April 2015 Thread 13: The babies are creeping in one by one and the gardens really need seeing to!

[TheBooMonster]

Welcome to the 13th April 2015 babies thread!

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We’re in the home stretch ladies, we've had the first baby, how many more threads can we manage before the last baby is here?

Don't move furniture FiRaffe I did on Sunday and my bump went all hard and angry. I lay down with a cup of tea and I think it forgave me.

DD is in her room out of pjs dressed in a tutu and bolero (purchased as gifts by mad rellies I hasten to add) saying 'look at me, I am pretty'. So I think she's fine.

RL/ Lauren - yes our DD stayed rear facing for longer than others bc she was quite diddy and didn't need a new seat for a bit longer ie her head wasn't poking out the top. I must say though she's been much happier in the car since she started facing forward.

Yes Lauren there is at least one rear facing seat you can buy here it's well over £300. Loads of research to suggest it's safer for them to stay rear facing for years and years and in mainland Europe that's the norm. Here everyone goes forward facing at 12-18 months as we did.

penguin how exciting that you will get to meet your little one this weekend. I hope you and your DH have managed to go out and enjoy yourselves.

Has anybody thought about presents for midwives? I am thinking of biscuits, tea and coffee because my midwife mentioned that they have to provide their own. I'm obviously presuming that they will be doing a good job and I will want to thank them

siari sorry, didn't realise there was a picture as it doesn't even say on the app that's defiantly not the same one I have! It looks lovely though I'm a bit

rl I think it's 9kg as a minimum for turning them round we actually turned DD much earlier than that because my in-lwas were inpatient she hated facing back, she's 2 and now only 11.3kg on our grownup scales, so she'd have been rear facing forever!

I am both absolutely furious and scared out of my mind courtesy of this evenings antenatal class. Having been told by a midwife this morning that yes, I should pretty much pack my bags and head to the hospital, phoning them on the way to let them know if my waters break or contractions start, the midwife at tonights antenatal class (my old midwife who only left our surgery 2 bloody months ago) said that actually, sometimes the delivery suite closes and they wouldn't be able to take be, so I'd be expected to have someone drive me to the next nearest hospital, that is 45 minutes from me, let alone the time it would take someone to get to me which is about another 30 minutes when the roads are empty, if I was lucky they might be able to sort out an ambulance, but there would be no guarantee of a midwife because all the midwives would be called in to help on the delivery floor... So even if I got an ambulance, I'd possibly have no midwife and almost definitely no drip to prevent the Postpartum Haemorrhage, so I'd likely deliver on the way to the hospital and have to hope I didn't bleed... My consultant is going to get a serious talking to about booking me in for an induction or section regardless of what condition the baby is in at next weeks scan... I'd rather have not known that was a possibility!

Sorry to hear your bloods weren't great PenguinPoser but yay for your cervix! At least you know where you are.

Very organised on high chair Sairie!! I didn't buy my first until ds1 was about 5 months old!

I'm surprised as it's your second they won't let you try a vaginal delivery SquattingNeville?

I wouldn't worry about the stairs smogsville ds2 managed to fall down the stairs several times when pretty old. I stressed every time and he was always fine. No idea why as he's very physically capable and never falls otherwise.

RL20 should't be forward facing until 9montha or sitting totally independently and very stable. Some people are stricter and lots of the Americans who live around here leave children rear facing until 4 but their car seat market caters for that! Some seats are group 0 only which is rear facing only and then you get a group 1 later on so double check that.

They probably give you worst case senario TheBooMonster, I'd be tempted to find out how often they close your local delivery suite to admissions as it may be twice a year or something rare like that rather than weekly. Also I would have thought paramedics would have some ability to assist with post parkrun haemorrhage. Not that I want to belittle your worries at all but perhaps help put your mind at rest a little?

Had governor training tonight which was very useful but baby wasn't impressed, felt like he was trying to escape and was very uncomfortable for most of the 2 1/2hrs. Got my (hopefully last) scan tomorrow pm and then a child free late afternoon evening.

Thanks for the thoughts everyone nothing much happening after the sweep so we have been out for tapas! Baby is going crazy and trying to find a way out of my upper abdomen with it's feet!

