October 2014- thread 13. Getting the eviction notices ready!

[MundayCakes85]

Thought we'd better start a new thread, how many more will we get through before babies arrive??

On the topic of averages the Sept thread is really boy heavy I wonder if we will do the opposite and have lots of girls?
There stats are 17 B : 7 G

Glad to hear Gun and Slide are home. Fingers crossed Mrsb that baby starts kicking up a storm.

Me, I had my vbac in London. Don't think I could have moved to the US without having proven (to myself and future HCPs) that I could do it! I chose a midwife practice precisely because of their support for vbac (intermittent monitoring is standard, water labour/delivery is encouraged, sweeps are not offered routinely due to PROM risks - all things I struggled with on the NHS. Still had a great NHS experience though!).

Many doctors around here are very anti-vbac (and ob/gyns are the norm). Often, they will do single layer suture as it's faster and then a woman effectively can't choose vbac (my midwives insisted on seeing my notes from DS's birth, despite me telling them double suture is the NHS norm). Some hospitals have 0% vbac rates ! Home vbacs are illegal in New Jersey (NJ is considered quite bad for unnecessary sections and discouragement of vbac/trial of labour after a c section in general).

My midwives speak longingly of the NHS and the routine nature of midwife-led care. I was telling my midwife today how on the NHS midwives will check to see how much of the head is palpable above the pelvic brim, which she was so impressed by (exact response: "wow! Cool hardcore midwifery!"). They are all very relaxed about my ability to birth this baby naturally, which is great (especially now as baby is head down after being transverse at 32 weeks and breech at 34 weeks!). I feel lucky to have such a supportive team.

Like all about the stupid American system, it is all about your geography, is there something close enough, and your insurance, eg will your insurance cover birth adequately and your confidence/educational ability, ie can you educate yourself enough to advocate for yourself...the US equivalents of MN will have tips for your hospital bag like pack your own ibuprofen/paracetamol as your hospital will charge $15-20 per pill! It looks like all this craziness will change with obamacare. But it's still a crazy (and often unfair) system.

I will miss the NHS forever!

Ok, ramble over!

Flip have you only had 1 cs? I would have loved to try vbac again ive had emcs,vbac,vbac,emcs but after the two cs it was a no, I think even if I had fought for it the GD would have then thrown a spanner in the works as they apparently wont induce a vbaccer and like to induce or give a cs GD ladies at 38/39 weeks.

gun msu is the urine test so that good if there's an infection that will pick it up, they've also sent urine to check how much protein upcr and the rest are bloods to check for pre eclampsia eg liver function and urates plus full blood count to check hb and platelets.

I hope I do get all into baby stuff and forget about work, it's just hard to imagine. I can't bear it when friends get baby obsessed, and I've got two really good mates who won't have children, so I don't want to alienate them. I do feel quite emotional about stopping work for awhile, I suppose more because I'm scared of maternity leave and not having colleagues to bounce off of every day. I need the social stuff in order to not go a bit mental.

Thanks me23 they took my mobile number so perhaps I will get a call if they find another UTI. Im guessing the PE bloods were ok as ive not heard anything so that's one less thing to worry about

Gun only one emcs. If I'd had two then doubt I'd vbac (finding support for a vba2c would be super hard here I think). One of the reasons I'm hoping for another vbac is whether we ever go for no 4 (currently not going to happen but never say never!) as it would impact on that decision.

Oh Gun and here they induce vbacs with the balloon method (balloon goes above the cervix/below the cervix and inflates slowly to dilate it - unclear on mechanics as have not really thought about it). No pessaries for any induction (precisely because of the risk of my hyperstimulation experience with DS). I'm hoping I don't have to be induced (am feeling grateful that no GD or PE to complicate things). I think I'd try a sweep first (worked with DD).

Yes binky it's all pretty scary now, can't believe it might actually happen and very nervous about what that means for our potential move up there next year. DH already said he wants to move his money out of the royal bank.

Glad everyone is home!

Tonight's ridiculous panic for me: I gave myself an electric shock by touching my laptop charger which I didn't know had a loose wire... now panicked that I've hurt the baby as even my feet tingle. My poor doctor will be more relieved than me when this baby's here! She said I don't need to go in but her medical degree is nothing compared to Google, obviously

I also found out today that they cut you automatically at the beginning of labour for vaginal births, and the only pain relief offered is an epidural. Whaat?!! Is it too late to fly?!!

Hi everyone, thanks for the lovely support messages. I was out by about 3pm & went straight to work to say "Au Revoir". I am back in tomorrow morning 9am to start on steroids & provided I take to it OK & blood sugars stay level I will be back out on Saturday.
They also gave me a date for section, I will be meeting baby on Thursday 18th.
I have been on such a roller coaster today, I am totally drained right now. Am dreading trying to sleep on the blooming ward for 2 or 3 nights, I'm a crap sleeper at the best of times. Anyone needing a chat through the night over the next few nights, I will no doubt be about.
Gun & Slide glad you guys are out & feeling OK. Just slow down & relax, it was the only thing that lowered my BP in last pregnancy.

