April 2007 - Ladygarden? Ladytropicalrainforest more like

[Katy44]

CFK - I couldn't resist!

Quick reminder - meet up in Bristol next week

sorry Bramshot - meant to ask, I assume you are going to use the JL Anna cot for this little one? If by any remote chance you are not would you consider selling it to me! Sorry to be cheeky but you never know if you don't ask...

and sorry I don't think I answered 1b3 re ladygarden trimming - went to local beauty place and had it all waxed off but should be easier to "maintain" now...

I found ventouse ok as like someone else said, I couldnt see what was going on. Ds was poorly after birth so to be honest his bruised head was the least of our worries. He did need to see an osteopath several times for colic in the early weeks and the osteopath reckoned that a lot of the colic was down to the ventouse causing misalignment of the structures in ds little head. Apparently that had a big bearing on his generally angry state!! He was not a happy boy for several long months! Very happy and gorgeous 3.8 year old now though!

Forgot to say, hotlips that must have hurt like hell. Not sure I could be so brave!

Hi everyone, hope you're OK, can't believe how long this is!
Bramshott - can I just check something:
"Smole - the only problem with your 'taking Annual Leave in first half of April' plan would be that if your baby comes early, your maternity leave automatically starts, so it might be best not to plan to be on annual leave right up to the day before the due date. "
I was also thinking of doing this - due date on the 23rd and I think there's 13 working days between the 1st of April to the 23rd, so was planning to take leave. I knew that if I go into labour before my DD, my maternity leave has to start immediately, so I assumed I would let them know (afterwards of course ) and they'd cancel my unused leave - I'd still have it on return.
Does this not happen? Would I lose it? Or do you just think it's not worth the risk of losing it?
Sorry if I'm being dim but I was planning to talk to HR and boss about this in the next couple of days so would really appreciate your advice.

Can someone please explain this for me? Dropped ds off at pil this morning as usual, and when I picked him up, had a chat with them, and then mil gave me my bday present, which she insisted I opened there and then. Had a few bits, then the final present "I saw this and thought of you" Inside was a white blouse (something I might've worn to work prepregnancy) which wasn't even maternity. I am normally a size 10, but this was a size 12. Worse of all, she was looking at my reaction opening it I tried to be light hearted and joked, "I wonder when this will fit me", but then, get this - she said I've already washed and ironed it for you? It'll be nice for you wear at Easter? WHAT? WHY? Hopefully I shall be giving birth at Easter, and as most of us know, white tops and babies do not go! Think I'm going to have to bite the bullet and ask her for the receipt. But what do I say to the shop? My MIL is such a muppet, she forgot I was pregnant when she bought this top?!

I had ventouse with ds. Whilst I didn't find it a horrible experience, it not something I would repeat in a hurry. The only thing in the back of mind was that I didn't want a c section. He did have a little bit of a cone head, but was fine. Dh saw more of it then me

God, loads of posts again!

I had forceps with dd, but had been given an epidural before in case they had to do a c section. Dd had a couple of marks on the side of her head, but apart from that she was fine. I really didn't want a c section, as the recovery time is longer and I have a feeling you can't drive for a while after which would have been a nightmare.
As has been said before, the pain is manageable, soon forgetable, and there are plenty of us on here on to number 2 plus, so it ain't all bad!

MIAM, your post re your cat made me smile - sat there like a softy watching another cat eat it's food - bless! We had trouble with other cats coming in when I was pg with dd, and the smell of spray was foul. Had to instal a cat flap where they have a magnet on their collar, so only they can get in! Wonderful invention and saved on the amount of cat food we were getting through!

Hope everyone is ok. Need to go, but will be back on later. xx

1becomes3 - I completley agree. I don't want to scare first timers either but mine was also a failed ventouse delivery. I then was taken down for an emerg c sec and they didn't give me enough top up on my epidural so I therefore felt the incision and had to go under a general - it was hideous.

Not only that but DS was in special care for 8 days (not due to the ventouse as such) but as a result of the ventouse his head was a mess and they had to do several brain scans to determine whether he had actually suffered brain damage as a result of it. I really do not mean to scare anyone and I know that I was incredibly unlucky, it is very difficult to refuse something when it is your first time in labour, you are relying totally on what the medical staff advise you to do (or at least I was)and my DH and I really put our faith in their hands, looking abck I wish I had gone with my instincts more and asked more questions but thats easy to say in hindsight. I would certainly recommend that you maybe ask them to use forceps rather than a ventouse...but then you hear about baby's having injuries due to forceps too so it seems like damned if you do damned if you don't....gosh I don't mean to sound really unhelpful...but that is my experience and hence the reason for choosing a planned slice and dice this time
As someone else quite rightly said - you do eventually get over this things and contemplate doing it again!
x

SOSPL - I have a magnetic cap flap....needless to say it doesn't work properly...GRRR! lol
Not to worry - don't mind the cat too much but worried re the spray thing so poor Jasper (my cat) is back to being let in and out manually!
Off to eat Fajhetas (sp?!) YUM

Oh BBCFK my lollipop lady is Harriet Thompson
x

Gosh - I am sorry that so many of us have had hiseous birthing expeirences on here - hugs ]]]]]] to all - Hope e haven't scared the 1st timers too much - lots of my friends have had v.v.v.v.positive, wonderful 1st time experiences!!

