February 2014 - babies flying out all over the joint!

[marzipanned]

We've now welcomed mini sun, dawn, kat, zazou and selfies (please tell me I haven't missed anyone...)....who will be next?!

Those of us waiting impatiently will be showing down on dates, pineapple, RLT and curry while having awkward whale sex.

Good news Julietee. Think that's three of us measuring small now with normal sized babies... The hospital up here is clearly a bit less diligent, you only need the sonographer to sign you off! Hope you get home soon.

Posted on FB earlier but just in case some people are only on here....

Quick scan by specialist midwife at the day unit confirmed baby still breech, head exactly where I thought at top of bump, feet up by its face and bum at the bottom. She has given me some info on ECV and is sending me for another scan on Monday when I'll be 37+1 and have more chance of seeing the consultants (today they seemed totally overwhelmed and people in the waiting area were moaning about waiting for 3 hrs).

So not got any further other than more waiting. Still not convinced on the ECV. MW today said it does only have 50% success rate (i.e. 50% they can't persuade to move at all) and then of those they do turn, some turn back before labour starts. She did say the alternative is an ELCS but that they would strongly encourage me to try for a natural birth given it's my first pregnancy.

I'm still swaying towards an ELCS just because a) the ECV scares the crap outta me and I might go through all that worry for nothing if they can't move it or if it flips back b) the inner planner/control freak in me would feel more at ease working towards a fixed date c) I'd rather have a planned CS rather than an EMCS if labour were to happen naturally and baby still in breech position. I know that having a CS has its own risks but to me, they seem to be more manageable and known. Will have to see what the doctors say on Monday I guess.

Sorry for the me me me post - hope those with period type pains are getting in the bath and making sure those hospital bags are ready to go! Looking forward to seeing more newborn pics over the weekend!

The only thing I'd add to that is that when I thought the baby was breech I got really stressed out about the idea of an ELCS (even with reading all the positive stories...)

Now that I'm 38+3 and there are NO signs whatsoever of baby's impending arrival, the thought of an ELCS next week would be rather lovely. Plus we have had a couple of super ELCS births on the thread.

Thanks champagne. I have found some academic studies which concluded that in general those women who have a successful ECV are at a higher risk of having an EMCS, additional monitoring, irregularities in baby heart rate and more cases of induction. Admittedly these studies were small (900-1000 women in one hospital) but enough for me to question it. On the other hand there must be thousands of women who had no issues at all.

marzi the ELCS doesn't scare me at all - in fact (and I'm not sure I should admit this really) - it seems more preferable to me than the natural birth. Is that really wrong? I'm hardly too posh to push, but given that it's in a tricky position, I've got the whole GD thing going on too, it just seems more manageable in my head to plan the whole thing, know when I'll be meeting my baby and know that I'll need a certain amount of help and recovery in advance rather than it all being a big stressy panic.

Not wrong at all. It's very much an individual choice. In other countries (with privatised healthcare...) plenty of women choose to have an ELCS. In fact my gynaecologist had both her kids by ELCS and said she would always choose that option.

For me I can see all the logical benefits to an ELCS but, emotionally, I want to experience labour and vaginal birth. That might be strange in itself... :)

Agreeing with Marzi and champagne here, jazz :) I reckon I'd go for ELCS if baby is breech, just because it seems to me (and my very limited research) to be the safest option, which would cause the least anxiety to me. Though I hope I can have just a normal birth preferably!

Good luck with any remaining scans and checks to those who've not had them yet.

Funeral was 'nice' if you can call it that - clear and cold day with no wind at all. Over 200 people turned up, and even my older sister shed a little tear. I was convinced she wasn't able to! I cried at the start but realised if I let myself I wouldn't be able to stop, so spent the rest of the ceremony(?) counting flowers and practicing hypnobirth breathing to stop the tears! The breathing was very effective actually.

Now, my BH actually makes me breathless and head exploding regardless of position - lying on my side, sat on a chair and even stood up! Not every time, but more than I feel comfortable with. Will have to ask MW on thursday I think.

Littleen - you must be pleased today is over, must have been so tough for you.

