Feb 2016 Babies: The One Where the Babies Start Arriving!

[clarabellski]

OK, OK, so we already had a couple of babies on the last thread, but we're going to struggle to keep up with the number of new arrivals in this one!!!

Stats:

docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1dWmvdD9SkvPQqKn7rpFHazgufmda2FOTMtL093cZFj8/htmlview

*bottle (!)

Congratulations nectarines & ratty

39+4 today. Still in bed but thinking about getting up. The first week or so of mat leave I had daily plans, then last week I had daily goals. This week it's all just about the countdown til baby handbag arrives. I really thought he'd be here by now, so am trying to reset expectations that he's not due til Saturday and even then it won't be unusual for him to be a week or so later than that.

Definitely feel different compared to last week - he's down further, feels heavier, more aches and pains down below. He'll come when he's ready...

If anyone has any ideas for keeping entertained on mat leave I'd love to hear them! I'm on day 3 and getting fed up. There's not much to do when you live in a small place with no shops close by thinking about maybe going for a swim one day :p

Last night DH and I were saying how if we were still going off LMP id actually be due anytime. Did anyone else find their scan put them back a bit? Mine put me back about 10 days!

Also.. Bit late in the day for this one but what's everyone's thoughts on the injection to delivery the placenta.. I'd like a natural third stage but DH read that it can cause excess bleeding to wait naturally and now the poor soul is terrified for me. Has anyone got experiences or more of an idea! Got the midwife this afternoon so I'm going to chat it over with her too :)

I felt a weird pulsing from my belly today and then realised it's baby practising breathing! So cute!

Still in bed too here handbag - I've been on ml since Xmas and need some ideas for things to do. Feeling thoroughly pathetic today, DH is going to take me on a walk.

midnight going by my lmp I was due 22nd Jan, but dating scan is Saturday.

Placenta-wise, I'm going for a natural 3rd stage, no injection. I've heard that injection can cause a retained placenta as the uterus cramps down more severely. If things don't work out naturally I think they can also give the injection afterwards, so it's not an either or. But, that's hearsay I know. For me I don't want to clamp the cord until the placenta is delivered and also the oxytocin high after giving birth is the biggest you'll ever get in your life (apart from having another baby) and so I don't want synthetic oxytocin getting in the way. Here's the NCT link but also check out AIMS for unbiased research www.nct.org.uk/birth/third-stage-labour

Midnight, mat leave finally starts for me next week and I'm kind of hoping the nesting thing kicks in to keep me busy! I've also planned going swimming lots and a haircut... possibly also the procurement of Valentines-like things someday...

By LMP I'm at 40 weeks today, but actually only 37+6 cause I ovulated late- wish LMP was the right date!

I was going to say the same as Haquoi about 3rd stage, probably because we're both hypnobirthing The way I see it is, excess bleeding surely can't be that excessive given that women have coped and the species has survived for tens of thousands of years before synthetic oxytocin!

Haquoi thank you it's nice to hear other people's opinions and some actual information about it! I definitely think I'd like to go for a natural third stage.. If all goes well and I have a quite natural birth then I'd like to have the entire process as natural as I can. Like you said if anything goes awry then the injection can always be given to speed things up. That's good to know about the high! I didn't know that at all.

I planned to do a lot of batch cooking on mat leave but Iv now filled the freezer so I'm back to twiddling my thumbs!

My cycle wasn't exactly regular before so I guess going by LMP ofcourse I was going to be out by dates but I just really really want to meet this little lady!

That's fascinating about baby practicing breathing! Is it quite a quick pulsing or slow? Must watch out for that!

I'm still in bed & struggling for entertainment. Daytime TV really is awful - I think I understand what causes people to start goady threads in AIBU now. Currently being appalled at a programme about getting your family to move to Australia.

Daily goals a great idea - sometimes my goal is "put my dirty clothes in the laundry basket not the floor, and avoid decapitating DH with a rusty spike" sometimes its "steam clean every tiled surface in the house". I think both are fine. (I'm not going to murder my husband for any sneaky police or GMC types out there)

3rd stage of labour is probably the only bit I spent a lot of time thinking about. When I delivered babies as a medical student I didn't see a physiological one, but the midwives used a lot of the physical stimuli too to help. Bear in mind my experience was when skin to skin was new fangled and trendy!

I will probably go for managed based on one close friend who had a catastrophic post partum haemorrhage and missed initial bonding with baby as in theatre being saved (this coming from the girl who has tried to make evidence based decisions throughout but we all have stuff that sticks in our head).

My best friend said that by that time she didn't give a single shit about it - she got baby and then the did "stuff" and she ignored them, while they just got on with it. I think I would like that and worry my "don't touch me" vibe might have kicked in again by then so I am going for quicker. Its worth adding that I find placenta's really bloody disgusting and have no emotional connection with this bit of childbirth at all, except I will probably want to see it myself to ensure I am convinced it is all out.

