July 2016 (7) We're halfway to meeting our little bubs

[allthegoodnamesalreadytaken]

Hi all started a new thread as the old one was getting almost to 1000. We're a very chatty bunch! Happy Friday

Hope you feel better at home puzzle!

I've been using the NHS Squeezy app that I mentioned yesterday for pelvic floor exercises for a day now. It is amazing! You get reminders throughout the day to do exercises and you follow instructions (eg squeeze then relax for set amount of times). I'll definitely be sticking with it.

Small sorry to hear about PUPP. I hope you find some form of relief from it soon. I've no experience im afraid.

Anna the move was ok but I'm relieved it's all done now. We have ds2s room to finish then it's just some boxes in our bedroom to unpack and the house is pretty much done. Now I need to concentrate on getting all the stuff for the baby. Mothercare have a nursery sale on so I think I'm going to buy the Moses basket, bedding, change mat etc. Love the soft toy so cute.

Eliz we are off on holiday in two weeks and I'm dreading getting into a tankini. I wish we were going somewhere hot now.

Kaytee sorry you had such a bad experience at the hospital. I assure you that's not the norm. Some women have a lower pain threshold than others so they weren't necessarily in the late stages of labour. I'm pretty sure they wouldn't have been left to labour in the later stages. They would most likely have been offered a transfer to the next nearby hospital if it was full. Sometimes you go into hospital only to find out you are a couple of cms dilated and they advise you to labour at home until contractions are closer together some people (me included) refuse to go home and there isn't often a room available for someone to spend what could be hours and hours to labour in so ladies choose to just stay in reception.

Thom try not to fret about giving birth. If you are in hospital then they will carefully monitor you. Remember millions of women successfully give birth at home with little to no intervention.

TMI BIRTH STORIES BEING SHARED LOOK AWAY NOW IF NOT READY
With ds1 I went into hospital at 2cm. I was sent home and laboured at home with just a paracetamol for pain relief. When I went back in I was 5cm. My labour lasted for 35 hours. I laboured on gas and air. I had pethidine towards the end and it just made me feel drunk and offered no pain relief. I was pushing for 2 hours and due to an odd shaped pelvis ds got stuck. I was prepped for a c section so given a spinal block (a little stronger than an epidural). I didn't even feel it go in and the relief was instant which left me wondering why I had just bothered spending 35 hours in pain. In the end ds was born using forceps. I was given an episiotomy. He only weighed 6lbs. They say smaller babies are actually harder to push out. I was in hospital for a day and a half (it was Christmas Eve). Unfortunately I was given a bad stitch job which was luckily easily corrected but I was in more pain with that than from labour. The minute ds was born I said I wanted another.

Ds2 I was in labour for 42 hours. I knew I was going to labour long again so I spent ages at home. This time I knew I needed more than paracetamol so I spent early labour in the bath. My sister was with me and just kept slightly emptying and topping up the bath. I only realised how strong my contractions were when I got out. So it provided great relief for me. When I went into hospital I was 5cm and asked for an epidural straight away. I didn't even bother with gas & air. I knew I was in for the long haul. They weren't happy but I insisted. I spent the rest of my long labour perfectly relaxed watching TV. I tore slightly when pushing out ds. They asked if I wanted stitches I refused them and it healed beautifully. I have never had a problem with it stinging when I wee after birth but I do drink loads of water after labour so maybe my urine isn't concentrated. Best tip is to take in a squirty water bottle and direct the water at your bits for your first wee/bowel movement. Stitches or not.

Ds3 by now I know my body and I know what I want and don't want. I was 2cm when I got into hospital. I said to DH oh this is just going to be like the first two hours. But I refused to go home as I was in a lot of pain. They said I could have an epidural as requested once 5cm. Two hours later with only time for gas and air ds was born. 5 hour labour by far the easiest and he was the biggest at 7lb 3oz. Again small tear and I refused stitches.

It can't be all bad if I'm having my fourth now can it. I'm anxious that I may have a long labour again or that it may be so quick I don't make it to hospital but what will be will be. I point blank refuse to be induced. I never have been but all my friends found labour a lot more stressful through induction. They can't make you be induced do remember it's your body is my main piece of advice. Don't do anything you aren't comfortable with. I'm a nightmare patient as I tell them what they are/ aren't doing not the other way around. I was put in a cold bath when in labour at the hospital last time and I asked the midwife if she was taking the piss. I told her I would give the baby a bath at home if that was her idea of a decent temperature. I get the looks at refusing stitches and I also refuse forceps/ ventouse. I bet they can't wait to have me back.

25+6

puzzle Sorry to hear you aren't feeling well. Hope it passes soon. Health is definitely more important though.

fifi Thanks for the info on squeezy. Someone had mentioned it in yoga and said it was brilliant but I'd completely forgotten. Will have to try to remember to download it.

beautician Thanks for the stories. Don't know how I feel about labour at the moment. Keep changing between scared at the unknown and thinking I can do it. Haven't got a particularly high pain threshold but want to stay in the midwife led unit (no epidural available there and the idea wigs me out a bit). Will just have to see how it goes.

