July '15 - starting our 2nd trimester

[StoneBaby]

Please come and join

Fx want hopefully just some normal spotting?

Got my scan at 2pm today, had so many weird dreams last night and kept waking up, feel sick this morning but not sure if it's worry or MS!

Good luck Lizzi

My friends opinions were similar to what others said. The two that stood out were that one was only told about natural birth options, nothing ekse was discussed, so she had at length and detail been prepared for a perfect natural water birth at home, when in reality there were complications and she had to have what I've been told was an extremely traumatic emergency cs. Over a year later and she is still troubled by it and suffered pnd due to thinking she had done something wrong.
The other was regarding bf. Different area, but again only given advice on bf not formula. So when the friend had issues bf and after several going back and forth to instructor and those she'd met at the group for advice still being told to persevere, she saw a dr and basically found out she couldn't bf. So then had to go snd buy, plus learn about formula feeding as she went along which was also pretty stressful for her.

BUT I have also heard great things about nct, people raving about it! Only reason I've changed my mind now is cause my hospital offer 4 2.5hr hypno-antenatal classes plus an additional 2hr early days class covering feeding, bathing, and general "after baby's born" which I've been told by some others in my area are really good.

15+3 today. Starting to really struggle with tiredness, nausea and aches/stretching/stitches

I'm a huge advocate of NCT classes as mine were absolutely brilliant and have made some great friends. I moved to a new city 150 miles away from home at 24 weeks pregnant and didn't know anyone with babies so it was an absolute lifeline for me.

Ps good luck want, and those having their scans today.

Good luck want. I'm sure it will be ok. It's only natural to panic and stress after yesterday's sad news from pip but it's great that you had a good scan only three days ago. Will be thinking of you.

Best of luck number! Hope your bubba behaves better than ours did

Can't remember if I've just read this on here or fb but someone mentioned feeling stretching? It's about now that first time mummies will have their uterus popping out from their pelvis I think so it could be that. Think mine is already out and near my belly button as I'm already stretched??

fx want

Also big fan of NCT. With everything in parenting, I believe you have to be prepared for any eventuality. Antenatal classes say to write a birth plan and that's fabulous.... But baby will not read it. They've their own agenda and will come whenever and however they fancy. I wanted a natural birth and was lucky to get it but our NCT class had discussed c sections, epidurals, pethidine and other various drugs, we handled forceps and a ventouse, talked about episiotomies and the like, so I felt as though if my life or my baby's life depended on it, of course, I'd get drugged up and cut open and I knew enough about what was going to happen. Guess what I'm saying is that you can do all the antenatal classes and groups you want to and read all the books in the world about birthing options but when it comes to it, baby will call the shots. I probably sound quite grumpy in all that, I don't mean to

broody I am a first timer but I agree. I see it more of a birth 'wish list' than a plan. I don't know how I will feel at the time, how I will cope with the pain, or how labour will progress. I think you have to have an open mind and not pin all your hopes on a specific birth. It is after all a natural biological process that can't really be controlled!

My nhs class wouldnt explain formula feeding due to being pro-bf.
Its a bit ailly as out of 8 of us
1 didnt bf more than few hrs
1 had to express for a couple of weeks
2 bf for 14-6m
1 bf for about 2m then mixed fed till about 6m
3 bf for about 10w then switched to formula

So all but 1 needed to know how to mix formula

I agree about a wish list rather than a birth plan. I need to avoid anything whereby I could blame myself or feel guilty after the event, as I am quite good at beating myself up over 'mistakes' generally. I read something in one of the hypnobirthing books that I think is a good idea, though, which is to write something down (or get partner to, I guess!) if you do need an intervention to say why and what had been explained and that it was the right decision. I could imagine that would help me deal better.

Fx for this morning want

Turns out nothing to worry about, just sensitive cervix. Baby had strong heartbeat and was bouncing around all over the place. I probably overreacted but I am so relieved! :) thanks for all your support

Great news Want!

