It's all balls, bicycles, and babies for the PESH!

[maamalady]

Antenatal fred for BESH graduates

CRESH

Faith - pinky faithlet arrived 14th April 2013
Pinkr - suitably pinky one arrived 25th August 2013
Jethro - blue one arrived 23rd September 2013
Noks - pink one arrived 12th January 2014
Frankel - large pink one arrived 10th March 2014
Merks - pink one landed safe and sound 21st March 2014
Sinky - Stubborn blue one arrived 26th March 2014
Driz - blue one arrived 12th June 2014
Kat - pink one arrived 21st June 2014

PESH

Draf - Expecting a late pink one EDD 19th June
Winks - EDD 26th June
Ginger - Miniginger due 13th August
Dor - A very special pink one expected 18th August
Euro - eager Centime expected to arrive a lot sooner than 28th August
Buggerlugs - Buglet due 20th October
Fankle - ESHlet expected 4th January
Cunty - Minichops expected 7th February

So the June cluster is halfway through laying, and then we're on to the July/August batch! Are we even going to have time for Wimbledon and Le Tour and the World Cup in all this excitement?!

Oh euro I'm sorry to hear that. What's the next step now?

Is there no way you can stay with the baby for a bit longer?

Probably section next week. :(

On the plus side we've got further than we ever thought we would when this was flagged at 28 weeks (I am 33+1 today). But not far enough for induction to be feasible apparently (36-37 weeks has been mentioned for that). I could push for induction but I've been told the most likely outcome would be an emcs as my body wouldn't be ready and with a failing placenta the baby would likely get into distress.

Probably section next week. :(

On the plus side we've got further than we ever thought we would when this was flagged at 28 weeks (I am 33+1 today). But not far enough for induction to be feasible apparently (36-37 weeks has been mentioned for that). I could push for induction but I've been told the most likely outcome would be an emcs as my body wouldn't be ready and with a failing placenta the baby would likely get into distress.

Probably section next week. :(

On the plus side we've got further than we ever thought we would when this was flagged at 28 weeks (I am 33+1 today). But not far enough for induction to be feasible apparently (36-37 weeks has been mentioned for that). I could push for induction but I've been told the most likely outcome would be an emcs as my body wouldn't be ready and with a failing placenta the baby would likely get into distress.

Probably section next week. :(

On the plus side we've got further than we ever thought we would when this was flagged at 28 weeks (I am 33+1 today). But not far enough for induction to be feasible apparently (36-37 weeks has been mentioned for that). I could push for induction but I've been told the most likely outcome would be an emcs as my body wouldn't be ready and with a failing placenta the baby would likely get into distress.

Oops. I think the app had a brainfart.

I think you would be best avoiding induction it is very unpredictable, would probably take ages so early on and apparently they don't like to induce if the baby is small anyway. With a section, the baby is going through birth for a very short time, as opposed to having to go through a long labour. They will have more control with a section so it will be safer for centime. Getting as far as you have is brilliant, hopefully it will mean a much shorter stay in special care for centime.

all the same it must be a very anxious time for you. Will you have some support from family in the early days to help with getting you to the hospital?

You're probably right kat, but I am literally having nightmares about the section. It is making me completely miserable. I feel trapped into doing the thing I absolutely dread and it's a horrible feeling. Also early section babies tend to have more breathing problems as they haven't had their lungs squeezed on the way out so it isn't completely black and white that the section is the best option for the baby.

Family will be supportive but they won't be able to do much in terms of practical support for getting me to hospital as they live too far out. It'll end up being mini cabs with me in considerable pain in the early days I expect, until I can manage the train or they move the baby to the local hospital (which is a shorter journey but would still require a cab).

Bugs I'm 33+1 at the moment so if the get the baby out next week I'll be somewhere around 34.

Is a hotel/B&B near the hospital an option for the first week or two, euro? Not as good as being at home, but shortening the journey to/from centime could be helpful? I'm so sorry that things are working out this way for you - but everything crossed that it doesn't prove as traumatic when it happens as the idea of it feels right now.

I hope you don't mind me butting in, but Bugs and I crossed paths on another thread and I popped in to see how she was doing .

Euro I have read a couple of your posts and think I'm right in my understanding that you are heading for an early section and are worried about it. I had a planned section in March (admittedly not early, so I can't offer advice on that aspect) and whilst I was terrified of it (hate hospitals, never had an op) it was a really positive experience.

