July 2015 (thread 10) - the one where the bumps are huge, feet become unreachable and nesting seriously kicks in.

[Fattycow]

Welcome, welcome, to the 10th thread for babies expected in July 2015.
We are all counting the days and might even see the arrival of the first babies on this thread!

Here is the stats list, please keep your own entry up to date:
docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1p3idkH2TaQYAy22I_N73k1_-G6Ezq67lAdhQvDjQkU0/edit?pli=1#gid=0

Loving the post birth stories - great question Charlie.
I've got another one for you experienced Mums... FB peeps already know I got a bit freaked out today at antenatal class, and I'm wondering if any of you guys went in to labour hoping not to have an epidural, and didn't have one? I feel like all my RL friends have not planned not to have one then ended up doing it coz of the pain and it's making me think I'll be the same. But I'd rather not have an epidural if possible.

I want in fairly open minded but vaguely hoping not to have an epidural. Didn't have one. Despite it being a back to back, very (very) long labour I managed with gas and air. So glad I did as otherwise I wouldn't have been able to have a 3 hour discharge.

charliej, ah yes car parking at our hospital is horrendous too We have the same restrictions (20min drop off outside the door only), then you would need to move the car to anywhere you can find ... Which frankly could result in an hour's search within a mile radius! My advice would be to use this time before birth to do plenty of trips to the hospital at different times of the day to see where is just absolutely no go and others that are possible possibles. Also check out payment methods in case you need money up front or can do it later.

Had a good 34 week mw appt today. All being well, I have decided to go to our standalone birth centre. Some concerns re location (30mins drive away and no doctors or surgical options if things go wrong) but defo hits my crunchy mummy/hippy spots so fx. Baby is 2/5 engaged and mw said "pls be careful in the next few weeks, I would like you to make the next appt!" Haha!

Hello clstow [waves] I didn't want an epidural and I didn't have one. I was petrified of the thought of the needle...well, probably your same fears too, so let's not say anymore. The doc (male) that examined me on arrival told me my waters hadn't yet broken so I should consider having an epidural for that as it'd be really uncomfy and painful otherwise. What a load of shit clearly why women have children and not men! I refused obvs. When it came to them breaking my waters, they did it when I had a contraction and tbh I didn't notice any different!

clstow I had two long labours and both back to back. I managed on just g&a for both of them. I didn't want an epidural and I don't want one this time but I am staying open minded as you never know what will happen. the only thing I tell the mw is I can't open my legs pa st x point (SPD) and I want gas and air now and baby is to be delivered onto me. everything else is if I ask or if it needs to be done etc. just leave me to it and I will let you know when I need you

broody how odd re waters, mine were broken for me when I was 9 1/2 cms dilated as it was stopping me progressing any further but no one mentioned an epidural as they hadn't gone yet.

I know, right, gottobe?! Very very weird. The mw who was next to me holding my hand said "all of these choices are up to you but I'm sure you'll be fine". Then came cannula gate with some student jabbing the needle in, here there and everywhere and I was like "oh my actual gawd, this is only gonna get worse if I'm crying over a cannula and am being offered epidural for waters!" Thank goodness I managed to shake that from my memory almost immediately, breathe through it all and go on to have a nice natural birth with not a single puff of gas and air or drug passing my lips or skin!

clstow It was about the point the midwife was talking about epidurals at the birthing centre that I burst into tears, so you're in good company Might have the pethidine actually

Baby feels like she's attempting an escape this evening. I had a snooze earlier and had a horrible dream I had a poking alien spider inside me - woke up and found her poking me incessantly like a tent.

I mean, might have been at the point she was mentioning pethidine! Not that I want pethidine!! Stupid typo

charlie, any chance of you getting a taxi to the hospital? That way you don't have to worry about parking at all.

I had an appointment with the midwife this morning (at 7:45am, way too early for me). Head is starting to engage and baby's heartbeat is nice and steady. My blood pressure has risen a tiny bit, but it's still very much a normal one. I'm term on Friday and I'm getting excited about meeting him/her! Hopefully s/he will be here soon, but I know it could easily be 5 more weeks...

small, pethidine also would bring me to tears! Perhaps even more so than epidural.

They no longer offer pethidine at out local hospital. It is either remifentanil or an epidural if you want pain relief.
I don't want either, but as I'm planning on a home birth, they aren't available to me anyway. I will have my pool (finally ordered it) and the midwife has a tens machine and that's it. Hopefully it will be enough for me, as I really don't want to transfer to the hospital for pain relief!

It dawned on me this morning that my baby will definitely be here in the next 4 weeks and 6 days!

Scan tomorrow, he was 4lb 9oz at the last one (32+3)
Hope he's up to 5lb now.

34+3 today

number, are you having an elective section?

fattycow

Yes all booked in for 39+2

Eek number, that doesn't seem very long away!! How did that all happen?!

I know, I know, and I am a mid July lady, some of you here are before me ha!

When i see all the other antenatal threads and there are ones for the early months of next year, it makes me feel like I've been pregnant forever. DH is already asking me when I think we should start trying for #2! (he's a slightly older dad and it took over a year this time bc of mutiple miscarriages so it makes sense to get going reasonably quickly but

Can't wait to meet this one! 6 odd weeks to go!

charlie I know what you mean, I see photos of myself this time last year and I can't remember what it was like not being pregnant!

I'm 37 weeks today and really looking forward to meeting her finally!

Woooo!!! I'm finished work. 10 months of not having to go back in the shop unless I want to! Uniform will be going in the wash then hung up in wardrobe out of the way. Fantastic!
But that means baby is not far away. That's quite scary.

Fatty I hadn't thought about taxi actually. I'll put that to OH. He's quite friendly with the owner of our preferred taxi company so mite be able to sort something.

Thanks for the stories - it definitely makes me feel more confident to know some actual people (well sort of know - you know what I mean) that didn't have an epidural. Guess I'll just see how it goes on the day, maybe I'll find I have a mega high tolerance to pain (yeah right )

Congrats on finishing work Charliej! I don't finish for another month - some of you will have babies by then!

I've just noticed a brown /red discharge on my pad (need to wear one in case of sneezing accidents sorry if TMI), is this classed as a "show"??
I'm 36+4 today
On the parking front I did the maternity tour and she said if we parked in the drop off and let them know they would inform the security so we didn't get a ticket
Hope everyone is coping ok with this hot weather

Just checking in quickly, very busy trying to wrap everything up before I go on maternity leave next Friday! Have booked myself, DH and mums into Centre Parcs Woban spa to celebrate first day of leave! Apparently its good for pregnant women as there are lots of areas I can enjoy, can't wait.

35+3. Off to hospital on monday for 36 week appointment, can't wait to find out position of baby. Feels like bump has dropped but don't have bowling-ball-between-the-legs feeling yet!

congrats charlie on finishing work
tilly might be worth a call to maternity assessment to check on show - just save the pad (yuk I know but they will want to see if they are concerned)