October 2014 thread 4 - scans, scans scans!!

[bumpbangbump]

New thread ladies. I should really leave it to someone who can link the old one. Can someone add the edd list and whatnot? Or maybe we should start again now edds are changing after scan.

Bumpbangbump dc#2 EDD 2nd October

I haven't been totally exhausted or felt very sick since Saturday I hope this is it. I don't even feel pregnant anymore except for my craving for sweets and ice lollies! With Ds I felt awful the whole of my pregnancy and had to be signed off work a lot. With dd who was my 1st I was sick until 12 weeks then felt great so I hope this pregnancy is the same.

Re names another one here who isn't married! (Been engaged for yonks, but there's always something more urgent to spend money on!) dc will have dp's surname.

Had our scan today :) managed to get the nuchal measurement after 3 attempts with me being made to walk the corridors between each attempt! Took an age! All is well with our very active baby though :) dp is starting to panic I think!

My dates were pushed back a daybso due date is 12th october now...

Delurking to post about my scan, not out in RL yet...

Bit late at 13 weeks for first scan and measured 13+6! Going to believe my LMP which I know to be accurate and let the midwives think what they like! Might be a problem if they think I've "gone over" at the end...

I think I saw a penis! Is that possible?!

Did not oblige with position for NT so blood test at 15 weeks...

But healthy heart beat, 4 limbs and a developing brain. Looks like a big noggined blighter too (just like DS who treated me to a forceps delivery).

Very pleased and excited. MS starting to feel worth it. ??

Whoop whoop MrsCaptain! Great to hear about another good scan :)
Ordered some ASOS maternity tops which arrived today, hopefully they'll be OK. Being a longtime skinny jeans wearer, is there such a thing as good skinny maternity jeans?? My mum and sis reckon maternity jeans would be too big for me just now and just to try jeans in a size or two up but having tried a pair in one size up and the zip was a complete no-go, I doubt 2 sizes up would even be enough, plus they'd prob be too baggy in the leg!!

(I should also add that I haven't seen mum or sister for couple of weeks and in that time I feel like I've doubled in size!)

Kirsti I got some from h&m, super compfy!

kirsti maternity jeans probably won't be too big, just go for under bump ones. I found those the most economical as you can wear them all through pregnancy and beyond. I don't think I got out of mine last time lol!

Anyone had any experience of hypnobirthing?

Any good?

Looking at options to get me out of the 'high risk obstetric unit birth means massive intervention' mindset.

I didnt have time to say earlier but I really wasnt impressed with our sonographer. She was very heavy handed and I found the examination painful at times. She didnt mention dates at all so I asked her if the baby was measuring correctly. She said yeah just go by your lmp date...I expected her to be able to tell me the babys age to the day (based on size)...isnt that the point of the scan? She also got me all het up about my.bmi again because she recorded it as 41.3!!! She didn't weigh me so how did she come to this conclusion? My gp checked my bmi yesterday and said it was 38.1...could it have increased that much in a day?!

Kirsti I've just got a pair of over bump ones from New Look and they fit lovely. Also picked up a pair of work trousers in the sale for 4 they're under bump ones but I dont feel as comfortable in them. My lovely Blooming Marvellous ones are no good. They made my legs itch sooo much!

ohthegoats I have looked after a few women who have hypnobirthed and for those it worked for it was an amazing experience for everyone involved. Even those who need up using pain relief found it beneficial I thoroughly recommend it, it gives women a lot of focus and coping techniques and also I think autonomy over their bodies.

I would recommend the natal hypnotherapy CDs. I'm planning on hypnobirth this time.

Thanks ladies, I'll try New Look and H&M. I already have my eye on the gypsy style top Miranda Kerr is wearing in the H&M ad hehe!
That's a shame mum2kiss about your sonographer, being a bit of a boot as well as really uninformative!
Never heard of hypnobirth, need to check this out too!

Ohthegoats I'm a massive hypnobirthing fan - worked for me even during crazy induction first time around (didn't need pain relief until spinal for emcs) and was brilliant for my vbac second time around. Also really helps with the emotional ups and downs and insomnia during pregnancy. Will be dusting down my notes and listening to my visualisation etc this time around.

