October 14. thread 11?! Will be see any babies in this thread?

[mrsb87]

Plonk your bums down ladies!

I found writing a birth plan and watching OBEM together a great way to discuss choices with DH and make sure he was my advocate / knew what I wanted and would be able to speak up when I was incapable. This time he knows it. With the diabetes and if we end up with a prem footling then I think we'll just go for section.

I wore a thin gown in the hot hospital but a lovely fluffy (dark!) dressing gown was great once home and J loved cuddling into it when feeding. Even now when reading stories and getting him to bed he asks us to wear the gown as he loves snuggling it and its become part of his bedtime routine.

ExcitedCJ I have the same problem as you, I had some mei tais and an Ergo, Olives and Applesauce and BabyHawk Oh Snap from last time, and have now bought a stretchy, Connecta, Manduca and could easily buy more if I could justify it.

What is good for baby stuff with a baby carrier? Last time I used an over shoulder type bag but couldn't get much in. I've heard rucksacks can be handy but I'd want a relatively small one.

Hi all I am now the proud owner of a double buggy! Just need to build the bloody thing now
Everyone seems to be getting very organised, I've still got a few things to get and haven't really started on a hospital bag yet.
One thing I found really nice after having my babies was some new clothes nothing fancy just some new fleecy jogging bottoms and loose tops just to wear at home I washed them in lots of washing powder and softener and they were waiting when I got home it was so lovely to have a hot shower and wash my hair and put on nice clean clothes got rid of the smell of hospital. Sounds a bit crazy but I still remember how nice it felt! :)

I found labour ward didn't even look at the birth plan!! Plus they still ask you re vit k and placenta jab erpc even though it's all written down!

I had an episiotomy AND and third degree tear so I was doubly lucky!! My poor bits

But even if they don't look at the birth plan it's a good idea to have thought through things so you can express what you want - either tell them as and when or when asked a question re preferences you know the answer!!

Why did erpc get in there?? Stupid phone. Sorry - no erpc jab for placenta required on labour ward.

One of the questions on mine is whether you want the jab for hustling the placenta out. I have no idea!

Yellow that is so cute

That sounds nice Pregnant, I have been trying to think about 'loungewear' since I imagine I will slum it and not have different day/night clothes at first. Will I want the ease of button down nightshirt or the warmth of jogging bottoms? Decisions decisions! Am going to wait a bit see how cold it gets and how much bigger my thighs expand..!

Hi all, I've written birth preferences but not a plan as such, just so they know when I start screaming for pain relief I have thought about it in a sane mind!

Well just had a bit more of an eventful morning than planned. Had no baby movement last night or this morning. Drank fizzy pop, water and coffee, laid on my stomach , back and side and nothing so called the midwife unit and they asked me to go in . Typically, as soon as they strapped me onto the monitors and gave me iced water she wouldn't sit still, so all's good. Her heart beat is nice and strong and my bp is good.

Made me realise how much I want to give birth in the mlu and not be strapped to a bed, so even though I felt like I'd wasted their time I am now definite and my first choice of place!

Thanks ladies for your kind words about yesterday :) I feel much better after after a night to sleep on it. Late last night I think the relief hit me a bit and and I had a wee sob!

Glad all is well binky, at least it was productive in a way since you are now happily set on the MLU!

Good birth plan tips, thanks Goats, I definitely need to coach my DH in being my advocate re: pain relief etc, he's understandably clueless about all of that at the moment.
Thinking I'd rather avoid the syntocinon jab for removing the placenta but obv if my life was at risk I'd have it, what about everyone else?

Kirsti I thought that but actually the contractions to expel the placenta are just as painful as labour pains and the thought of prolonging it meant I decided I'd rather have the jab and have it over with in 15 minutes. It was hard to concentrate on my baby let alone try to BF whilst still contracting hard.

Thanks Yellow, yeah I'm wondering if it's one of these things I shouldn't make any sure decision about until the moment arrives since you'll never know how it will all go!

I have no choice due to my blood thing - more likely to haemorrhage.

Thanks Kirsti, glad all's good with you too after your scare yesterday.