The anaesthetist knew I was scared, he talked me through every single tiny detail and stayed with me the entire time. It was calm and controlled and although it was being done 'to' me, rather than labouring myself, I did feel like I had some control because I could ask questions, ask them to wait a minute, etc etc. Once baby was out, it didn't matter anymore.

I won't lie about recovery, it was hard to watch all the other mums wandering around post natal picking up their babies when I couldn't, but I was surprised at how quickly I made progress. I was discharged after 2 nights (they were happy for me to go after 1 but I wanted to stay). The test was weeing in a pot, if you can, then you can go home. I needed help to go to the loo (sitting down, getting up) for 1 day post catheter removal and I needed help with my first 2 showers. The car journey home was painful just from bumps in the road and going round corners, but every single day there was an improvement in what I could do and how I felt. I was on paracetamol and ibuprofen for a few days. I got mastitis in both boobs on day 5 and that was worse than the section, in fact it was agony. I realise it is scary and I know you will have added complications with NICU/SCBU but I really hope that you wil be surprised at what you can manage.

I hope I haven't spoken out of turn by gate crashing your thread, but it made me quite emotional reading a couple of your posts and I wanted to share my experience, which was hard, but positive. I really hope it all goes well for you.

Agree with our stalker ??. I really found my (admittedly emergency and post dates) section fine. Really. And I'm a dreadful ptn (in terms that I don't do what I'm told).

Thanks all (including stalker). It's the combo of section plus NICU/SCBU that will provide the logistical nightmare. In a "normal" section, you get your baby at the end of it. Mine is going to be whisked away and I don't know how soon I will get to see him/her (a friend of mine had a section + SCBU for her twins and when I went to visit her later that day, she had only seen photos her husband had taken). Instead of recovering at home, I'm going to need to be back and forth to the hospital, and in London that is harder than most other places - the hospitals have little in the way of parking, mr euro doesn't drive anyway, and the traffic will be a nightmare.

bugs we have considered finding a hotel near the hospital (no B&Bs in that area). But in London in school holiday season, that might be easier said than done.

I'm also a dreadful patient sinks.

The trapped feeling is really making me very panicky and anxious (as you can probably tell). Every time I close my eyes I see a scalpel cutting into me. And then I get panicky about being stuck in the bed away from the baby paralysed from the waist down. And I am worried about how I am going to feed and bond with him/her. And then I am afraid of the pain (bizarrely the idea of birth pain doesn't scare me at all - clearly I drank the hypnobirthing Kool Aid) but surgical pain really does. And then there is the recovery (I hate not being capable of doing what I want and having to slow down). And then there is looking at that scar for the rest of my life remembering this horrible fucking traumatic time. I am in a bit of a state about it all.

Oh euro what a nightmare. I would hold on to the knowledge/wisdom of experience shared on here. Recovery from planned c-sections is much better than EMCS and even those who had the latter have been positive. Scars tend to be hidden in the bikini line do maybe not as bad as you're anticipating.

At my hospital pants as it is there is accommodation for staff/visitors where you can pay per night. Is that an option?

Euro since you have a phobia about surgery, and you aren't getting the birth you want, and your baby is premature and you have been through many weeks of anxiety now, could you ask if there is any support for you to be referred to? Some sort of counselling or just a sympathetic doctor/midwife for you to talk to. Your hospital ought to have some sort of peri natal mental health service. The amount you are having to deal with is a lot to cope with at once.

My mw is going to help me find someone afterwards to help me process all of this. I think the 6 weeks of limbo + surgery phobia is pushing me over the edge. I'm finding this much, much harder than I found ttc and IVF.

I think some sort of therapy would be really helpful for you long term.

I guess the only thing I would say to you in the short term is try and deal with the stuff you have some control over. Ie you can't change how the baby is growing etc or whether you are going to need a section.

However, if booking a hotel nearer helps you regain some control then do it, it's a little bit like making the decision to go private. It gives you some control.

No wise words, just a tight squeeze for euro. I have no experience to add and wiser things have been said by hags and stalker! What you are going thru now is awful. I am keeping everything crossed for centime's health and your sanity!

euro pm me & let me know where the hospital is & I will use my work contacts if you like.

Yup! A proper squidgy baybee cuddling other people's is nice. Cuddling your own is just amazing! doesn't mention that mine is still awake having escaped from her sleeping bag and removed her pj top

Wow, sleep is amazing. For the last couple of nights the calf has been feeding every hour and screaming in between - exhausting for all of . But last night at 2am ish she zonked out completely - fed at 5:30 ish and 8:30 ish, but has we have all been asleep for the intervening time - glorious