October 2013: Newborn snuggles and waddles to the finish line

[FeministInTraining]

Stats sheet here

New arrivals here

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

Baby boy!!!! What a shock! Born 8.04am still on the bed waiting to deliver placenta!

Congratulations Blondies!

Congrats Threeblondies fab news and a boy how lovely!

Also congrats red lips

Not sure orange about out of hours need to call the community mw office today so will ask them. I remember people talking about the night sweats a while ago.

Hi all,
Missed loads because I've been sulking and hiding out... SC here at 41+2 and being induced on the 31st, so can I join the back of the bus? I really thought the baby would arrive early, but I guess he/she is too comfy in there. Either that or they were wrong about my dates at the second scan, they did move it a lot.

I had a failed sweep and it was unbelievably painful so it's shook my confidence a bit. Not only am I not dilated, but the midwife said my cervix was high up behind the baby's head which is very low and she couldn't reach it. Great not looking forward to it being repeated at the induction at all, but at least they'll give me G&A then. Though I'd prefer gin I think.

sanji I'm so sorry you've been having such a horrible time. I agree with everyone else, it's not right but those who shout the loudest seem to get what they want.

Congrats redlips and threeblondies too, lovely news and impressive posting!

orange yes to it all looking pretty mangled down there!! I look a bit lop sided imo. but I think the swelling is all still going down so hopefully it'll keep looking better!! can't even imagine attempting sex again yet!!

Congratulations 3blondies!!! that was some very impressive mumsnet updating

sparkleigh dont lose hope after sweep. My cervix was high and behind babies head when I was in hospital in labour. in fact on my second examination the midwife couldnt find it had to get someone else to look and was 4cm although took a while to get to that point because of her position. she was born 6 hrs later... fingers crossed baby makes an appearance before the 31st!

orange I havent been brave enough to look yet but had a feel yesterday and not all of my stitches have dissolved yet an feeling very lopsided. hoping it will all settle down a bit more but we are 2 weeks on now so not sure.

Orange I was pretty mangled after DD (episiotomy and then I tore in other direction anyway). When getting stitched after DS the midwife commented that prev stitches had been done really bad so offered to give me a "designer vagina". Have to say she was excellent at stitching and all looked pretty normal after they healed up. Wish she had stitched my C-Section scar it's a bit lumpy and not too nice to look at not that it will ever be on show

Bronze, try Moby wrap with a teddy in it or a doll for practise before putting baby in it

I'm hoping my stitches were done well as they were done by a surgeon. but we'll see when I go back to have them checked by the consultant at 6 weeks

Congratulations threeblondies. Amazing work and live birth posting. Impressive! X
Congrats red lips too. Hope you're both feeling good. X
Sparkleigh I was also convinced this baby would be early and so was every midwife that has examined me since 37 wks! Which has been a lot as this baby is determined to cause as much stress as poss before its arrival. I had a sweep 2 days ago and was 2cm. The procedure was ok but no result! Unfortunately have to back for monitoring again today as baby had prolonged bradycardia which caused panic yesterday. In the end, after they unplugged bed and started to rush me to delivery suite hb came back up and baby behaved normally for 30 mins. They reckoned it was positional in the end but its the second time that its happened so it freaked me out a bit and am now totally paranoid about lying down in any position which I know is silly but can't help it. I am actually going to ask for another sweep when in today because I'm desperate to share the burden of monitoring baby with oh now. Feel like I'm being monitored more than the ladies who had nasty pe and bp issues even though they keep telling me its nothing to worry about I generally get the feeling they are slightly worried or they would not be making me go back in every day. Sorry to go on, it's nice to empty my head to people who understand. Not keen on telling family my worries as they'd only worry too and I hate that.
clapham so sorry you're feeling rubbish, it's one thing being irritated by these late babies but its another when you're starting to feel physically crap. Hugs to you. And too all those still waiting. Never thought I'd still be pregnant this wk end. Have decided to pretend I'm French and have given myself a new due date which is next thurs! Obvs not telling the midwives this, just to help with my own sanity!

I seem to have the bottom half of my labia missing like it was sewn from half way up, a jumbled up bit at the bottom, then two big ridges down my perenium. (Who ever would have thought I would be discussing this on the Internet!)