Any advice from anyone on NHS antenatal classes? I've been offered either May or June (baby is due 15th July). Is it better to do earlier just in case they arrive sooner than planned or later? When do most people do them? I don't know many people with children or who are pregnant so also hoping that I might meet people I could keep in touch with a bit. An old friend started her classes at 35 weeks but don't know if that's normal or not.

Hello! Apologies, not keeping up with things at all!

Elizardo I'm here! I've had pretty bad back pain for last week or so and not had much to post except 'Ouch' and 'poor me' - also sitting is the worst thing for it apparently! Think the little boy has had a growth spurt and my high told runner's back is protesting. Thankfully I've got a friend who's an osteopath so I had a treatment yesterday, hence in agony today but all part of the process to recovery or so I'm telling myself!

Puzzle - look after yourself - as you say, health is more important x

Kaytee - blimey that all sounds really stressful - hope your work have finally sorted themselves out though. They were behaving so badly!

Photographer - work sounds bonkers! I'm producing a mini festival over the May bank holiday and daunted by that, can't imagine doing a full scale production! feet up time for you!

Bluebell - your quilt looks beautiful, wish I was so clever

thom - I'm pretty nervous about the birth as a first timer. Seeing midwife tomorrow so hoping I can start to talk about what we want….

Hello to everyone else, apologies, I'm sure I've missed loads - my excuse is being distinctly below par with a really painful back (pity party alert)!

Ooo big news from Easter at the inlays is that my sister in law is also expecting (she's 10 weeks and announced it to everyone over the weekend), due 3 months after all of us! My mother in law is going to be one busy Grandma!!

Think poor DH felt a bit of thunder stealing in all honesty - said 'this is the story of my life' (he's the eldest) as well as being happy for her obviously! But I'm secretly relieved that MiL will be a bit less full on with our DS. Slight concern that our little one will be the poor cousin as SiL and her hubbie are really wealthy (he's from money and a corporate lawyer) but as I keep saying - money doesn't buy you happiness!

P.S. Tams - no idea what the norm is for NCT - I'm due 9th July and at rating NCT on 15th May….if that helps?

beautician your birth stories are great, you've been through the whole spectrum. I'm feeling oddly calm about the whole birthing experience which is strange considering I've got a really low pain threshold (actually passed out whilst getting a tiny tattoo in my teenage years). So far I've decided I will try to do it on the midwife led unit using gas and air and if the pain gets really bad then some diamorphine. The idea of an epidural freaks me out because of the whole needle in the spine thing depending on how bad the pain gets I'll probably have a freak out and demand every drug they have going

puzzle and cheery hope you both feel better soon

tams I'm due 12th July - starting my NCT classes mid April then the NHS antenatal class at the beginning of May. I'd rather get it all out of the way early before sitting for long periods of time becomes too uncomfortable (especially once it starts to get warmer)

My bump has recently popped and just feels mahooosive. I can barely get my tights on in the morning now. Have to get DH to help me reach down to put them on think I might start teaching him how to paint my toenails this weekend

Tams I'm planning to ring up about NHS classes tomorrow - might get told to wait as I'm 23 weeks and notes say to call after 25. I'll be going for June if offered. Maybe we'll be at same classes!

I'm also doing NCT in July

Thanks for the info everyone. Had already booked NCT for June so looks like we'll just miss each other fifi. Ended up going with the May sessions for the NHS classes. DH was keen to do them earlier in case I'm tired in July (I slept through most of the first trimester and he seems to think I'll do the same in the third). Decided not to worry too much about it. I was quite premature so at least we might get one lot of sessions done if this baby goes the same way I did.

Don't think they're likely to be funny about timing fifi. I'm technically not 25 weeks until tomorrow but all they asked for was my due date and where I live.

I'm booked in for a course of 4 nhs antenatal classes. 2 hour classes on a Thursday evening starting 26th May. They've given me a phone number to call for breastfeeding class which I will book for around 36/37 weeks.

23+5

Has anyone tried a Perineum massage oil before? Did it help to prevent tearing?

allthegoodnames Boots maternity tights are super comfy but also expensive. Sales assistant said 'You know these are £8?!' as she put them through till!

Tams I'm doing two Sundays of antenatal classes in June for baby due 4 August.

I'm doing NCT in May. I had a letter the other week about NHS classes but they are all on Thursday afternoons, and I'm not keen to take four afternoons off work really, especially if I am doing NCT anyway.

Fifi you inspired me the other day to download the NHS Squeezy app as I really need to crack on with pelvic floor exercises - it's really helpful!

allthegood I've been wondering about perineum massage as well - I'm quite freaked out about tearing. The entrance to my vagina doesn't seem to be very stretchy to me - sometimes I get a tiny tear around there just from sex, never mind pushing a baby through it! Would be interested to know if anyone who has had a baby already tried the massage and felt it was helpful.

