Pop pop pop We're all about to POP! - July 2014 thread

[ismarah]

Hope you like the title - like inside us, there was no room on the other thread!

Those of you having home births aren't you worried about the neighbours hearing?

Hi auntie no idea re your first question I'm afraid. Re homebirth and neighbours we're the end terrace so I have warned our one adjoining neighbour (who seemed a little bemused by the whole thing) but according to DH I was actually v quiet last time. Probably more the odd grunt than any screaming-by that stage you're so focused that wasting energy on making lots of noise does seem fairly pointless :)

I just wondered blue as last time we were at the assessment unit at the hospital there was a lady there in early labour making some interesting noises (and clicking her fingers it sounded like) and I keep meaning to ask...

mixi

contraction v Braxton Hicks - if you don't have an achy feeling in the area where you feel period pains (so just below your bump, top of pubic bone, where the cervix is located inside) then it's not a contraction.

if you feel achy there it you may not be in labour - but the all twinges there are likely to contribute towards the cervix "ripening" - getting ready to dilate.

in very early labour a contraction is likely to be around 30 seconds - 1 minute in length, the most intense bit lasting may be 10-20 seconds.
honestly, it's unmistakable.
nobody is sure at first, but there will be a "hang on a sec" moment when you just know
your whole belly may or may not go hard, but I never really noticed that as I was more occupied with the "period" pain

BH on the other hand is quite different. my belly goes rock hard, which takes my breath away and it can last from a good 2 mins to 5 mins from start to finish.
it can be painful, but not located down below.
It's just pain, not aching - if that makes sense.

does that help?

auntie

you could give out little boxes of earplugs in your neighbourhood!

I'm not sure about your first question.

auntie When did the wobbly bit appear? How big is it, and does it go back in if pushed? Could it be an abdominal hernia? My umbilical hernia is sore and bruised feeling to the touch, but it's quite tiny - smaller than my actual belly button.

same here auntiemaggie! All my maternity trousers look weird on. The top of my bump is sore as the skin is stretching so am doing lots of oil. My sister says its because the baby is gaining weight. The head is still engaged so I guess its Ok.

Can't say I am enjoying the flabby fanjo look at all...

Am so tired and it hurts to move but need to keep moving.

hello everyone! sorry haven't posted but been reading. So sorry to hear so many are suffering with tiredness/toddlers/heat/DPs. Sorry to hear about MIL auntie. I feel terrible for you.

Nice to see you back zing and I am v jealous of your quilt making. That is one think I hve always wanted to do.

So my C section is on TUESDAY!!!!!!! and I am officially on mat leave, although I have to nip into work for an hour on monday. Nursery is all ready. Can I please ask a couple of questions? sorry about TMI and about how naive I probably am...

1. I just opened my first EVER nappy! Does the pampers logo go in the front or the back?

1. do i put nappy cream on the baby when I change the nappy?

1. when do I expect the glorious black poo?

1. My boobs haven't leaked at all. Does that mean I am not ready to breastfeed?

1. After the C section, when do I try breastfeeding? Ideally I don't want to try for the first time in theater or recovery

Lastly...I'm shitted myself about the C section now

Sorry need a minor vent: have my mum staying with me at the moment and have about had enough - finding the whole thing emotionally taxing. I am as much to blame as anyone for the fact we don't have a great relationship, but i just don't enjoy spending time with her and it makes me really upset. Argh! Right have left her doing crossword, need to go back and listen to her unwittingly undermining my life choices... Sigh!

zing I'm in the consultant unit so no ear plugs for my neighbours I was just curious about what others do

liquid glad its not just me... mupperoon its like a hanging bit of fat belly so don't think is a hernia!

Coco

1. the tabs are on the back bit and stick to the front if that helps... (I haven't got any pampers ones so can't tell you about the logo)
2. don't think you need to use nappy cream all the time but may want to put Vaseline on in the first few days to get ready for the...
3. glorious black poo which appears in the first few days
4. no idea sorry...
5. at my hospital they will put the baby on you for skin to skin contact immediately after the c section and get you to try to breastfeed as soon as possible (I think within the first hour) but remember at this stage it is colostrum not milk so only a tiny amount and the midwives will help guide you through this. My midwife has told us stories of where mothers didn't want to breastfeed but babies have managed to latch on anyway

So exciting that your little one will be here soon - I know its scary but it should be nice and calm as its planned :)

coco, on point 4, I seem to remember our NCT breast feeding course person saying it would make no difference at all if you'd leaked before birth or not and that many people don't.

