October 2013 - Anyone remember a time when we weren't pregnant?

[roxvox]

Stats sheet

Key:
SC - still cooking (pre EDD)
SFW - still f*ing waiting (post EDD)
OWT - on way to theatre (CS)
IP - induction in progress
SWIL - somewhere in labour
LIT -lost in transition

Same on the dates here soup. I eat a whole pack then have terrible wind all night

MIL finds it impossible to hear anything about my pregnancy/birth/childcare plans without starting a long story about her personal experience. Her questions about how I'm feeling are just a launchpad for her to talk about herself.

Surely the best way to bring on labour is to book an expensive restaurant/ non-cancellable theatre tickets etc for the next few days!

(BTW, have name-changed from HSD - sorry for any confusion!)

back from my 36 weeks mw appointment - all good, measuring bang on 36cm and baby's head 2/5 engaged!

hayle hope baby Issac can be with you very soon... and how are you? didn't you mention that midwives were concerned about you / your blood loss too? Or did I misunderstand something? xx

iheart hope everything is OK and you will get some good news soon

jelly and anything how exciting! keep us updated!

how is it going gt? still waiting for the first LIT!

I hate cinnamon too! However, I put it in mulled wine. (I'm drooling slightly as I type it...) and I put it in a curry when I fry onions right at the beginning, quite a bit of it - you can't taste it at all once the curry is ready but it adds a lot of richness and a real depth to all flavours (learned from a lovely Indian lady)

saying this... I'm just about to start my curry but have to go easy on chilli today - don't want to kill MIL after all...

may also dtd tonight if my good mood persists... might as well start the baby eviction process early and I think watching Deal or No Deal with MIL and Noel's flowery shirt put me in the mood...

by the way, has any of you done some research on the delayed cord cutting? I seem to remember someone writing about it... I meant to ask the mw today but completely forgot. Damn you pregnancy brain...

Clapham I haven't done any research but delayed clamping is policy in our PCT unless for a medical reason they need to take the baby earlier.

Too much chilli might keep MIL quiet for a moment or two?!

So meringues might work crunchie? Whoop!

clapham - hah re flowery shirt! My DP doesn't dare to approach me re dtd, poor dude. I am very very irritable and over-heated...

Oh, and I've heard delayed cord clamping is great if they can do it.

Does anyone have any opinion on whether to have the injection to get rid of the placenta, or to deliver it 'naturally'? (This won't be relevant if I have a c-section but I'm still supposed to put it on my 'in case' birth plan).

My instinct is to go without the injection Mnippy but I can see me regretting that decision if I'm totally knackered and just want it over and done with.

My birth "plan" (ha!) also says physiological third stage but I can't remember all the specifics about why I decided that. I've also put that I'm happy to have the injection if its looking like its taking too long - I can foresee that I might be knackered and had enough by that stage too.

Sorry I always seem to be lurking without getting round to posting.
Mnippy, I went without the injection with DS2, and I did not even really realize when the placenta came out as I was so engaged with the baby.

Also, for the maternity bag, it is always good to have some antiseptic wipes, with DS1, there was some blood on the toilet seat left from the previous birth.

and the injection is often used for convenience for the OB or MW as it speeds up the process and thus they don't have to wait around for up to 40min after the baby's birth.

Evening all... well it's been about a month since I last posted, and about a million threads!!!! Things certainly do move very quickly around here.

Speaking of which CONGRATS!!! to all those who have already met their LOs, so glad to hear that most of you are home and doing better/well and hope those of you still waiting to go home, get there soon.

Good luck to those mid-labour, and to those trying to start labour... I'll wait on your scientific findings before I adopt a method as I need to keep my legs crossed until next week - got way too much on until Wed next week!!

I've spent the first three days of my mat leave catching up on the threads since August... well maybe not the whole 3 days -> some of my days have been spent nursing a nasty cold (enough already!), napping to make up for not sleeping, packing up my house to move to temporary rental accommodation this weekend (f'ing builders!!! ) and generally being bored and moody - glad to see that I'm not the only one with that last affliction LOL

Hoping to keep up with you all a bit more now that I am off work but no guarantees given the pace of your posts

I'm SC @ 37 weeks, due for a sweep next week.

Re the injection to get the placenta moving - there are two kinds (at least!). One is syntocin (synthetic oxytocin, like you have at induction) and the other is a mixture of that and another chemical. The one that's a mixture can make you sick and increase your blood pressure. After labour and while trying to establish feeding, I'm not sure I want either of those things! Everything has side effects, but I'd like the opportunity to ask before injecting me.

It's worth asking how they do it at your hospital.

When can they start doing sweeps? Does it depend on cervix softness? I've got a consultant appt next week at 37+4, do you think he'll do one then?
hayle sorry Isaac is still in neo natal. Really hope he can come out soon. How are you feeling? Hope you are getting lots of support and rest.

Shooting - not 100% sure but I'm due for induction @ 40wks because of my age/risk and other medical factors etc. My consultant says he's happy for midwife to start sweeps at 38 & 39 weeks as in his view that's better method to induce than drug intervention. Not sure if there's a pre-condition for Sweeps... didn't think to ask. Heading off to speak with Dr Google now

Has anyone considered or already bought the 'Angelcare Monitor' to monitor baby's breathing and movement whilst they sleep?

Being a first time mum i'm already overcome with the fear of SIDs, it has woken me up in the middle of the night cold with panic, and seems to be overriding all the joy of the impending birth. I know i'm overreacting, but i just can't seem to shake the fear! So that's why i've been looking for something to set my mind at east (somewhat) when the baby arrives!

Looking for any thoughts/experiences of the monitor, and does anyone else have such an anxiety?!

Thanks

shooting NICE guidelines indicate 40 weeks for a first pregnancy and 41 weeks for subsequent pregnancies unless there is a reason u would need them earlier as in whistling case and usually it would be under the instruction of a consultant a midwife wouldn't be able to make the decision, unless maybe it was just a few days early, as this baby has a large head my consultant has agreed my midwife can start sweeps from 38 weeks to avoid me going over and has written it on the front of my notes xx

Karma I've literally today ordered my replacement Angelcare from Boots. It saved my sanity with DS who would only sleep on his front. I never got any false alarms and found it very easy to use. I only need a new one as DS dropped it a few months ago.

Thank you Pseudo, good to know it won't be a waste of money/gimmick!

I am planning on getting one and putting it in the Arms Reach Co-sleeper, so now i need to figure out if it'll work under the existing mattress which has a firm base that the monitor would go under.. might need to fashion something to pop in-between the base and the mattress?!

I'm seriously considering it Karma because with the kind of heart condition Eliana has she is likely to have tet spells where she stops breathing and if we don't bring her out of them it can lead to brain damage.

My little contractions are getting a little more painful. Not bad. But very focused on my tummy and distracting from the world. Breathing though them ATM. Not sure about pain relief ATM. Guess ill wait until my examination tonight n decide based on how far I am.

That sounds incredibly stressful mon - I know it has been said lots but i admire how you have coped with everything that has been thrown at you.

shooting you can always ask, but its unlikely they would sweep that early. There is only any point doing it if you are favourable - ie you body has already started on its own - so like falcon who was already in slow labour, a sweep can help move things along. My MW sais she will check at my 40 week appointment and sweep if possible.

Ooohhh cross post - hope things move along nicely for you gt x

Karma you might not be able to use it in a co sleeping cot as it would pick up your movements and breathing? Unless that brand isn't attached to the bed (sorry I'm not sure of that).
The manual tells you what to do for example a Moses basket you put a base of wood in (with holes).

I need a quick decision: Pizza Hut or Dominos?