October 2016. Thread 3 - Booking In and Dating Scans!

[leoniethelioness]

I thought I'd start a new thread now we'be reached 1,000 posts on the last one!

I have absolutely no idea! I'm a little scared of labour - OH is really really bad with anything the slight-ish bit squeamish, I'm more worried about being in labour and him fainting when he's meant a to be there holding my hand!

No idea about if I just want gas and air, or is the epidural a good idea? Maybe a c-section? It all scares me to be honest!

How did you ladies decide? What made you choose your birth plan in previous pregnancies/this pregnancy?

Dotty my (unwritten) birth plan for no.1 went "don bikini, gracefully enter pool, some stuff is gonna happen and a baby will come out and I kind of don't want an epidural because of complication rates." In reality, I had a highly medical prem labour with a gazillion people around and accidentally no pain relief (not a stealth bost, was desparate for some hardcore stuff by then), and on dry land. Not a bikini in site. So. I would say, read read read, talk to your mw about options, but keep an open mind as in reality, anything can happen. Also remember, people love to gore-ify their labour stories so will gladly tel you all the horrid bits and gloss over the rest. My fears of a dry-land birth were unfounded, and actually, yes it was painful and I was knackered but I got an actual baby out and that's the main bit. Knowledge is power etc etc.

Plus, "funny labour stories" on here - had me crying with laughter in the run up to dd1s birth. Takes some of the fear away!

L

I'm hoping for a home birth with this baby. Midwife is happy at the moment considering my first baby came in 3 hours and I had no pain relief. I'm not sure I'll have time to get to the hospital this time round!!!

Oops sorry toddler left alone with my phone
I'm still a little unsure about birth plan , I had a third degree tear last time . I would like to go to a midwife led unit but it's a half hour drive where as the hospital is less than five minutes. had a long labour last time and had gas and air and a shot of pethidine. Then ended up with a spinal for stitches anyway. So really unsure as to what to do still.

Dotty my DH is very squeamish (he once fainted at school because he'd heard that a teacher had had an epileptic fit and he really struggles with having blood tests) but has always been fine with my births. If you're worried about how he'll cope it might be worth considering having a doula as then you know you'll have someone there supporting you who knows you and will be calm and confident. My DH has actually been a much better support himself when we've had a doula just because it takes the pressure off him.

I'm hoping for a nice home water birth again like the last couple of times. Hoping for quicker than last time though as it was over 24 hrs which meant we started life with a newborn rather sleep deprived. The previous one was a quick one in the middle of the night which was far more convenient.

Re water birth I am not convinced it does anything in terms of pain relief but I quite like that it gives me a little bubble of "space" iyswim.

Lovely to hear about/see all the positive scans for yesterday. Fx for tomorrow for you Eggy, glad they finally sorted it out for you.

This is my first and I'm hoping to be on the midwife led unit. Theres an amazing stand alone new one near to us, with double beds that DH can stay overnight in with me, pools etc - it honestly looks like a hotel! Only thing its that its a 20 min or so transfer to hospital. There is also a MLU at the main hospital, which would be a few mins transfer as it's attached, but its nothing like as plush! Will see how it goes and decide nearer the time. Originally thought I'd want a home birth, but as its my first I'm not so sure.

BigPig, anecdotally it seems common for prem labour to not be recognised. Did they just think it was braxton Hicks?

Hello ladies, congratulations on all those with positive scans yesterday lovely to see the pictures coming in :) hope tomorrow goes well for you Eggy. Xx

I've had 2 very different labours. 1st was long, very medicalised, failed epidural and episiotomy.
One very lovely (and quick) water birth at MLU.
Agree with what's been said, read up on everything so you have the knowledge that way if something changes from you're plan you at least partially know what to expect.
I'm obviously hoping for similar to DC2's labour but I know if it doesn't happen it's just one of those things.

Scan day here tomorrow, feels like it's taken forever to arrive
Good luck those with scans today

Poem my waters broke at 35w so they admitted me, and having had Braxton Hicks since 20w I knew that they were contractions. I think they thought, ahh, anxious first timer. And kept banging on about induction - hardly necessary! They wouldn't examine me though because of prematurity so that didn't help.

Would love a nice homely birth - pineapple that sounds amazing!