Congratulations blondies

Wow finally sanji, a room for you to labour in peace.
Congrats legally! Pretty quick going.
Don't mean to boast but I read my notes and apparently my labour was 8 minutes! Can't quite believe it but I guess that's why it was So traumatic and the pains leading up to being 4 cm were so intense.
Thanks to whoever mentioned having a debrief, I def will as the ironic thing is that I had had begged consultant to let me have water birth and he kept stressing how high risk I was due to being exposed to parvoviris whilst pregnant. What a joke! I almost had her in the bath, they made me get out whilst pushing, the bastards!.
Home now, have called her Sylvie and her big brothers are so proud of her, it's adorable.
Bf is difficult, very sore, hoping to get latch sorted.
Good luck imp, and all others waiting. X

Woohoo- I love waking up to some baby news! Congratulations Redlips & 3Blondies. I'm impressed that you managed to update us throughout 3Bs!
Sanji how are you doing???

Clapham, Imp, Ready & Sparkleigh you guys are persevering so well. It's miserable waiting so long- but your babies must be nestled in there for a reason. I'm still selfishly hoping you'll have Hallowe'en babies for us

Clapham I'm not familiar with loin pain- does sound like you should get it checked out. I moaned loads about my hip pain the last 2 weeks which is finally now reduced to a twinge. I think that's down to the loosening of ligaments etc with the hormones. Not sure how loose ligaments could affect the loin. Hope the Doc/MWs can help you.

Rox I'm with you on the restless legs- so annoying when trying to feed.

Orange I don't dare get a mirror out. I had a quick explore in the shower this morn as at least one stitch is still feeling irritable but it felt so alien I think it's best to stay away.... My experience with DS is that it all goes back to 'normal' by 6 weeks. I was going to try a postpartum healing compress today (a bit late) Anyone else used them?

Flyer it does sound like early signs of mastitis. I had one bout like that with DS where I was freezing but sweating and hallucinating. Helpline told me to try a hot shower and massage out the breast (nice milky shower!!) It worked. Fever disappeared. (I did it this week too to prevent infection when my boobs got all Dolly P)
Hope that helps.

MNippy I feel similar about DH- it's hard rebalancing the relationship when another arrives, especially as our roles are so different. You'll work it out though xx

Sorry, I meant congrats three blondes!

Neenie Sylvie is a lovely name, also the name of DS's on-off girlfriend (he's 6)

It is amazing reading this thread and comparing all the advice everyone is given. I've had so little 'advice' from the mw's (Pseudo/Bronze are your Whittington MWs the same?). As long as bubs is looking healthy, gaining weight and happy, I've not been asked nor told what my feeding regime should be. I just feed her when she's hungry and let her sleep when she wants. No pressure. Last night she slept from 3am. I woke at 5 and tried to feed her but she spurned my boob, woke again at 8(!!)am and she was still happily asleep. I did eventually force my boob on her for fear of milk-explosion.
I worry that some of you are under unnecessary pressure from your MWs to meet targets that you'll get to in your own time better without their stress. (equally I could be talking cr@p )

Doing this for the second time round I'm far more chilled about feeding. I have to admit it's far easier than the first time- my nipples have recovered quicker, my hormones have been more level, my toes have stopped curling at the latch. For those of you feeling overwhelmed and that you could never do it again- honestly it is easier. Possibly because, as legally has said, you know that this learning period is just that- a short few weeks where you and baby work out your pattern & your body toughens up, which will be followed by months of easy feeding anywhere and everywhere.

I love bf- it appeals to the completely selfish part of me that wants Thea to be mine all mine (queue comic baddy laugh) and gives me that intense bond with her that poor DH can't have just yet please no-one tell him about bottle feeding!! I know I'm really lucky that it works well for me- and I hope it isn't long before everyone here gets to that point with whichever form of feeding you're using. Then we can all get out to the nearest cafe and really enjoy our Maternity Leave!

I really hope that doesn't all sound gloaty or preachy, I just wanted to let you know that it gets better. It really does. These first 6 weeks are the hardest, but they're the closest you'll ever be to your teeny baby. They'll soon be over and you might even miss them!

ok- i take it back. It's still toe-curling

Wow orange you are brave.
I didn't look after the previous birth either, so won't be able to compare or know what damage was from previous birth.
Mw did say previous stitching wasn't neat and I had a spare/loose skin bit. She did say the swelling might have made it seem worse n it might shrink. I haven't been brave enough to explore and don't think I ever will!