Having said that I don't see any reason not to have a physiological third stage as long as you know what you are doing. There is an increased risk of haemorrhage but that can be overstated, we just don't want to end up making decisions purely based on fear every step of the way if it is right or you then it is right.

My due date is 28th which is what we guessed it at (28 day cycle) and was quite surprised it never changed at dating scan

Glad to see the convo about placenta delivery as I have not thought about what I want in terms of natural or injection so it have given me food for thought!

midnight it was a quick little pulsing, rhythmical, more than my pulse and less than little kicks. It was incredible, I've never felt it before (and he's since turned so might not feel it again). But truly amazing.

mad my goals are exactly the same. I couldn't bring myself to have a shower this morning, but I'm actually out of bed and even had a 20 min stroll (!) so I think it makes up for it. Almost wish we had at licence so I could have the crappy daytime TV - Netflix is only so good. I've resorted to watching Blue Planet over and over.

Exactly mad. You've got to go with what makes you comfortable - best bit of advice I've been given this whole pregnancy. Do the research and then go with what makes you most relaxed and comfortable. For me I've worked out that intervention of any kind freaks me out (based on what happened with ds, although language barrier and therefore consent was a massive issue there) and so I'm going as natural as possible. A few people have gone 'ooh that's brave' when they find out we want a home birth and both DH and I respond, well actually it's not, the other options strike fear into our hearts (again based on experience in foreign hospital - my hospital here had been amazing so far, it's got nothing to do with them!)

This article has more info on the hormones etc of physiological 3rd stage (beginning is a bit airy fairy even for me, but it gets more plain reading with good references etc. and worth sticking with) www.bellybelly.com.au/birth/natural-approach-to-labour/

Having read up on 3rd stage, I made the decision to go for natural delivery of the placenta. Discussed my plan with the midwife only to be told as my BMI is over 30 that wasn't an option. She's quite reasonable but was adamant about this - it's hospital policy and she's read the research on the resulting bleed being dangerous for those weighing more. I still want to push for it (excuse the pun), but it didn't come up in any of my reading so just wanted to flag it may be an issue for some of you too.

On daily goals I have had ironing DH's shirts, going to the shops round the corner to pay in a cheque and post a parcel, going to the supermarket, cleaning the kitchen... Yesterday I made dinner and cakes from scratch ready for when DH got home... I think I'm turning into a stepford wife! Very unlike me - I have a pretty challenging job and travel a lot, so usually I'm home c.8pm, eat dinner and go to bed!

My LMP also varied from the scan date - by LMP I was due on the 20th, and by scan I'm due on Saturday. I had a regular 28 day cycle so have no explanation for it, but it's why I'm so surprised to still be here Preggo - I genuinely thought he'd be here by now.

Things to do: I love my daily swim; I'm working my way through Battlestar galactica again and knitting. I go for the "about a boy" approach and divide my day into 'units'. I do a bit of cleaning, a bit of cooking, a swim rather than aiming for one long stint of anything!

Afternoon ladies, congratulations nectarines and ratty!

The babies are coming thick and fast now!

Just back from midwife (walked there and back, had to stop a few times for rest though and it is only a half an hour walk each way ).

Re: what to do on mat leave, here's some of what I've been getting up to (may or may not provide ideas and is very mundane!):

• catching up on homeland on netflix
• repainting some walls in house
• reorganising cupboards/binning old food etc
• making curtains/altering curtains
• sorting out financial stuff (zzzz.....)
• still checking and dealing with some work emails
• walks
• doing household chores during the day rather than having to shove them into evening/weekends (ironing, cleaning, food shop etc) - the house has never looked so tidy!
• planning this year's garden planting/ordering seeds etc
• planning wardrobe for post pregnancy (actually affording/buying the stuff is another matter but I can dream!)
• afternoon naps
• re-reading NHS baby book
• booking summer holiday
• meeting friends for coffee/dinner

I'd like to go swimming but haven't been arsed yet. Ditto batch cooking. But could be looking at another couple of weeks wait so may do these still!

Haq I'm another with just swollen hands (no swollen feet or face). It is worse and night in bed and when I wake up. It hurts to clench fists as joints are so full of fluid. Midwife says it will go away once pregnancy over. Phew!

Just had a mad couple of hours of doing loads of washing, drying (I NEVER use the dryer because it's in the garage which is spider-ville) cleaning the house, changing bedding, and cleaning out my wardrobe and dresser, even washed and hoovered the skirting in the wardrobe. Midwifes just been round to finally do the birth plan so I have chatted to her about third stage and now I'm going to read up on it :) she said I'm healthy enough that there should be no after effects or bleeding, but if anything looked to be going wrong they would give me the injection.