Daholster glad you might be able to reinstate your leaving lunch! It is rubbish just 'fading' out, but having said that I hate saying bye to everyone! When I left half the staff were on lunch break and I literally had to go as I had hospital appt to get to so I said bye to those I could and send a group email to everyone! Hoping to go back and visit at some point though with baby as I feel they were all there with me for practically this whole pregnancy as I started there when I was 5 weeks pregnant!

Smogsville glad your DD is ok - certainly sounds like she is.

Boo sorry you're feeling scared! Sounds like possibly a bit of scaremongering by the midwife. I guess any maternity unit could become full - but I haven't heard of it happening often at all! Is yours a small unit? It has to be unlikely that you wouldn't be able to get in there - but definitely worth asking your consultant for some reassurance.

Wine I was thinking about something for the staff (assuming of course I'm going to have an amazing experience!!) I'm definitely in the camp of tea, coffee, decent biscuits, tins of choccies. Having worked on wards etc people always complain re diets etc but at the end of the day if you don't have time for a proper break, or just in the middle of the night a good cuppa and biccie can really keep you going!

I've got some new next directories (although I never actually remember asking for them ) but looking through all the lovely summer baby clothes

Good luck for your scan tomorrow Cinnamon

Hoping to use it for her when we eat dinner cinanmon so she's within easy reach of the table. Then it's ready for when we start the weening process.

My plan is that we will always eat at the table so she learns that food time means table and maybe we will end up with a well mannered monster for restaurants. No idea if it will work though!

At what appointment does a midwife start checking if your cervix is dilating?

waves at Lauren* * I measure above the line too. 35cm at 33+2 weeks. I had a scan and baby is actually between 50 and 90th centile rest is fluid.

If you go overdue they will over you a stretch and sweep Sairie, they will then give your cervix a bishops score based on how open/high/thin it is.

Scary naked bump photo!

cinnamon I did a bit of research; the delivery suite in my hospital is considered to be a large labour ward, they've had 24 closures in the past year, in 2013 the number of rooms was increased from 12 to 15 and they had to close the maternity ward 15 times the preceding year and 34 women were diverted to other hospitals as a result because it was full to capacity. The next nearest hospital is a small sized labour ward with 8 rooms and it closed once last year due to high capacity. Now off to badger an ambulance driver about whether they stock my drip on board...

offer not over of course!

Hehe cinnamon your post parkrun hemorage had me chuckling - i'd definitely get one of those!

Hope you get it sorted Boo and put your mind at ease.

24 hours. if the averages are to be believed in the 1038 hours between now and me being 14 days overdue the labour ward would potentially be closed for a grand total of 24 hours kicks the midwife that is perhaps something she should have mentioned, the fact that actually it might have closed a few times last year but in the grand scheme of things it was closed for barely any time at all!

penguin what happens next if the sweep dosesn't do the trick?

siari we always used to eat at the table at PiL's, we've become a bit lax in our own place and as a result DD thinks that every meal is an opportunity to sit in the front room and eat fruit whilst watching cbeebies... we're having to bully ourselves back into using the kitchen table rounder before she turns into a full on cave troll who runs round restaurants!

ooh cinnamon has your bump dropped?

Phew - busy afternoon at work (no idea how I'm going to finish handover tomorrow!) then leaving drinks this evening which were great - I'm so happy to be finishing work for a year tomorrow!

Booked home birth and pool today, delighted that I can stay under care of current hospital despite moving miles away! Pool is being delivered on Tuesday to new house, we move in on Thursday, and then midwife is coming to visit on the Sunday. Good incentive to unpack quickly! Feeling very pleased, midwife sounded lovely on the phone.

cinnamon hehe at post parkrun haemorrhage. Please don't have one of those! And your bump does look to have dropped in that pic. Hope the scan tomorrow is good

Boo I'm being admitted to the ward tomorrow afternoon for a pessary to soften cervix further, staying overnight for them to break waters and transfer to delivery suite Saturday morning. That's the plan (unless baby has other ideas before then) although don't feel at the moment like anything is going to happen imminently, which is good as DH is still at work in the morning although finishing at 12.30 for his paternity leave

Just a shame my blocked sinuses are inevitably going to ruin another nights sleep! Might go in the bath and try and get some steam inhalation.

