February 2015 #3 - Roll on the Glow!!

[LittleMissSunshine33]

Hi Ladies thread 3!! 2nd Trimester we are on a roll!!

Tonightsthekind cleaning and ironing can wait I have always done all cooking, majority of cleaning and all ironing, I have only done ironing once in 5 months, my mum was doing it now dh does it without being asked, washing up, hoovering and mopping....through the summer he is working 70-80 hr weeks and he hasn't moaned.....get your dh to pull his weight a bit if it isn't clean enough for him

Mini and long I'm also 16 weeks and my next scan is on 6th October. The joys of being due at the end of the month

Second night in a row I've been up all night with a backache and side pain.
I was thinking it was my kidneys playing up again, but if I get up a walk about the pain disappears until I lay back down.
No pain this morning, so I think its the way baby is laying!

Morning everyone

Lovely to hear about your twins tonights glad everything is going well!

Re birth plan, I don't think it's ever too early to discuss birth wants and options but I think there is a specific appointment for birth plan at 36 weeks? I wrote a huge long one when I had DD and even decorated it with a border of hearts the consultant had to come and talk to me and get me to change my mind on some of the things!! I'll still write my own birth plan but will be a quarter of the size of the first one

Great to hear about all scans!! Can't wait for mine on the 23rd!

Have a lovely day all

Bangon I love the heart border that made me really laugh!

Bimberley it could be because now is when uterus goes higher above the belly button so things like the kidneys are being forced to shift to make way for it?

Baby kicked my bladded on school run, I had to run into my friends for a wee (lucky I have a key) ds never did this I fear I may be wetting myself a bit over next few months!

Memphis I have hypermobility and arthritis - my hips make some pretty spectacular crunch noises at times when I'm NOT pregnant.

I also suffer with panic attacks, not sure if that's relevant. Ideally I want a birth that's safest for both baby AND me. Just hoping I get a balanced perspective, I've seen a LOT of women get jumped on for even suggesting something other than a natural birth :/

Frenetic You need to mention both of these thing they are the type of things that should be documented in your white book as medical concern not as part of a birth plan (a birthplan is your 'wants' the white book is your 'needs' they also will not villify you if you don't want the natural route, I said last time I would like to try without an epi (but not natural) and they pursuaded me to have one as I was getting exhausted. This time I want one and have mentioned to mw at docs and at hospital and they both said that is fine they are there to support us.

I have a problem with my hips and during labour I was in stirrups at one point and they moved them closer so I was comfy then this dragon of a registrar yanked my hip (she hadn't read my book) the mw told her off as she had.
I suffered PND last time and it was in the book so have been assured I will be monitored...please mention panic attacks maybe asking if she has any advice for preparing yourself for labour (she may say hypnobirthing)

morning all

frenetic, while ive not discussed anything birth-plan-related to medical people yet, ive been getting some funny looks from people for saying i think i'd like to do it 'naturally' - everyone ive spoken to has said 'take all the drugs!'

Ive got some really ridiculous problems with having things stuck on me (like plasters, medical tape, that kind of thing) and the possibility of having to have lines and stuff taped to my body is really freaking me out, so i figure the fewer interventions the less likely that something will have to be stuck to me! (someone please tell me Im right!) The thought is actually making me itch just typing it!

Anyway, enough about me, what I'm trying to say is from what I've gathered the medical people are generally quite up for a bit of intervention in the right places, so sure you won't be thought of badly, more likely they'll think you're being very sensible!

My overall feeling is whether my labour is an awful experience or a 'pleasant' one, the thing that matters to me most is at the end of it, DH and I will be holding our baby. THAT is the moment we'll think of in years to come; so personally I don't have a preference in terms of how I give birth. I'm also aware that may change the further along I get, but most mothers I've spoken to in person seem to think I should have a really strong preference!

My birth plan went out the window at my first midwife appointment when she said I'll be consultant led so as long as myself and jelly bean are ok at the end I really don't care how they come out.

Bangles at our hospital regardless of wanting drugs or not they put a line in you, I had one as soon as I walked in, thats the way they do it here anyway. That way it is in if they need to do something quickly.

My thinking is you don't get a medal or free uni for your child as a prize for not getting pain relief, in an ideal world I would want to be home hours after having ds but you can't leave as quick if you have drugs so I will opt for a bit of pain relief and stay in a bit longer.

