Brewing September 2014 beauties

[broodylicious]

New thread for the chattiest bunch of mummies to be I've ever known!!

One born every minute starts on Mondayyyyyy xx

Oh yay missb!! Hoping for lots of good births - the active and non screamy type xx

Not sure I want to watch that! I think it will scare me haha!

Ooh I'm intrigued...I've never seen one born every minute before and I'm not sure if now is a good or bad time to start!

DH has no chance of watching it. He can't cope with anything medical or remotely gory...in fact, we're not sure if he'll be able to cope with the birth of our baby so we may go a bit 1950s and have him waiting in a corridor with a cigar waiting to be brought in to see our beautiful (and most importantly cleaned up) baby when it arrives!!

My friends think I'm nuts contemplating giving birth on my own, but I think I'd rather focus on getting through it and getting the baby out (with the help of a midwife of course) than having DH, friends or family faffing and annoying me. Is that weird?

Those of you looking for maternity clothes go to new look they do some stuff in their shops!
Ive got a maxi drews from 4years ago that is still in newccondition that I wore loads with both pgs from there and I got some maxi dresses from matalan (normal range as they stretch really well) they look good on too just be warned being heavily pregnant in summer is horrible! Swollen feet, hot days, even hotter nights. Ah well.

Dont feel pg anymore. Which is normal according to last pg too. I just look huge

Minion I had to have dh and dm there for the emotional support im glad I did after going through what happened!

My OH loves watching it with me lol, will get it on catchup so we can watch it when he finishes playing pool on Monday lol x

Not weird if that's what you want minion. I guess it depends how in control you feel, and tbh you'd likely get better care alone because the MW would be more likely to stay with you. DH nearly missed the birth of DD1, out of all 3 it was the only one where the MW stayed for the entire time I was in the delivery room. Wait and see how you feel I suppose, if you feel anxious nearer the time you might want someone there, though might be best if you're not worrying if they'll pass out! Would you consider a doula?

I've never watched OBEM, I'm a bit against it tbh. I just think it's such a special private time I'm a bit judgey of anyone who would accept money to give birth in front of the cameras.

I have watched OBEM before, but I am going to give it a miss this time. My mum doesn't like it as it's so edited (obviously they have to speed things up and tell a story), she reckons they make it look like midwives sit around drinking tea and eating cake most of the time lol.

I've watched OBEM before and dd2 really likes watching it with me. Although the way it's cut makes it not very realistic, I'm finding it handy for preparing my dd's for the screaming and mess of labour as they both want to be there and I don't want them to be shocked on the day. I'm particularly looking forward to this series as its filmed at my local hospital - where I would be transferred if I couldn't have my home birth for any reason.

I have found OBEM quite informative as a Mum to be with last two pregnancies. Issues like shoulder dystocia, emergency c sections (what happens), babies born who have already passed meconium etc. It is a bit nerve racking if you are a first timer and you are watching them scream at the top of their lungs but actually it also made me determined to try and stay in control when I was giving birth, which I did manage to do with my first ds. Personal choice of course but I find it generally good and interesting.

I've nearly hit 10 weeks now and have my 12 week scan date in under two weeks. Really rather nervous but excited too.

Thanks ladies, I'd never considered a doula and maybe I'm being short sighted thinking about doing it on my own...I just figured I'd be in pain, cranky & I hate people fussing over me and telling me what to do (which my mom in particular wouldn't be able to resist).

I might get DH to give OBEM a try to see if he can desensitise himself a bit whilst feeling safe at home.

When we moved house, my boyfriend had to 'take a break for 15 minutes' and go for a walk.. right before the removal van (that he had booked and organised) was due to arrive, then another 'stress break' about half way through loading. He was that overwhelmed by it, poor darling. He did ask my mum if he needed a slap, to which she replied yes.

Anyway, I think if I get that far, labour will be hard for him to cope with, I might need to get him to see some videos beforehand, as I'd rather know from the outset whether this is something he can be involved with. If not, that's fine, but I want to be prepared.

You might want to preselect a OBEM episode minion if your OH is anxious. Some episodes show calmer, more straightforward births, some show a lot of intervention and some distress - start him off gently! :)
My OH is very shy and can get really anxious and I did worry about how he would cope during labour and delivery, but when it came to it he was very focused on me, and I could hear him better than the midwife through the gas and air haze. I do remember him saying he was going to stay 'at the head end' (away from the action) but I ended up sort of sat up during the pushing stage so he saw it all (I didn't - eyes shut)!

Right, I have plussed it, going to give it a go. Can always sink into denial if it scares me too much haha.