And to be pedantic, hypnobirthing is different from natal hypnotherapy. Hypnobirthing is an American trademarked thing, done via a course with self practice at home. Natal hypnotherapy is British and self-taught via CDs. I did a hypnobirthing course with Katherine graves in London and loved it (she has a lovely voice that makes the visualisations so nice to listen to!).

Anecdotally, friends who relied on natal hypnotherapy for first time births mostly found it deserted them as soon as labour started but was relaxing during pregnancy (still a plus). Friends who did hypnobirthing were fewer (it's expensive especially if doing Nct too) but had more positive experiences. This is anecdotal of course (and I did the course so of course am biased).

Mum2kiss the woman who did your scan sounds rubbish and hope your 20 week one is a better experience!

I did a hypnobirthing course last time (the Marie Mongon course). Weekly sessions from 20 weeks, book and CD.

It was helpful. I found that I could manage the contractions well at home and didn't present to hospital till I was 5cm. Unfortunately DS's head had not engaged and he continued to shift about and ended up back to back at which point the hypnobirthing went out the window -epidural, spinal and then forceps after that...

I will try again though. I can definitely see the value in getting lost in your own world and labouring at your own body's pace. Provided you are prepared to stop and listen to sense if you are experiencing any complications!

My only concern is that I had a very slow labour last time. From waters going until delivery more than 36 hours passed. As I've found out that I'm Group B Strep +ve this time, I think I'll be given a very short window (12 hours I think) before being encouraged to have some sort of intervention. All this might undermine any attempt to hypnobirth sadly.

I did the Marie Mongan hypnobirthing course too. Totally agree with you Flip, that it helped so much during the pregnancy with being able to relax and sleep (even in the last month or so when things get very uncomfortable). Helped me feel very positive about the pregnancy as well as the birth, and I was lucky enough to have a textbook hypnobirth (in birthing pool). It was an amazing experience and it helped DH to understand how to be really involved too and be a part of the birth. I'm just hoping things go as well this time around!

Loving hearing all the positives about hypnobirthing. Theres a lady in our village that does the Marie Mongan course and as I'm terrified of labour pain anc blood I'm def looking into it!

At what stage in pregnancy do hypnobirthing courses usually start? If it helps sleep and relaxation I would love to start it now!

Congratulations to all those with good scan news. Sorry to hear your sad news bythesea.

Another Marie Mangan hypnobirther here, I found it helped me to be really calm in late pregnancy and throughout the early stages of labour (up to 6cm) which I managed alone as the midwives didn't believe I was in labour on the basis I was too 'calm'.

I didn't make it all the way through on just gas and air, but I'll definitely be dusting off my CDs and book for a refresh. The course and visualisations made me feel like I could face labour without being scared. DP mastered some of the 'breathe your baby out' techniques and helped me stay focused once the midwives agreed I was in labour and called him back to hospital.

Scan tomorrow... excited and scared at the same time.

Loving all the hypnobirthers!

Is anyone snoring heavily? We've had 3 nights on the trot hear and dp is on the verge of putting a pillow over my head!

I'm a scaredy cat about labour so will be looking into hypnobirthing too. Never heard of it before, got to love you mumsnetters

Brilliant, thanks for the opinions. Another one to add to my list of post 20-week things to do.

I'm not particularly scared of labour, I'm just scared of being trapped by epidurals, or feeling pushed into making decisions when I'm in pain. I want to find some coping mechanisms to at least try. I'm thinking hypnobirthing combined with a doula for the 'familiar face throughout' factor.

Snoring like a jet engine according to my DH - charming!

I did Daisy birthing with dd1 which I found very relaxing. It's a combination of yoga (especially helpful with spd which I had with my first pregnancy), relaxation, visualisation, and a bit of hypno birthing. It really helped in those last few weeks especially listening to the music but not sure how much it helped by day 3 of an induction!

Nausea seems to be calming down - yay! But now seem to be getting quite a bit of round ligament discomfort. That 20 week scan seems years away....

Yay for good scan news
I did Marie Mongan Hypnobirthing..well, I read the book and listened to the CD twice a day and did the first lesson of the course before DS made his early appearance! I was really lucky to have my Hypnobirthing teacher as my midwife at the hospital though. Worked a treat for me; went from 2-10 cm in an hour and had a back to back birth with just gas and air. The birth was wonderful and I can't wait to do it again!