January 2014 Thread 15-More babies to come

[Naturegirl82]

Went to post on the other thread and it was full! Hope people find this one ok.

Hi all, this is my first post in this thread, although I have been lurking for a while

Congrats to all those who have had their babies already!

I'm 38+5 like you Gosh but it's my first, so don't really expect anything to happen until after D Day.

I've been offered a sweep next Friday (the day before my due date) but I've read that they could be painful or pointless, and you should try to wait until labour starts naturally if there's no reason for early intervention.

I just wondered what other people's experiences are? I'm in no hurry to give birth as have had a very good pregnancy and both baby and myself seem fit & well, but equally I don't want to end up going over and having to be induced (I really want a water birth and midwife says I won't be able to have one if I'm induced - hosp policy I think).

I know at the end if the day it's my choice, but I would really appreciate some advice as to whether it might be best to wait until after due date for the first sweep, or go ahead and have it next week just in case it helps things along?

Good luck today mrsr soon you will have a lovely baby in your arms :)

mummyish hello!

i had ds a week early so haven't had a sweep before, but i will be asking for one tomorrow.

they don't class it as an intervention where i live so you can still have a birth pool. Unless they accidently break the waters, in which case if your body doesn't go into labour naturally you'll be offered an induction.

if the sweep doesn't work they will try it again for you.

Welcome mummy sorry I missed your post. 1st timer here too so can't help much I'm afraid. I also want a water birth and can't if induced (can with pessary but not if need drip too). I'm also happy to go over as not ready yet but will consider a sweep from due date onwards I expect

Good luck today MrsRA, everything I've heard about planned sections is positive. Hope you have your baby in your arms soon.

Thanks guys

I think I'll check again with a midwife (I've had 4 different midwives throughout pregnancy as my 'main' one has had a lot of holidays and is now back on delivery) about exactly why I can't have a water birth if induced, as it might be the same conditions as you've suggested and I didn't realise!

Think I might skip the first sweep next Fri and go for one the following week... Ahhh... It helps to sound it out sometimes!

In the meantime I'll continue to waddle and wonder if any little cramp is the onset of labour

Hope everyone is feeling alright and thanks again!

Hopefully they'll have some answers for you.

I'm trying to get the enthusiasm together to get dressed, get ds dressed, and go to the park. It's finally stopped raining and he will love it. I'm just so tired and he's enjoying dancing to Chris and Poi...

i also need to shower. My hair is awful

Good luck MrsR!

MummyIsh I had a sweep at 37 weeks (was being induced early anyway for medical reasons) and it was a bit pointless and didn't really get anything going. It was painful but over quickly and not as bad as expected! I think its one of those things that doesn't work unless your body is ready for labour.

frying I'm the same. When did showering get so tiring?!

I've had a huge disappointment this morning... Bbc aren't showing homes under the hammer at 10am anymore, this was due to be a staple of my maternity leave!! ;)

mrsv I had the same disappointment this morning! I just thought it might be because its still on holiday timetable. Are you sure they aren't showing anymore??!! There are loads on catch up if that's any help!

Thanks Felix - think I'm going to wait it out.

I'm with you on the showering thing - dry shampoo is my friend lately. Also find I'm timing doing my hair properly with when I might go into labour - it's very long and thick and takes ages to blow dry, so I'm only doing it once a week (hair, not showering!)

nature yes I hope it's back to normal next week :)

mummy I'm countering that in too. Nails, pubes, hair etc want to make sure I'm not a smelly yeti when I have to go in!

mummyish. I chose not to have a sweep as they only really work if you are about to go anyway ( same with pineapple etc IMHO though I did try sex and pineapple but only cause I like both anyway ;) )

Now I know I will be induced anyway I would go for a sweep everyday for a week in order to avoid proper induction!

As it turns my consultant did a sneaky sweep on Monday. I felt as uncomfortable as you would expect having an internal to be, and I bled a little afterwards ( panty liner not proper pad needed)

Morning all, hello mummyish.

Am 39+6 today and seeing mw this afternoon. Re sweeps I plan to ask her to check if the cervix is even slightly open, and if not, will turn down a sweep. From what others have said, and what I've read, if your cervix and body aren't ready/favourable it's painful and pointless.