Ah pleased things are going ahead for your home birth Brixton really good news

Sounds very well organised BrixtonBunny!!!

Blimmin phone, but does got to show how often I write parkrun!!! Not that I'm obsessed at all!

My boys are pretty good at the table Sairie so sounds likes good plan. We have always eaten together as a family even if it's a bit later than your average child and on the odd occasion we eat out we do get complimented on how good they are. As a governor I got I item to the school Christmas dinner and ds1 (7) was the only child at our table who used his knife so I was quite proud! Lots of children with roast potatoes on a fork like a lollipop taking big bites!

If you're favourable hopefully a pessary will get things going PenguinPoser, worth dtd tonight as sperm contains prostins which us what's in the pessary.

Thanks for all the kind thoughts and reassurance re DD everyone. Fast asleep now.

Just did a massive sneeze while lying flat on back in bed and had horrid pain all across lower abdomen that's only subsiding now. Ouch! Need to adopt some sort of brace position next time.

Good luck tomorrow cinnamon and Penguin hope you enjoyed the tapas.

DD was fab in restaurants until she was about 2.5. Now it just depends on what sort of mood she's in. We don't take her to the river cafe anymore that's for sure. Last time we went to franco manca she cried and said she wanted pizza express bc FM doesn't do dough balls. How shameful! Brixton you will feel me on this one I'm sure. Oh great news on your hospital and home birth btw.

Too uncomfortable to get back to sleep. Bump has gone tight, no matter how I lie it hurts unless I'm flat on my back and then I can't breathe.

Feeling frustrated. sat on the edge of the bed, listening to everyone else snore! On the positive side, at least when they're all snoring I can tell they're all ok without having to look.

Ah hope you get back to sleep Ebwy. Try getting up for a little walk/drink maybe? I'm awake with blocked nose again booooo. It better clear off soon! Have just used some saline spray and one spray of sinex so fingers crossed. Need sleep!
Had about 4 very mild irregular contractions in the last hour, nothing major so seems like baby wants to stay put tonight at least.

Morning
Thanks everyone RE car seats.
I can't believe I hadn't given it all much though beforehand! Then I suppose my mind has been filled with a thousand other things!

Hope you managed to get back to sleep Ebwy!

Ooh contractions Penguin! It seems odd you talking about contractions and I haven't even had any Braxton Hicks yet!?
More and more babies arriving on this thread. It's becoming very real

My early morning posts are becoming earlier and earlier! Partner has gone off to work and I'm sort of wide awake. Mainly because my stomach was rumbling so I got up to get a chocolate bar. It's too early to stand making toast I want to be able to go back to sleep for a bit!
Had a dream last night that baby came early! Although, I didn't give birth to him, I just woke up early one morning and he was in his Moses basket next to our bed?! Maybe the stork had delivered him
Hmm, still hungry it seems. Suppose I best go and get a yoghurt.

4.30am does seem to be the time for us all to be up. My waters have gone and I'm now getting contractions that feel to me just like period pains. Friday 13th! What a monkey!

Haven't woken DH yet, going to have some breakfast first. Then he can help me count.

I've got to go into the day unit when it opens at 8.30, for them to check me if the contractions haven't gotten worse. Don't know whether to be excited or terrified! 38+1, so not too early, but I haven't finished tidying or started batch cooking yet! Eek!

River, wow! Forgive me as I can't remember your story properly, were you expecting this or has it come as a surprise?
Did you have a gush of waters or have they been slowly going?
You sound very laid back about it!
Don't worry about the tidying, and definitely not the batch cooking!
I don't think I'll be batch cooking (due to laziness, really) but I'm sure we'll get by. If my other half wants a proper meal when baby is here in the early days, I'm sure he can manage to cook something, or at least look after baby whilst I try

Must try and get off mumsnet... the more I stay awake the more I can't get back to sleep... and the more I eat!
A chocolate bar, a yoghurt and a packet of crisps all before 6am isn't very good is it

River eeek, amazing news! Good luck! Babies really are starting to appear now. Hope you can get as much rest as possible before your little one decides to appear.

Penguin good luck for today! Really exciting and great news that your cervix seems favourable, hopefully if they do induce you'll have an experience like cinnamon's.

Another despicably shoddy night's sleep here. I'll be able to sleep once the baby comes, right?

36+2