Earplugs!

If I had to leave work in a hurry, I'd be leaving it in a right state. Must do proper sorting out tomorrow.

Me too goats, have to leave plans for the 3 months, which I haven't even started yet. Hope I haven't shocked the baby into leaving early or there's going to be lots of DVDs watched in that school!

I'm sort of feeling like it's going to be early, but I'm not planning accordingly because that would be tempting fate - bathroom won't be 100% finished for 2 weeks, don't want tilers keeping it out of action when we're home with a newborn. Crazy irrational thought processes. Will do some definite filing tomorrow though. Yes.

Goats & Portico I did the big legal handover last week & was just working through the detailed sectional & people stuff. That can all be done without me & I have written a really robust handover plan just in case this scenario happened. I am a little OCD & need to know all is tied up in the right way, don't want to take back a state next year!

Woke up for a pee & started to worry about the C-section next week but have just come up with a great mantra that might amuse/help others. "Posh Spice can do this 4 times, then damn it, so can I!"
:) xx

excited hope you managed to get back to sleep? Thats an excellent way of thinking about a c-section, celebrities have them all the time and they are fine. TBH, a c-section scares me a lot less than natural birth, until 2 years ago I swore it would be the only way I'd have a child, I have always had an irrational fear of childbirth. I still keep having wobbles of not wanting to push, I'm sure I'll be screaming for one at some point in labour!

DH started with cold symptoms yesterday, he woke me in the night with him snuffling and choking (obv annoyed even though it's the first time in ages it's not been me waking him!). I've woken up this morning with blocked nose, sore throat and headache

Marking spot

Oh no binky! hope it doesn't last long!

Only today and tomorrow then it's the weekend...I can do this!

I managed to sleep from pretty much midnight until 5.45. AMAZING.

The thing that scares me about c-sections is being awake but not able to move my legs/run away. A normal vaginal birth has a high chance of leaving me in the same state though, I just can't prepare for it in advance. My main reason for doula and any hypnotherapy has been about dealing with the fear of not being able to move. Control freak you see.. always need to know I could run away if I need to.

Im getting wave like period pains coming & going i havnt done a poo for a couple of days & my stomach is full of trapped wind, so im hoping its just that?

Im about to time them on a contraction counter and will phone in the next hour if they dont settle, reminding me very much of contractions as its making me feel sick when its happning, my stomach is tense when its happning but no pain apart from the cramp low down and a bit of pain in my back but not sure if thats the spd ???

God i really need to get organised to just grab a bag & run ... I really have a feeling this wee one might be a bit earlier than her sister was, a gut feeling i have had since the start

Marking my place and replying asbestos as I can remember.

Lou, sorry you not so D H has been a muppet nothing I can add to what's been said.

Those having had worries, blood pressures, monitoring and intervention; hope you are feeling better, it'll all be okay in the end, if it's not okay, it's not the end.

I think if I have a planned cs I will be freaking out too. It's the being awake and being sliced open that scares me too. I think the trick will to not think about the process - just the baby at the end. I've got an over active imaginations and can easily make myself faint just thinking about stuff like that. So lots of deep breathing and don't think about the op or recovery, just the lovely baby at the end.

So... Had a great sleep - just one wee and 9.30 to 6! Kind of makes up for my two hours on Tuesday.

Late last night they pretty much finished the kitchen. Hurrah!! Getting my house back gradually. Slight weird thing was ds' radiator being on this morning - the heating isn't on and the thermostat is down low!

Ear plugs and I'd add eye mask for ward, definitely. There were two ladies in labour overnight, even with their best heroic efforts at not waking others there was puffing, blowing and the odd whimper. Plus I was next to a window; lovely being in the cooler air but no blind or curtain so was woken at 0200 for BP, various times by ladies, 0600 for bloods & BP, then could have slept until 0830 if it weren't for the sun streaming in. Was shattered.
Changed bed linen last night & now have sexy maternity mat laid under sheet.
DP read entire book on introducing baby & dog last night - interesting stuff. Doggy psychology is very odd. Downloaded lots of baby noises to play to her to see if there are any she reacts to, and we need to start training her not to bark at the doorbell - hadn't thought about it but if have just put baby down and dog barks at door & wakes him/her will wear thin pretty quickly. Though baby should be somewhat acclimatised to her bark it's still likely to be a PITA.
Lots to do in potentially very short space of time. Had one intense BH last night that went round into my lower back - had heebie-jeebies that I may be getting going, DP on tiptoes for about an hour but no repeat and fine overnight. Eeep. Hope everyone had a reasonable night?