I've got my glucose tolerance test on Wednesday. Absolutely dreading it, as I'm convinced I will have gestational diabetes: not only am I a lardarse but I have a strong family history of both type 1 and 2 diabetes. I suppose it's better to know so it can be managed, but I know I will be gutted . On the upside, if I don't have it then it will be the best news I've had in ages!

They are going to test me for GD this pg too. Apparently I was supposed to be tested last time as dad is type 2 but I slipped through the net and it might explain the 4.5 stone put on! If I do have GD I won't be able to have my home birth so fingers crossed. But tbf, depending what happens at my consultant appointment next I might be consultant led anyway.

I did NHS classes last time in the vain hope to make some friends. Unfortunately the classes were a bit shit and badly organised. Mainly due to funding. I am not sure if I will go again this time. The course for me is four session in the middle of the day in June! I have seen NCT run a second time mums course which is a reminder of the first time round and an opportunity to meet other second time mums. So I am going to look into that. It is only £90 i think compared to the £200+ of the first time which we couldn't afford or justify.

My friend sent me some Boots tights and they are fab. Expensive yes bit I think they have a deal. Worth checking out.

I never followed up about perineum massage but it might be worth a go. Every little helps!

sophia thanks for the tip on the boots tights. I might try those. I've currently got the M&S ones and they are absolutely crap as they keep falling down.

youandme I've got my GTT test next week as well - on Tuesday. Slightly worried I might have GD as I'm a bit of a sugar fiend most of the time so it will probably be my punishment. Not looking forward to the fasting bit beforehand either.

For those having the GTT test, if you get the chance to book the appointment time yourself - go for first thing in the morning. That way, the fasting bit is all overnight, and you can have dinner the night before then just skip breakfast. I find the worst bit to be downing the requisite amount of lucozade on an empty stomach, bleurgh!

Thanks for the replies everyone. Sounds like there's a bit of a mixture for when people are doing the classes. All booked now so will just have to wait and see.

Hope the gtt goes well for those of you having them. A doctor friend told me a while ago that more women are being diagnosed with gd now, partly because they've lowered the threshold for diagnosing it.

Hi all

My NCT classes start on Monday. I think it's a bit earlier than lots of you. I'm due 8th July so still 14 weeks to go. Although they run for 8 weeks I think. We are quite new to our area so really hope that there will be some lovely people there to be friends with!

So we got a new car that can seat more than 2 people which is fab. It's automatic and also parallel parks itself! But we went to test putting the pram DH likes in the boot and the chassis and carrycot don't both fit in together!! So now back to the drawing board. The sales lady recommended the egg stroller, does anyone have experience of those? It does at least fit in the car which is a good start!

Finally I wondered if anyone has any good tips for keeping travel sickness at bay when flying while pregnant. I have 4 flights next week. Am going to phone the Dr later too.

I feel quite excited today! Not sure why...apart from the obvious!

My GTT appointment is at least at 0930, so the fasting element shouldn't be too bad!

bel no experience of the egg stroller but I really like the look of it and it's a bit of a head turner when out and about. It's got a very similar look to the Stokke Xplory which we got in the end.

I've used travel sickness bands in the past which are quite good and non medicinal. You can pick them up in boots usually

The office manager who is charge of health & safety here has asked me to walk round the office with her to identify the person that accidently hit me in the stomach last week with the door handle as they want to raise the incident with them!!! I've said I'm not comfortable with that and the only reason I reported it was because I had to leave the office during working hours to go to hospital. I think it's a really inappropriate thing to ask me to do and feel like they're deflecting as in their maternity policy it states they should do a risk assessment which they've not done.
It was a genuine accident and I'm not having someone hauled in who will then hate me for 'grassing' them in and possibly mention it to others in the office.

I had my gtt last week as in Portugal every woman has it. It's really not too bad and I hate needles a lot. My friend developed it in her last pregnancy and she just had to walk 30 mins after main meal and not go sugar crazy and he girl was teeny still is.

In terms of tearing when I had ds1 I had an episiotomy as dr was worried at time about a tear. With that she was able to make s clean cut to assist delivery and stitch it up very nicely so if keep in mind options available

25 + 6

Wow. I fell right off the thread. Will catch up now.

Had my 24 week appointment yesterday and baby is doing just fine. No sign of gestational diabetes or pre-eclampsia. Phew! Baby kept kicking at the Doppler, so getting the heartbeat took a while.

My appetite has vanished overnight, however. Likely because of this cold I've been fighting. Could sleep for a year.

24+1.

For those asking about perineum massage, have you heard of the epi-no? It is a balloon which you insert, pump up, and squeeze out, idea being that you gradually increase how much you pump it up to stretch. Try a mumsnet search for people who've used it. I haven't, but am considering it. It is v expensive though, so I am tempted to first try the sex toy equivalent, intended for anal stretching!

Hi everyone back from my holiday in France had a lovely time but glad to be home!!

I had my GTT test this morning and will get results back next week. Heading back to work now but will catch up with the thread later!