The pulsing of the baby practicing breathing sounds amazing! I'm still fascinated by every movement and spend hours watching my bump. It's just so amazing that we actually create this little human from scratch!

Absolutely love the idea of buying post pregnancy clothing and booking a summer holiday :p I can't afford either but I could start putting clothes in online baskets for payday.. And I could start looking up holidays for 2017.... I have a huge pile of ironing to do but one step at a time, I'm not that desperate yet :p

I've opted for managed third stage. I didn't know there was even an option when I had my first so was a bit 'huh?' when she asked but actually I found having the cord hanging out of me really annoying and just wanted to get on with cuddling my baby and for everyone else to piss off. Both dc they gave me the injection as they handed me the baby so I didn't even notice it going in and then the placenta came out a few minutes later. I just wanted that bit over as soon as possible tbh. I read up on it before dc2 and again this pregnancy and I love the idea of it all happening naturally and think it's pretty damn amazing but I think when it comes down to it I'll just want it out and done with again. I've been lucky as both dc, despite me not specifying, they've left it a few mins before clamping cord so I feel like they had some of the benefits at least.

my daily goal today was to go and clear out junk mail and shoes in hallway

I'm still sat in bed

This is a record - I need to shift my sorry arse

Hi all, its TillITookAnArrow here.

Place marking.

38+2 here. Officially estranged from husband. He's not around and won't be involved with birth or baby. His issues have only worsened and I almost had a breakdown due to his behaviour. ExMIL and ExSILs are wanting to see baby and I'm just navigating that murky water at the moment. They're all lovely but it's a difficult situation. Sigh.

I'm also Team Pink! Got a good eye full at my 34 week scan DDs 7 & 5 are getting mighty impatient with their little sister now.

Off to RTFT. Congrats to the early arrivals!

So. The waters have definitely gone. Serves me right for saying I have lost my bottle.

No other symptoms. Mixed excitement and calmness & a vague sense of it being bloody inconvenient - we've just got meat out to defrost for 92 year old Dads tea tomorrow (standing engagement).

oops.

Sent husband out to get himself a few snacks. He has returned . Bloody hell.

Wow madsaz you're on your way!

In there a Feb postnatal thread up and running already for all you graduates?

I couldn't give a shit about third stage of labour. I did it naturally last time but will have the injection if it takes ages, will be distracted by the baby and just wanting to be with her for skin on skin immediately without pushing for ages/having issues with retained placenta. I struggled to even remember the third stage of labour last time so I can't get worked up about it!

Hi again sky, have missed you here!! Woo for your baby girl! Sorry to hear about your DH though, how're you holding up?

mad wooo! Did they gush? And those are a hell of a lot of snacks :) so exciting!

clara glad it's not just me with the joints swelling, I was really worried this morning

Waters was wierd. Felt a popping sensation and then dampness - basically just like a little bubble of fluid escaping.

Looked down, cushion damp & said "I think we may have a problem" . He sees and to his credit doesn't totally freak out.

Only had sanitary towels to hand and didn't think it would be that big a deal - saturated 2 pretty quickly. Since then it comes in little bubbles. Feels a bit grim as my mind jinks I am peeing myself so we are off to buy some tena knickers to try and have me feel less stressed and likely to sleep.

Back tomorrow at tea time for induction unless contractions start. Sounds like I have to be on consultant led unit now

It sounds quite unnerving madsaz! Keep us updated! Hope you get some sleep!

Right, have finished work, gone out for celebration, and simultaneously come down with a bug that my entire group of workmates have had, and been away visiting family. Am now going to catch up with thread and births!

So, many congratulations to...

Murloc
Birdbrain
Newlywed (and a rather excellent birth by the sounds of it!)
Maisie
Rufus (are you feeling any better now? Hope the itching has subsided)
Nectarines
Ratty

...and all the lovely new DCs. I can't believe we have so many that have landed already, we must be ahead of the January thread!!

Really sorry to hear that the ECV failed gone... we're now due date buddies, as my section is on the 18th. And potentially the last ones to give birth on this thread

Good luck mad!

Lovely to have you back sky but so, so sorry to hear of all the problems you've faced/are facing. Not surprised it's taken you to the limit. Have you got a birthing partner?

Busy day today; got the delivery of the new sofa bed which will be mine and DD's for the next few months of co-sleeping. Given you're meant to have a new mattress for each one, we've replaced it- it was ten years old so sadly no chance of just doing the mattress as it had long since been discontinued.
Then back into work to do a half day, just to tidy up all the bits I had to miss owing to late scan (all entirely fine) and a day I'd booked off long ago, then the food shop. Minor issue of my sleep being all over the shop for a range of issues (hence ridiculous posting times), but have spent the past few hours doing jobs, and am going to have brekkie then head back to bed.