Figgygal I used to be a brafitter and underwired bras are definitely fine to wear in pregnancy as long as they fit properly. The key is to make sure the wire is sitting on your chest all the way around as opposed to on any breast tissue (as it might if it was too small for you).

With regards to birth plan, last time I really planned and researched my labour and went for a natural, MLU water birth with a doula, with the caveat that if I had to be transferred to hospital I would go straight for a section as I am terrified of a medicalised labour due to my sisters bad experience. In the end that's what happened, I had 44 hours of labour mainly at home, then in the MLU in the pool. Then was transferred into hospital due to failure to progress at 8cm and had an EMCS. It was fine, and I was happy that I had been in control of my choices and can honestly say I enjoyed my labour and am glad I had that experience.
This time I am opting for an ELCS straight away as I think the chances of a natural birth for me are too low, and I wouldn't want to labour in hospital.

So yes, that was a long post, to basically say I agree with whoever said read everything you can about your choices, and go into labour knowing what your preferences are in any given situation.

Finally some news about my scan. MW has messaged me to say she's found someone to sort my scan so I should hear soon from the HOM of a nearby NHS trust. I hope it isn't long till I hear!

I'm planning a home water birth - DC1 was born at the MLU within an hour of us turning up. DC2 was a home water birth and it was amazing - so calm and I had 3 midwives there to look after me - much better than in the MLU where they were so busy they were dashing in and out and making me feel I was causing trouble!

and I was drinking champagne on my sofa within 2 hours of giving birth!

Golden that's similar to me - there's a lovely mlu about 5 minutes from where I live, and the hospital is about 20 minutes away. Where abouts are you, out of interest? I'm in South Wales, and we opted for the mlu with DS - it was definitely the right option, I was the only one there, the midwives were amazing, and I had DS in about 10 hours with g&a, and minimal grazing. I'm definitely going for this again - the thought of the hospital scares me!

Lovely to hear all the scan news - mines not until next Thursday - seems like forever!

I will be in hospital surrounded by drugs which I will option if I feel the need ...........ds was born in same hospital after being induced at 40 + 11 I was determined I was having an epidural all the way through I really didn't find it that bad so did think of not having it in the end but decided at 8cm's to have it in case it got worse and because I had always planned to do so. Of course labour then slowed I ended up with a salad tong delivery, episiostomy which was my worst nightmare ahead of labour (but again it was fine), stitches etc and the question is did it slow because of the epidural though was bloody glad I had it with what happened in the end. I am going to play it by ear this time don't think my birth plan made it out of my bag anyway so not bothering with one this time.

Hoping for a labour like my last two - gas and air, and over quickly! No MLU here sadly so will opt for hospital - I have torn badly both times so would probably end up there anyway. I quite like being in hospital - it keeps the visitors away!
Only concern this time is getting there in time - first time was five hours and they didn't believe me until I was pushing in the corridor! Second time less than three hours and we only just made it. Almost thinking of home birth just in case!

I still have no idea what I want this time. DD was 36hrs, mostly un medicated as gas and air made me sick, and resulted in a third degree tear. I keep leaning towards an ELCS but have no idea how easy it will be to fight my case for this.

Fireman, my full term births have been 12, 4 and about 27 hours respectively so you never know how long it will be. Based on how long DH took to get ready to take me to hospital the first time, I'd have ended up with a roadside birth if I'd attempted to get there the next time!

We have an MLU 30 mins drive away and the hospital is just 5 minutes drive away. So while the MLU has a good reputation it just feels too far away.

I'm turned off by the idea of home birth (even if they'd let me as a first timer with high BMI) because I don't like the idea of giving birth somewhere I'd need to clean up afterwards! I know that sounds silly, but there it is!

What are the problems with epidurals, as that was definitely my Plan A?

I've never cleaned up after my home births. That's everyone else's job. All the mess was contained in the pool really and the time I got out for the placenta I was on an old duvet that we chucked.

Juliette epidurals aren't usually available in mlus (at least not in our local one). What put me off was the lack of control, and the increased chance of intervention. I managed fine on gas and air - I actually asked the midwife if we could have it piped into our house! But everyone's different - as others have said, best thing to do is get as much information as possible and discuss it with your midwife before making a decision.