I didn't bother with a birth plan at all for my first. My only wish was to get the bloody baby out! I didn't want to rule anything out as I had no idea how I would feel at the time. In the end I managed with just gas and air and a tens machine but if I hasn't been coping I would have asked for an epidural. I ended up with a ventouse delivery as DD's heart rate was dropping with each push and after 48 hours of labour I was too tired to push productively. At that point I think I would have agreed to anything!

Agree a wish list is a good idea.

Such devastating news from Pip

NCT does depend a lot on the instructor but ours also used the first session to discuss what we particularly wanted to know about and tailored the classes around that. She covered all the different drugs / interventions and brought in some forceps terrifying things to look at as well as going through positions to help with natural birth, massage to ease labour pain, water birth, hypno-birthing etc. She also talked about formula feeding and gave us some info to take away with guidelines etc, wasn't at all pushy although I would say it was still natural birth and breastfeeding first, interventions and formula feeding second iyswim. For example we had a whole session on breastfeeding run by a specialist, whereas formula feeding was just part of the general discussion about caring for a newborn followed up with a leaflet.

Is anyone else getting vivid dreams yet? When I was pregnant with DS I got these crazy recurring dreams where I had given birth but instead of a baby it was a puppy or a kitten! They were so clear I always woke up panicking. Once I even dreamt that I was so exhausted from the birth that I fell asleep for hours before feeding the baby and when I woke up it had turned in to a stick insect I have had some very vivid dreams the last 2 nights, although thankfully not about the baby, so I think it is starting again!

Glad baby is ok want

I dreamt last night we were driving down vertical mountain in snow, then I went clubbing. Very random and vivid!

I think I'm signing up for nct. My friends rave about the support it gave them. I'm first time mum 500 miles from family.

Phew want

Yes to odd and vivid dreams. I've always dreamt but recently, they're not much short of something I'd expect a drug addict to experience while off their face!

With the birthing ideas, it is a good idea to be flexible, but do your research on the different options available to you so you can make an informed decision. Things such as delayed cord clamping, or having the Syntometrine injection vs a natural third stage. I had my ideal plan in my head last time, that I would like to do it without drugs and if I managed that I would not have the injection. But it was something I was willing to decide on at the end and Dh knew my wishes (and what I would like if things hadn't gone to plan), and I told the MW my plan when I arrived in labour but did say I was keeping my options open. I also asked not to be offered pain relief but that I would ask for it should I want it. I felt that worked quite well for me and made it clear to the MW the sort of birth I was aiming for.

Not sure if I might be feeling some movement this morning. I'm 14+3 today with DC#2 so it's possible.

broody that was me on fb talking about stretching! It's such a strange feeling, I'm wondering if thats why I'm feeling more nauseous now than I did in first trimester as I'm not used to the stretching feeling and so thats making me quesy?

Mister I had a crazy, vivid dream last night! I dreamt my Mum came running in clutching two towels with two children inside. She said they were supposed to be aged 7 but they had got some disease and shrunk back down to foetuses, and I had to help her get them to hospital. I wouldn't believe her, so one of the kids turned into a teenager and tried to kill me! WTF??? It was one of those where I realised it was a dream but couldn't wake up. I had to shout out in my sleep to wake myself. Freaked me out for a while.

Relieved for you, Want

Good luck to those with scans today.

That's such good news, Want.
I will be smiling all day now after a very happy scan experience. Baby was very lively, and I don't think my giggles made the sonographer's job any easier, but we got a measurement eventually and I am due on the 26th July. So relieved, and it was really nice to see how excited DH was too!

Congrats on the good scan Lizzi

I'm definitely feeling the baby moving Only when I am sitting completely badly (leaning forward) at my desk though so I guess I am squishing it!

lizzi great news. Great reassurance too want

At home this afternoon resting as I've quite a few cramps today. So relaxing on the sofa now

I just looked at the stats and my scan dates have gone.

I just put them back in. I think something has gone wrong when people moved people around in the thread, as my dates are now with hazelnutlatte and I don't think she had the same scan dates as I did.

Great news lizzi did baby stay still for the downs test?

I'm starting to feel the odd movement too now I think