Haven't managed to catch up on all the thread and I'm massively behind but wanted to post while I remembered what I wanted to say!

legally - couldn't have said it better myself. With my first (dd) 6 weeks really was the magic time. Nips stopped hurting, sleep was better and I just felt able to cope with everything. This time had been easier - less pain in general and I think he sleeps a bit better but we have good and bad nights. I think you're spot on thinking about it as your job and making sure you have everything you need close by. For me it's a pint of squash, chocolate and the tv remotes!

flyer - definitely get checked out for mastitis ASAP. Friends have had it and it sounds awfully painful. You are meant to feed as much as you can from the sore breast but I guess that's easier said than done.
Re piles, I got some cream from the gp - anusol HC, which has worked a treat. I'd recommend trying that. There's enough going on with your body at the mo - you def shouldn't have a sore bum too. I was also prescribed lactulose to make pooing easier - see if you can get some of that too.

Congrats to all the new arrivals and those swil, lit and to those sc - I hope you're not for much longer.

caz - I didn't know about baths speeding up labour - may be why I ended up giving birth at home!

congrats red and blondies!

blondies updating us at 8cm... I think you deserve the first LIT update medal on this thread! so pleased for you. Were you hoping for a boy after two girls? and do you already have a name?

and hope sanji is doing well...

thanks for your advice and words of support everyone. I'm a needy and emotional mess right now and your support means so much xxx

I called the triage and spoke to a lovely midwife. As it's only one side and one particular area that suffers and it hurts only when I move, she doesn't think it's an infection or SPD but most probably trapped nerve because baby is bigger and probably has changed his position. Told me not to move if I can help it . My obsessive checking for mucus plug on every toilet trip is now becoming unhealthy and ridiculous. Having had DS at 39 weeks I'm coping so badly with being overdue... I must say DP has been an angel over the last week... please remind me when I moan about him in the future. I'm sure I will

ready sorry you have to go for monitoring so often... how is your BP these days? I keep monitoring at home and it seems to have gone down to my usual 115/75 or thereabouts.

flyer sounds like early mastitis... make sure you feed through it and empty the offending boob at every feed. Pump if needed. The best way. I had it 4 times - it's awful but clears quickly. Feeding, hot showers and massage

pink is Thea official now? name accepted by DP?

orange I had over 20 stitches and tore really badly with DS. didn't dare look down there for a year... when I finally did it looked perfectly normal. I think you need time. As to the whole area, it didn't feel right for a long time. I remember even dtd felt a bit painful for about a year. It took a long while for it to feel like before. And I went off it completely for 3 months anyway!!

PS. orange meant to say, I really bruised my coccyx after having DS. I had a lot of stitches and couldn't sir down properly for a fee days so was leaning backwards, putting all pressure and weight on my coccyx. perhaps this is what you've been doing too?

sorry for all the typos! hope it made sense anyway!

clapham- yup, Thea is official, DH caved in agreed with it the morning after my mini-meltdown. DS is still calling her Rosie . Thea Lily-Rose Z. My country-aunt can't get her head around it so is also calling her 'Rosie' (!) It's amazing how everyone believes they have the right to judge/comment on your choice as if you haven't stressed about the decision enough already! Apart from fellow Mums who have all been positive.

How are you holding up today? Have you tried some yoga positions to see if C will shift his position in you and relieve the pain? Or perhaps this is a good sign that he's bearing down in prep for his grand entrance?

ps- hoping textbook has forgiven me for creating a second Thea. But all my fave names are already on this thread!

Pink - my mum keeps calling Caoimhe "Keira" instead of "Kee-va" - it's driving us mad!

Congratulations redlips and threeblondies! Enjoy those cuddles.

flyer like others have said, this does sound like mastitis. Definitely try the hot water (really hot flannel compress feels good) and massage the area as you're feeding. I would recommend seeing your GP though if it's sore as the anti biotics are pretty effective straight away and you don't want to get so bad that you feel ill and struggle to feed your little one.