Just got back from my midwife appointment, all good. Heard a strong little racing heartbeat! Now off the google heartbeat girl/boy theories ;)

Mentioned birthing options and it was recommended I ask for a referral to a physio to go through my range of mobility etc. Sounds reasonable!

Also a couple of people of work said I'm small for 18 weeks - whereas my midwife said I have 'quite a round and prominent bump' for 18w... go figure eh?

memphis that has actually made my blood run cold! Oh god, i really need to stop being a nob about this! ...that or have a home birth... Surely you won't need anything stuck to you at a home birth

Ooh, ooh, actually, midwife-led unit could be my saviour- there's no drugs in the one i'd go to- literally bugger all apart from gas and air- i don't think you can even get pethadine. Man alive, i hope i stay low-risk!

Frenetic that is reassuring for you, the bump thing has really got to me this week too but happywith scan sizes being good.

Bangles it may just be our area so you may be ok, yes mw led units I think only give gas and air and no other intervention. I bet in a hospital if their policy is to put a canular in it can be refused at first anyway, how do you feel about having an injection to help pass the placenta do you think you will want it to pass naturally instead?

Injections I'm absolutely dandy with- its literally a problem if I needed a drip or something secured in place with tape or something like that (That said ive absolutely no idea if they actually do that- I've never been in hospital before for anything more than visiting time! )

Stickers make me wasnt to puke

I have a pic of me with what I had if it would make you feel better?

Ooh it might do! Would you mind? Could pm it if youd prefer :)

Will find it over weekend....it is a pic of me with ds, I am not a weirdo that takes photos of canulas btw (if you were wondering)

Frenetic glad it went well today!

Bangles I think I'd like to go to the midwifery unit near me too as I would love to have a water birth as natural as poss I may be nieve as it's my first but I think I've got a high pain threshold it's just the last bit that scares me the burning of the mini!!!! Ahhhh and the after stitches the internal pain I hope I can handle!

Littlemiss you can do it, the burning apparently isn't too bad in the water it also lubricates you so you may go without needing stitches, I needed a lot of stitches as ds came out head and shoulder at the same time and his head was so big newborn hats didnt fit and they really weren't that bad you just dab and use water with a bit of tea tree or lavender in after every wee to make it heal and not sting quicker?
A water birth is a no for me as the thought of being in water scares me (I am a real wimp)

My top tip is take arnica from 36 weeks I bruise really easily and was black and blue due to my weird skin and forceps and within 2-3 days it had gone, I also didn't feel the internal bruising people seem to say is painful, my friend did it this time and didn't feel bruised a few days after a c section!

Thanks for the arnica tip memphis I'll definitely get some. My bruising pain was awful and lasted for weeks. In the first week I couldn't even sneeze or laugh without that horrible bruised feeling! But then I think I got extra bruising from being spread apart in theatre for my suture!

God as much as I strangely enjoyed labour first time, I can't let that happen again I really don't want to tear like that again. I've opted for midwife led unit but also spoken to my midwife about the possibility of having a home birth...so if I have water hopefully it will decrease my chances of tearing like that again

Oo I have to admit I like the sound of a water birth - I love being in water. Two people I know who planned water births though had to get out because they found it difficult so don't want to over-romanticise it in my head.

Bangon I had bruising to my knees and it just melted away and didn't hurt to touch wierdly and I am in the minority of people that didn't fear the 'first poo' my mw didn't believe I had been more than once because I didn't say oh god it was awful I just went yes I am sure it was because of the arnica!

Gosh bruising to your knees?! Ouch

Has anyone on here previously had a water birth? It would be nice to hear some experiences! I was offered a bath at the hospital before they allowed me any pain relief which I tried and my god it was a disaster! Didn't last 2 minutes because it was such a tight space for a whale! I hope it was the space issue rather than the water that caused me to scream and create tidal waves in the bathroom

Haha admit it memphis, you just love taking pics of medical equipment

I shall be heeding the arnica tip

Little miss im fearing the stitches too- my helpful sister told me ages ago that that bit was more painful than actual childbirth!

Today i will mostly be stealing my 18 month old niece to go to mamas and papas so we can find out if the pushchair we want will last that long!