What are the downsides to having the injection? In my book it says it helps delivers the placenta quicker, reduces the chance of bleeding and is given as the baby arrives so doesn't affect her but doesn't mention what the negatives are?!

Well, I've finished my massive DIY job (massive for me anyway) - I cut and fixed all new skirting board to our bedroom. Was a steep learning curve, had to go and buy a fancy ass mitre saw half way through as realised I just didn't have the energy to do it all by hand. All day on my hands and knees though (apart from keeping getting on the computer to watch a youtube video on how to do the next bit!), so this kid better be the right way up.

Anyway, I've been STARVING hungry all day... I've fuelled myself with beans and ham on toast with cheese, half a family bar of fruit and nut, 12 mini welsh cakes and an iced bun. Special effort with the healthy eating today then... ahem...

I genuinely can't remember the order things happened in - I had planned to go without the injection, but definitely had it instead. I don't know if that was before or after my haemorrhage, though.
To be honest, I didn't care at all by that point and I had my boy in my arms and completely ignored everything else that was happening around me.

I am seriously impressed by that DIY-ing Goats

Goats that sounds lush!!!!! (and I wonder how I got GD ). Well done on the skirting!

Today we built a wooden Wendy house (we'll be painting it next weekend to look like a station!) and this evening we're rearranging loads of furniture to get our spare bedroom back, changing internal door handles, DH is finishing off the dining room walls and I'm painting a skip-dived rocking chair. Tomorrow night I start on our bedroom. It's the last room! Whoop! ignores fact I saw a lovely yellow paint in B&Q which is much nicer than the colour we've just painted the dining room if I suggest repainting it DH would throttle me!

God a child free day would be lush so we can get it all done without working into the wee small hours AFTER chasing after a toddler since 8am. And always wondering if the wee bugger is going to wake with sore teeth an hour after we finally turn in...

My mw told us in an antenatal class that they just inject you with the placenta expelling drug while you're delivering the shoulders! I was really surprised as didn't even know such a thing existed. Obviously I could choose not to have it but I haven't done any actual research.

Thanks for the etsy link yellow, they're gorgeous.

Oh fedup, ouch!!

Thanks for the replies about having a popular name.

Kirsti last time I put in my birth plan that I'd prefer not to have the injection but would accept it if necessary. I ended up having it as I was losing too much blood. I'm planning to leave my birth plan the same this time but I don't really care whether I have it or not. I definitely want delayed cord clamping but after that I'm not too bothered what happens!

Well done with the day Goats

I've just ordered myself some new pyjama bottoms and I'm ridiculously excited about wearing them!

Binky the downsides to the injection are that it can cause sickness and headaches (to approx 1\8 of women) and that if given whilst you are still pushing the baby out you can't then opt for delayed cord clamping. I asked for the cord to be clamped after it had finished pulsating and then had the jag - so J got as much oxygen and stem cell rich blood from the cord / placenta as possible. Lots of hospitals are happy to do this.

Goats very impressive day! I thought clearing out a chest of drawers was good!

Kirsti I'm not on FB so I'm sorry I don't know what happened but I hope things are better today.

Yellow good info re cord and injection, must write that in my birth plan.

Hamster which carrier is your favourite? I'm so excited to get using the Boba. I'm very happy to hear it's not just me, I guess if my only freaking out/obessions in this pregnancy is about carriers then I'm not doing too badly!

Video Monitors??

With DS1 we had the Angelcare Monitor with pads. There was nothing wrong with it but there were often times when we wished we had a video monitor instead - mainly when he was a little older to double check he was asleep instead of disturbing him if we went in. My MIL has offered to buy us one but was wondering if there were any recommendations. I don't want to spend a fortune but any thoughts or suggestions would be great.

Thanks!

Pinkie - we only bought one recently, for the exact same reasons; to see if he really needed us to go in or not, especially once he was fully mobile in his cot. We went with the very budget Motorola MBP18 and it has been absolutely perfect for us.

Thanks Shirehobbit!

We never used the monitor that much anyway so I didn't want anything too pricey but that looks good. I had been looking at a BT one but this looks a little cheaper :)

Beware - you get a bit addicted to watching them on it I learnt that he's a really fidgety, chattery sleeper - so no wonder we'd had so many rough nights when his cot was still in with us!