Jazz - I felt the same about a section, which is why I'm having one again! I've always been nervous of the seemingly infinite possibilities of what can happen with a natural birth. I'm an emotional person anyway and think I'd struggle with a natural labour and the pain! A section is more straight forward, basically one way of them doing it and no more choices associated with it! I can understand why some people want the natural experience at the end of a long pregnancy, after all that's what our bodies have been designed to do. But personally it was never a 'thing' for me and I felt lucky in a way that I got out of it! DH is a very practical person and much prefers the straightforwardness of a section too (although obviously it's my body so my opinion matters most). I'm having a section again this time through choice and got annoyed when someone at my work said 'don't you even want to try a natural birth?' like I was picking the easy option. It's still not an easy option but surely whatever the mother feels most comfortable with is the right thing for both mother and baby - there are enough stresses!

Anyway sorry for the essay, but I just don't want you to feel bad about it if you decide that you're happy with a section (even though a breech baby means a natural birth isn't possible anyway) - it's such a personal thing and we're very lucky that we get a choice.

Littleen, glad to hear today went as well as you could have expected, I can't begin to imagine what an emotional time it must be for you, you sound like you're being incredibly strong. Hope your DH and other friends/family are rallying round so you have the support you need.

Sounds like we might have a few new thread babies over the weekend which is very exciting! I had my 36w mw appt today and pleased to be all signed up for my planned home birth and officially down as 'low risk' with baby head down etc. With my DS, the 36wk appt was my last as he was born at 37+4 so it felt like quite a big deal - although I have been warned there is no real pattern and this one might stay put a few weeks longer so I'll have to try and be patient!

Gnittinggnome - I spoke to the midwife yesterday at my consultant appointment and she said that it would be 2-3 weeks for appointment and it was likely that it would disappear after birth anyway, so i'm going to give physio a miss, and if it continues after i can have it then.

So had my consultant appointment yesterday and was given a date for my c-section which will be 18th Feb, exciting and nice to know that i can plan etc, but makes it so real now, and is only 1 day before my due date, so still a good chance i could go into labour before hand!

Good luck to all those with twinges, hope that it comes to something over the weekend.

What is it about 4am? Very frustrating to be awake! Littleen, hope you are OK .

I am officially on mat leave, although am working on Monday/Tuesday from home to finish off my work. Had a lovely leaving party with lots of lovely pressies, I was very touched. And I'm a bit sad to think I won't be back for 6 months! But I'm sure I will get used to the idea. Now I can start getting ready for baby, have not really been able to focus until now.

So, where's the next thread baby then?

Hugs for yesterday littleen

Great news re the home birth lovesto! Now LO needs to hang.on till the 37 week point and you're sorted.

Welcome to the mat lleave club ruey it makes me wonder how I ever worked guess I'll be busy enough in a few weeks though so should be making the most of it!

Did a 'lot' of walking yesterday and am in agony today. Was staggering and clinging on to everything to get to bathroom in the night it's unbelievable how painful it can be. My heart really goes out to you who have had this for so long

Thanks for all the hugs

Wheeee, It's been a while since I've been on here. Can't believe that ladies have started having babies already, seems online 5 mins ago that I joined the Ante-Natal thread!

Littleen Sorry about your loss hun, such an awful time to lose someone so special hugs

I'm a little behind, whose been having babies and what names are popping up for the little ones??

I'm 37 weeks today, baby is head down and partially engaged, she feels very comfy in there so I'm worried she'll go over her due date... We have enough birthday's at the end of February to worry about so the 15th is ideal... :)

its our unisex pizza party baby shower this afternoon/evening!

the frantic day yesterday also showed I may have gd, so blood test taken at hospital. I have suspected I do for weeks, but sugar never showed up in my wee before so flew under the radar despite risk factors.

stabby pains v low in pelvis on and off for a few days. lightening pains or uti? hopefulky uti wd hace shown up in urine sample yesterday!

I was really scared that scan wd show restricted growth and we'd have to have him that day, thank goodness all well and can move on.

Oh I am so fed up with this chuffin' weather. I was wanting to go for a walk with the OH later, it's like 2:15 and getting dark already, think it's going to pee it down le sigh

I am such a lazy cow today, i'm only just getting out of bed. Never been sooo tired and nausea is back with a vengeance. Going to venture out soon to meet my friends Ben & Jerrys..

Littleen can't even begin to imagine how you are feeling, pregnancy on it's own is such a roller coaster I hope DP is looking after you?

Oh yay, here comes the storm, rain, thunder..... Plus side, I have my windows open, the fresh air from a storm is lovely

It's pissing down here in Wales. What a refreshing change

Emma I'm in South Yorkshire, we've had pretty mild weather all winter... I just want some chuffin' snow!!

Noooo no snow! I live on a huge hill and I can guarantee I will go into labour if it snows!

I'm sure you could find a sledge to get down the hill on hehee :)