include all views and just think its the easier way.... We are all different and deal with things in our way and shouldn't judge when someone feels scared

I'm dubious about a seperate birth post, I don't think it would work very well as a few stories come out in flow of conversation on the thread or may be included as part of advice iyswim so a seperate thread may not work as well.

I think it was me mentioning my third degree tear, which I did not describe in any detail whatsoever.

Surely all this talk about stitches and tears is actually informative though? First time round I wanted to know everything from the gory bits down to the good bits!

As Seasalt has said - she understands that we should be able to talk about what we want, but she finds it difficult so has chosen not to read.
Posters always have the option of skipping posts.

Tigerswallowtail in answer to your question to me above, yes I think the stop/start labour is called 'false labour' and according to midwife is your body limbering up and can turn into real thing at anytime. It's not so common first time round. I don't know why.

Since talking to friends with more than one child, a lot of them have said that this happened to them, with one of them having signs and contractions for over two weeks. When active labour finally did establish, it was very short.

Things they don't tell you, eh?!

Morning all Just to weigh in on the 'details' debate, as a first-timer I quite liking reading about how varied everyone's past experiences have been, including the not so good ones - but I'm a hope for the best, prepare for the worst sort of person who's too nosy for her own good

roast I'm packing dried fruit, fruit and nut mixes, savoury bread stick type things, maltesers and, for post-birth treat, Lindor . Will probs add some fresh fruit and/or sandwiches nearer the time (assuming there's time of course...). NCT teacher had some suggestions but I've forgotten them now - will try to remember to look them up and post later. Ooh, I must remember to get a bottle of squash and also pack bendy straws!

Have also been doing cheese research every time I go to supermarket to check out use-by dates so I can stock fridge in advance and have lots of lovely verboten cheese ready for when we come home. Am becoming a bit obsessed ]

Last 3 days of work! Although just feels like I'm preparing to go on holiday, really can't get head round prospect that I won't be going back until next year

Quick question for 2+ timers - how quickly did your normal immune system return after delivery? Am on my third cold this pregnancy and thoroughly fed up.

roast found my notes but not sure they're that helpful!
"Food/drink esp. something tempting to eat after birth. Chocolate, cheese and crackers, smoothies. During day, partner can go and get food to bring to delivery suite. Will get tea and toast after delivery. Also remember food for dad."

Hi all hope everyone is doing ok, at hospital with GTT so a bit loopy with lucozade atm, have to wait 2 hrs before I can have breakfast so forgive the waffle.

I don't really mind whether we have a separate thread for birth stories or discussions on TMI, I can see both sides. I have wild swings between severe apprehension and calm serenity. One thing I will say as a second timer is that whatever your birth and labour is like IT IS ALL WORTH IT! In my crazy lucozade state I want to gather up all those worrying in a big group hug and shout coach style "Eyes on the prize ladies!"

Thinking about food after the birth, cereal bars...... Yuk, anything dry was unappealing but I'd been on the gas and air so my throat was dry. I wanted pizza and chips but the canteen was closed. I was starving and tea and toast didn't cut it at all. Lindor mmmmm yes that's going on the list. Any other ideas? And yes to bendy straws, v useful.

Fox's biscuits are definitely going in my bag for afterwards.