Oh and good luck for Tuesday!

Plate I feel you. Vent away.

Coco Good luck Tuesday! There was someone else also then but I forget who! Shame on me tsk tsk.

coco I've got pampers and basically you should see a little number on the front so size 1 nappies will have a little number one. The colourful bit at the front is where you stick the tabs on.

zing that's the best description so far I've had so thank you! I'll look out for all those things.

Just wondered, and sorry about tmi, but I've noticed the last couple days since baby head lower that I've had smaller, softer and more frequent number 2's! Is this another body prep for labour or just a thing?

Oh and coco I'm not entirely sure I will know how to breast feed either so I'm happy for the MW's to show me come the birth.

plate kinda know how you feel about your mum only it's with my dad instead. Can't be helped as I'm staying at my mums but he's just getting on my nerves! Never had a good relationship with any of us kids and he's not in the slightest bit interested in my pregnancy. Today he pissed me off as he knows I'm not drinking alcohol but still asked whether I was "drinking wine with dinner" to which I may have had an outburst!! He's trying to wind me up and there's not much I can do about it.

coco Tuesday!!! How exciting! Hope all goes well. I will definitely be asking for breastfeeding advice as I think there is only so much you can understand before it actually is real!

plate I hope all is ok with your mum, I've been entertaining my sister all weekend and exhausted now!

On the breastfeeding thing- DS very naturally latched himself on v soon after delivery (well, after he'd been cleaned up but before I was stitched up) he just seemed to snuggle his way up my chest until he found the nipple! The subsequent feeds that first day weren't quite so easy but in hindsight I was getting tense and worrying about him dehydrating (it was 30degrees!) but he was just tired afer the labour. He and I soon figured it out though and he's been a milk monster ever since-still having a bedtime feed at nearly 25 months!! My concern this time around is managing him as well as DC2!

Tonight, Matthew, I will mostly be wearing no bra. Mind your eyes.

Have had such a lovely weekend, really made the most of the weather and we're wrapping our heads around the fact that this is our last stress & baby free weekend. I spent the day mostly in the hammock with the dog on top and DH next to us, then had a barbecue. DH has done lots of gardening (which is normally a twist-his-arm kind of thing) and my project list is mostly done. Very very happy

Ooh, how exciting coco. The midwives will help you with breastfeeding. Zechariah wasn't well enough in theatre but I think normally you get handed your baby straight away and you can try breastfeeding then if you want or not.

Ismarahno bra here either - SO much more comfortable!

Coco, Tuesday, how exciting. The CS will be much more straightforward given that it's planned and how lovely that you'll have your baby here soon.

Thought things might be getting started last night as very crampy and uncomfortable but think I was actually dehydrated. This morning I had a definite clear out (lovely) and felt pretty sick but nothing happening. Bump is still high so not sure I'm even engaged... I suspect I'm in for the long haul.

I'm getting lots of kicks in the middle (belly button) and right hand side so worried that baby's back to back. My midwife said not at my last appointment but will ask again on Friday. Trying to sit upright and spend time on hands and knees but lying back on the sofa is SO much more comfy.

mrsA baby has engaged for me but have always had kicks on the right and feet poking out, MW and consultant haven't said anything about back to back so taking that as a good sign. Perhaps the same for you?

thank you all for the kind words and advice
guess I am panicking about not knowing enough about breastfeeding, but as you said, I will just have to ask for help from midwife.

DH and I have been for our 'last supper' tonight. Yummy Mexican!

plate I can understand. Spoke with my mother on the phone for 30 mins today and she was driving me mad giving me pointless advise

coco not sure if you did NCT classes but the breastfeeding counsellor advised us to use the laid back position. Google 'laid back breastfeeding' loads of info and even a YouTube video. This sounds similar to what blue described with her baby.