Mammyjo - I was absolutely terrified of tearing again after having DD; but, like I said, my delivery was heaps more controlled this time and I birthed DD2's head v.slowly and didn't tear at all - There is hope!!

Bean is kicking me reeeeally hard atm - Ow!!

hideous even!!

Hi all.

~Grobags - personally I wouldn't bother. mine absolutely hated his and would kick and kick as if to say get it off. Though I have heard the opposite that some loved theres?? Buy one from ebay you would get them for £1.
Sometimes used just once, like mine! We paid £40 for ours complete waste! My ds just loved being swaddled/held. Dare to put him down and forget it! He also would not sleep unless he was "on" you for at least the first 8 weeks. Did not get a full nights sleep until he was about 2. Ha ha. And I'm going through it all again?

~I too cannot stop clearing out cupboards. I remember this the last time but that was more clothes. I just can't seem to stop. Freezer/cupboards/fridge/bathroom cabinet/drawers. God its mad. I just want throw. Not so much into the cleaning though, though I never was. Lol. Will be looking for a new cleaner soon methinkg. They are the BEST money ever spent.

~ Don't know about anyone else but I keep on getting the urge to drink. Not just the odd glass but a lot. Obviously I would do it but just keep getting the urge anyway. Roll on april, or probably more like may and then I probably won't really feel like it anyway?
Anyone else fancying a drink at the mo?

Anyway have only read about half the posts theres too much to get through....

Obviously I wouldn't do it - supposed to read - honestly. God I miss my wine....a nice deep glass of red umm...

On cuts and tears. All pretty grim really. I had a large cut the last time, what gets to me though is that they aksed if they could make a large cut and DP was like oh yeh yeh thats fine, and I was thinking er hello is it not me you should be asking. Not only is that bad enough but it then got infected twice which meant that I could hardly walk for the first 4 weeks, just to add insult to injury. I am hoping that they left enough "space" for this bugger to come out.
I'm just thinking about the lady across the road who has got 6 children, yes 6, god what must that do to your netherregions, I bet threre's nothing left down there?

Have you noticed that all the first timers seem to have disappeared. Whoops.

Didn't have a ventouse but did have forceps, either way not nice but I've heard the ventouse can leave a funny shape thing on their head, not sure about that. Having read about ventouse on here I definitely don't want one, I am surprised its even allowed? didn't really "enjoy" the forceps but would go for it again. My cousins baby was covered in bruises all over his face cos of forcreps, poor thing.

Has anyone thought about pain relief? I would go for an epidual again but found it quite scary last time. The way you go all numb and then can't really walk properly. I also got the "shakes" for a few mins where I just could not stop shaking. But in terms of pain relief they kick ass.

Does anyone else have worries about epidural???

PS can we start a new thread soon cos it taked ages to bring up and read all the posts???

AM INTERESTED TO HEAR OPINIONS ON EPIDURALS!!!

I have really wanted to drink recently and have let myself have a glass of red and found that after one thats enough and I haven't wanted any more than that (I would normally sink a bottle of red in a sitting!).

Grobags - I am the opposite again - I love them! lol or rather to say my DS loved them, so it's grobags all the way this time for me again (unless new baby decided doesn't like it of course!). Have to ditto the earlier comment re Asda and tesco having them much cheaper and Ebay sounds like a total bargain!

Thanks Laith - it was quite nice to have it - feltlike I should have finished today after it really - unfortunatley have another 2 months to go.....

Off to bed to read the paper and hope that I don't end up jumping around the bedroom most of the night with cramp in my calves - it is AGONY!

When I drank red in last pregnancy, even just a glass and the baby did not move AT ALL for days and days, so its put me off red this time. Funnily enough white wine/beer were fine?

Opinions...

Epidurals - The MIABT View:
Brilliant pain relief for labour as you do not feel ANY pain...Don't remember the actual procedure of having the epiduralput in to be painful...but I did use gas and air during it as I was having contractions.

My labour went from feeling out of control on the gas and air to me being sat up in bed eating tea and toast and receiving visitors like the queen..fantastic
however

1. I am convinced that the epidural led to my labour slowing down and was one of the factors that led to my birth being so full of "intervention".
2. It meant that I had to then be continuously monitored and could not get up and walk about...which I really wanted to do (this to would I am sure have helped baby get in correct position for birth etc) 3)I couldn't even feel the contractions when I was fully dilated and able to push so I had to rely on midwife to tell me whether to push or not...I did not feel at all like I was "working with my body" as my body was totally numb...towards the end of pushing as the epidural was wearing off I could tell when to bear down but by then things had gone on too long and it was intervention time. If you do opt for an epidural my advice would be to ensure you try not to top it up as you get near the pushing stage so that you have some sensation to guide you.

Hope that helps....
x

Hi everyone.