I like obem but yes I do think it's edited to show the best of natural births (remember that beautiful woman who had the water birth, no screaming, huffing or puffing, just very cool about it all?) and possibly worst of medical births. Dh would never watch it though.

minion the last thing you need to be worrying about in the midst of labour is whether dh is coping ok so I actually think it's a good choice to go it alone. I had my dh there but he was under instructions not to bother massaging my back or dabbing a cold flannel on my forehead or anything remotely kind and soothing. In fact for most of the time, I hardly spoke to him or held his hand etc. I could not think of anything worse than having my mum in there with me - she's so emotional (lol, says I!) and she'd be useless seeing me in pain. Much better her being at visiting nanny

Ah I think I saw that waterbirth on OBEM broody. Totally amazing! But I do wonder if they edited anything out, like I'm sure she must've had at least one teeny stressful moment!

I'm starting to wonder if I will "misbehave" more with my mum in with me when i'm in labour. By that I mean, I might let myself give up/get scared quicker as you don't have to be so brave when your mummy is around IYKWIM! I can't possibly ask her not to be there though, she'd not like that and I probably wouldn't either tbh. I think my DH will be fine....... although he doesn't at all like watching surgery type things on TV mostly owing to the fact that he's had many operations himself and doesn't like to think about it. Best he stay the non-business end probably!

I'm very excited to watch more OBEM, especially as an expectant mum for the first time!

minion I totally understand where you are coming from and would much prefer to give birth on my own with minimal support from a midwife. I had a couple of traumatic experiences last year (attacked on way to work July and miscarriage September) and I dealt with both declining support from OH, friends and family. What's different though is that, although messy, the birth of our first child will be a happy event and an experience I don't want to deprive OH of. He's getting especially excited now we've told all our friends and family.

I love OBEM. Been watching some of the old series the last few weeks. I think I'm in major denial that I will be going through that in a few months time tho. I think that's for the best at the moment. Can't be worrying about that for ages. I'd rather labour just start and then I realise what I'm about to go through. I saw the water birth episode too. It actually makes me want to consider a water birth. Not sure how I will cope with the pain so will have to make sure I can change my mind if the pain gets too much and have an epidural!

That's the best attitude to have cindy - an idea of your preference but then willing to adapt if things change, as they often do in labour. I always wanted a no drug birth and was on course for a water birth but I bled a little so had to be hooked up to monitors which ruled out the pool. I did get my natural birth though, although I did need to be cut a tiny bit because both dd and I were exhausted towards the end. She'd also got the cord around her neck so it slowed things right down!

I think going to NCT classes helped dh and I understand the phases of labour and what we could expect so when I started (watching a James Bond film at home!), I knew just to relax and time the contractions and not to bother the hospital until they were two/three minutes apart. It annoys me that they never really discuss that in obem and so I think women who haven't been through must imagine things go from sitting/standing at home or work to owwwweeeee in five minutes!

I want to try a water birth Cindy, apparently the water eases the pain of contractions. You can get out if you want to. There's only one pool at my hospital though so I best not get my heart set on it too much!

I don't know, top, she was a pretty cool cookie that woman. But it is amazing how editors can change the look of things so who knows!! I always thought they show mw in a good light btw (in response to your mums grievance that they look as though all they do is drink tea and eat cake) In fact, I was quite inspired by some of them and how much they care about their ladies. That older lady, for example, was amazing - the exact kind of person I'd like as my mw. I do find some of the trainees funny though, they're so young in every way. Our local NHS trust is a training trust, as part of one of the city's unis, so all of my appointments (even my booking appt!) are generally attended by the mw and a trainee, gets a bit crowded sometimes!

I think my mum has only watched snippets of episodes and they probably involved tea and cake haha so not really the full picture. I suppose most people don't like watching tv that involves their day job. I can't be doing with programs about teaching.

I had a student midwife at my scan appt last week. I was a bit relieved when it wasn't her taking my blood I know everyone has to learn but I didn't fancy being a pin cushion!

Haha know what you mean - some of those trainees can be a bit jab happy with the needles! Oww! Apparently I have juicy veins so it is very easy for the professionals to do it but I can tell when the less confident people take my blood as I always end up bruised!

Not a fan of educating Yorkshire then? I loved that programme and gave me much more respect for teachers than I'd had before, even though my mum has just retired from the profession so knew the kind of pressures and bureaucracy you all face...let alone the little sh*ts in the classroom! And you're right, I'd hate to see a documentary about PR and marketing folk - bore fest!

I need a chip muffin proper chip shop one with salt