That said, I have high hopes that my cervix might be starting to go, feel very 'full' and heavy at the bottom of my belly, am getting period type cramps several times a day (not often enough to be contractions) and had a dicky tummy last night. So so hope it is!
Although inevitably now I will come home having been told there's absolutely no signs at all...

Arranged my TENS machine hire today, going to be delivered tomorrow (via Kiddicare). When I said my due date was tomorrow, the lady said 'oh my lovely! Congratulations! I shall think of you tomorrow!' How nice is that? Hope it turns up in time to be of use, am quite looking forward to having a gadget and testing it on DH

What's everyone else up to today?

MrsR thinking of you, hope you are in theatre/safely out already.

quacko how are you getting on lovely? Any progress?

Good luck humpty dilating thoughts coming your way!

Hope all is well MrsRA, sure you will be out by now having cuddles with Alexander xx

humpty hope things happen for you soon now the TENS is on the way :)

Welcome MummyIsh :). Can't offer any advice on sweeps or induction unfortunately as my first two were natural starts around 39 weeks, lots of walking and sex did it for me though. I walked 6 miles on the day I went into labour with dd1.

Sick children here. Dd2 still not fully better despite anti-B's so DH has taken her to the GP. Mason also has a slight cold too, but I have been putting breastmilk up his nose, feeding more often and sitting in steam filled bathrooms to keep him comfortable. Sleep is in short supply in our house, poor DH has been sleeping on the floor in the older twos bedroom and they both end up climbing in with him during the night!

I am having a sweep at 2pm today, ahh I am scared but hoping I am already a bit dilated as I have been losing gooey gunge (yummy).

38+4 today and trying desperately to avoid induction .

Thinking of everyone in slow labour/ having sections today.

Fingers crossed humpty!

Another hope everyone is feeling better soon!

Managed to find a walk in centre which was open yesterday and got antibiotics for the UTI. Feeling much better already we are still up at PIL's so going in to Durham to look round the shops. I've expressed 2oz of milk just in case after my public bf disaster last weekend. Not sure if 2oz is enough though? I suppose it's better than nothing. I'm really in desperate need of some new clothes because nothing fits me so hopefully I'll find something today!!

2oz will be fine to hold her off until you can get somewhere to feed Felix, they have quite small stomachs.

I'm going to feed her just before we leave so hopefully it will keep her full for a while then the 2oz will do if she gets hungry later on. Fingers crossed!

felix I have hand expressed some too. Didn't get much but found it was easier doing it by hand than my manual pump. Have purchased an electric one that should arrive tomorrow though so can top up her feed as still not always feeding for 10mins. Worried that she will have lost weight at tomorrow's appointment.

Another - have you tried the calpol room vapouriser stuff? You plug it in. I swear by it. It's the only way we can sleep when ds has a cold. Asda sell them.

Felix - i grew up in the north east, so I'm very jealous you are there.

Sarah - good luck with the sweep!

i got motivated after posting, got showered and dressed and walked with ds to the shops. We've walked about three/four miles today. Ds is 2.3 so I'm very impressed. Wasn't carried at all!

Good luck with sweep, had one o Tuesday and it was fine. A little uncomfortable but not painful. Lost a fair amount of plug and been having few pains as generally feel sick and wrong and very clingy and moody. I don't think baby coming anytime soon tho. Got another sweep on Wednesday x

Aww, you ladies are so lovely - thank you! Some really good advice. I think I'll ask mw to check how far dilated my cervix is during my appointment on Fri and then decide from there.

I'll be trying all the natural methods too, starting with walking, curry and pineapple as my DH says that sex will be like 'bumping hulls' - charming!

I'm impressed with how productive you all are - I'm still in my dressing gown on the sofa after being awake all night until 7.30am this morning! And then I only had a couple of hours dozing. Body must be gearing up for a demanding baby!

Going to see one of the babies from our NCT group tonight - looking forward to catching up but also a bit worried about how 'real' it'll make it... I'm not really very natural around babies/kids, although my douchey username suggests otherwise

Another quick question - how can you get sweeps more than once a week? Do you drop in to any midwife in your area? I only see the midwife once a fortnight (once a week from next Friday) and she's only in my surgery on Friday mornings, so how can you get offered sweeps more frequently?