With regards to my birthing experirence with dd it wasnt to bad.I did have a really bad tear which I do keep thinking about hope it doesnt happen again.
I was really lucky though was only in labour for 2 hours 40 mins from start to finish. I had prepared myself for hours of labour so iI didnt believe what was happening.It worrys me that this one could be quicker the midwife and consultant have both stressed that as soon as I think I may be starting to get myself to hospital so I think it may be quick I do hope so but what if im on my own or its just me and dd? I would hate for her to see me in pain it would probably terrify the poor mite!!

The only advice I can give to first timers is to just go with the flow you cant stop it from happening so go with it.listen to your midwife to help you through and definately trust your own instincts.

Anyway better try and catch up properly will post again xxx

katy 44 - i am actually planning on doing something similar. I have 3 weeks overtime hrs built up so i am going take that from the 12th march. My maternity leave starts on the 4th april but I go any earlier - it will change. I am carrying across 5.5 weeks annual leave to take at the end of maternity leave. this required some negotiation with my boss but i got it on the condition i used the overtime first. I am hoping not to be back before the end of the year!

I had an epidural with dd but it really didnt do much for me. After waiting 45 mins plus for anaesthatist (sp?!) to turn up then having him get arsey with me for moving, I was having a contraction FFS, he then poked me in the legs several times asking if i could feel it, I could but I dont think he believed me cos he didnt do anything. It did take the edge off a little bit i suppose but certainly didnt numb anything. I only had slight tear tho, mws spent ages peering at me and discussing whether to stitch it or not but decided not to in the end so was pretty lucky. Didnt tear at all with ds and he shot out! Had been in labour all day but in the end waters broke at 11.49pm and he was born at 11.55pm and came out with his arm up round his neck.

Have just measured myself to see what bra size i am. I hadn't bothered so far cos my boobs havent really got much bigger and I cant afford new bras anyway! Im normally a 36 B/C, am now a 42 B apparently! 42!! That means my ribs have expanded like 6 inches! Well maybe not cos bra measurements are funny thing but they've definitely moved out alot cos its not like im carrying fat around my rib cage. Cant believe it. Still not buying a new bra tho!! Will buy a nursing bra nearing the time and then a couple more once bean is out and hopefully my ribs will have gone back in abit! Also was previously a size 12 - 14 trousers so ordered some maternity trousers in size 14 and they were huge so have got 12 instead which are ok. And my feet always used to be 7/8 then got pg and they became and stayed at 8 until last year when i went down to a 7 and have now ordered some shoes in size 7 only to find they're way too big! Have measured my feet and im 6.5 now. What is going on with my body?!

Just to add that im my first labour dds heartbeat dipped every time i had contraction so i had to have monitors on permanently which meant staying in bed on my back not being able to move which increased the pain hugely as she was back to back and pain was all in my back and im sure it really slowed things down and made it much harder so if you can be up and about then do. Actually ds was also back to back so think I need to read up on things i can do to try and avoid that this time and if anyone has any advice that wud be great.

Oh keep meaning to comment on sex and forgetting! I want it, dp doesnt! Last time i was pg he felt abit weird about 'normal' sex but was still very um interested in me (we'd only been together 3 months when i got pg so were still in that early passionate stage!!) so we just found other ways of doing things and it was fine. This time round he was ok at start but after 20wk scan and poss problems with baby he's just gone right off it and wont even kiss me passionately or anything so Im regularly having big hormonal strops and sulks at him 'rejecting' me and not wanting me followed by thinking sod him why do i care if he doesn't then common sense thinking oh he's only a man bless him they're not very good with emotions and all and I should let it go then hormones kick in and it all starts all over again!!

I think the advice is right. Just go with the flow. What I did, was to expect hell on earth, and tbh it was ok. I survived on the TENS machine for most of it - it was only when dd was stuck and I had been pushing for 3 hours that they decided enough was enough and gave me an epidural in preparation for a c section if I needed it. I had forceps as I said earlier and it was fine.
It is such a personal thing though, and it is very hard to make too many plans, as who knows what will happen on the day!

Re drinking, I have to say I haven't fancied any more than a glass as it just makes me more sleepy than I am already!

Pesha - thats so funny. Your feet - god i thought it was me going mad. My feet DEFINITELY changed size with last preg. I was always a 7 then suddenly a size 8, but thats cos I thought that all the shoe shops had changed THEIR sizes. They were an 8 for about a year afterwards, then went back to a 7. Crazy. God knows what they are now, but I'm gonna remember that next time.

Exactly the same too on bra's. Am ADAMANT that i am NOT going to order new bra's until baby is out. I've just ordered those bra expander things though for £1.99 for B.Marvellous instead. Hate buying preg stuff when you know you won't use it.

~AS for epidurals,just to clarify I have already had one, but am just interested in others opinions too...

Mine worked "tremendously" as they say, the do knock all the pain out, but I am also pretty sure that it does lenghten the labour and puts LO at more risk. Think I might be brave this time???

To summarise I would say A1 for pain relief but the scariest of them all???

PS Pesha - get yourself on the Ann Summers website then you just suit yourself!!!

Doesn't anyone worry about the "risk" factor involved with epidural, as in rise to yourself rather than the baby???