June 2016 #10 - the one where it's a pre and post natal thread

[iamdivergent]

Since we only have about 15 posts remaining I thought I'd make up the new one.

Lots of babies have arrived already but still plenty of us pregnant too. Here's to our June 2016 babies

Congratulations to all the new arrivals :) thats 43 babies been born now that I know of - 22 girls and 21 boys! Tomorrow is the middle of the month, mental.

Congratulations mindful!

That's a very even spread of boys/girls! Wonder what we'll finish up with?

Congratulations Mindful! I so sympathise with the after pains. I've really suffered with my previous two and am dreading them this time. I've been told previously to alternate paracetamol and ibuprofen, but I know of others who have been prescribed cocodamol.
I had a really disheartening appt with mw. My mw throughout this pregnancy, who also saw me through my previous two, suddenly retired and there's no formal replacement. It's a different fill in each week. This one just made me feel pathetic and hopeless. Scoffed when I asked about the possibility of a sweep saying they only give them after 41 weeks who I know is untrue having had one at 40+2 with ds2. It's hard to explain, and I know I'm sensitive and hormonal but she made me feel like I probably had weeks left to wait and was a pathetic whinger. She's written "fed up" on my notes.
Came home and was grumpy with the boys and DH and now I've burst into tears. And eaten half a pineapple. I'd kind of convinced myself it was going to happen soon. Which is bizarre because I'm not sure I'm in the right frame of mind at the moment to go through birth again...I don't even know if I want it to happen yet! I feel so tired.
Sorry for depressing rant. I don't even know how I feel so shouldn't expect you or poor mw to be any the wiser

pisspot I totally understand what you mean. My last appt I felt so rushed out of the room, not pleasant. My named mw has been off sick since just after my 16wk appt, it was her I saw at last appt (she's on a phased return) and I felt her heart isn't in it iykwim? I really liked one of the fill in mws, she came to do the home birth assessment and I feel like she really listens to me so I'd prefer it if it was her whenever I do eventually go into labour but I don't get to choose - think there's only a 1:10 chance

Nightly pains have commenced - am sure that this baby is just going to fall out as my body surely can't have much more to do! Cervix was soft and over 50% effaced on Friday when I had them out. I am so worried that I'll leave it too late and I'll have him unassisted

Congratulations clarish, mrs popper and mindful! Still feeling rather grotty here, mostly pretty nauseous and tired. My back aches but it's more my shoulders and upper back- I just feel out of sorts The odd twinge but still no bloody contractions?!

PissPot you have described me last Thursday. I had the sweep but wasn't very successful & I burst into tears begging her to book me in for induction asap. She basically just scoffed at me & wrote 'emotional today' in my notes.
When will you next see your midwife? Will you be able to have a sweep then?
Oh no iam, these bloody bh! As you're planning a home birth hopefully it won't be too rushed and mw will get to you before you deliver! Were your other 2 labours fast?

Wow - so many babies and I've just caught up with the thread. Congrats everyone.

Nothing for me to report. Due on 16th but I've had no signs. I did have very, very mild period-like cramps yesterday but nothing since. I have a feeling I'm going to be one of the last ones!

Iam and Ilove thank you for the empathy. Really, they must see emotional, fed up woman all the time. It's no wonder they can be a bit dismissive. I think we all want our mws to say "oh yes, with those symptoms and feeling the way you do, baby will definitely be here within 36 hours". So disheartening when they won't even examine you and make you book in for the following week.
She said I can't have a sweep until 41+weeks, I'm39+5 today. So technically no I won't be having one next appt either. I definitely had one a lot earlier with ds2 though so think mw was being 'uncharitable'.
Iam when's your due date? You really do sound like it should be happening any time.
Ilove, sorry if you've said many times, but how do you feel about possibly being induced? Have you had an induction before?

Due the 19th (Sunday). Labour 1 was around 6.5hrs and labour 2 was 1h45m (I woke up just after 1am and she was born just after 3am) so I have been told to prepare for another quick birth. Fairly certain that I didn't have this start stop stuff with her though!

Been up since 2:30 in a fair amount of pain. Honestly can't decide if they are getting worse or not as baby is being very active too, twisting around and digging elbows/knees into me and his bum keeps poking out to the side too. Been sat rocking on my ball for a while and just don't know how much more of these nightly BH I can take, I am exhausted.

My mw couldn't understand why I'd had 4 sweeps last time but then remembered the guidelines changed about 2 years ago, they only do one sweep a week now at the most in our trust. Don't see how writing fed up or emotional in your notes is going to help! That would just made me mad, more fed up and more emotional! Hang in there ladies xx

Sometimes they get it way off mark, I know they must see a lot of women who are struggling but the thing is putting a brave face on for them can be so counter productive.

I had a fair amount of show last night, so thought it might kick off last night. No such luck! I'm hoping a sweep today will get me going. With my last pregnancy (uk) they would only do them a week apart. I wonder if it's partially down to how many midwives are available there are.

Please ignore my terrible sentences! Trying to build a Lego house, drink coffee and mumsnet at the same time is clearly too much for me today.

They won't even give me one sweep before 41weeks, let alone one a week!
iam, the not knowing and the constant bh must be so exhausting. Have you tried clarey sage in your birth? If used in correct way (don't be tempted to put in more), it can really help get you contracting regularly and properly. I've used it successfully in both my previous two labours and believe it can help with the stop start thing. Do read up on it though and some people view it as quite controversial and I don't to be responsible if you don't like it!

😁 biking

I getting sick of this too iam
Lots of painful BH (and I'm trying to have a home hypnobirth!) but then nothing!!

I think movements have slowed but I've sent DP off to work (called him back on Monday thinking things were happening and he stayed off yesterday too) but he can't keep having days off when there's no baby!

So I've got DS (2) and DD and her friend today on my own.. Not sure whether to call MW about movements but then I can't drag 3 kids up to hospital for hours for monitoring

PissPot i had my waters broke & a gel with DS, but I was already contracting myself. I had the same with DD but also the drip... I ended up with an emcs with her. I would rather go into labour naturally but I am now 8 days over due so I wouldn't care how they got this baby out now to be honest!!
I pushed my mw to give me a sweep at 40+2 then I had another at 40+5. Neither of them have worked! I have 2 days left until induction now & I couldn't be more ready to meet this baby!
How are you feeling today?

iam you poor thing :( I really do feel for you, you must be shattered. I really hope things start turning into something hopeful for you.

Good luck with your sweep biking!
love i think it would be best to ring mw. I know you've got the kiddies but their movements are so important. Have you had a cold/fizzy drink and laid on your left side?

Well I haven't been on here for a while, and got 16 pages to go back and read at some point!

So to update I went into labour on Wednesday 1st June at about 4pm. Called the midwife out at 11pm when contractions were lasting over a minute and three in ten minutes, she examined me and I was 7-8cm dilated. An hour or so after that the gas and air arrived by taxi and I tried it, but found that the tens was more effective for me. The next three cm's took all night and at 8am on Thursday morning the midwife broke my waters for me and I could start pushing. I was using the gas and air on and off at this point. Then had a shift change of midwifes and a different two arrived at my house. They got me walking around the house and up and down the stairs etc to try and get things moving, also tried pushing in different positions. By this point they had taken the gas and air away, but I wasn't really in pain anyway it was all pressure. After four hours of pushing the midwife told me they would need to get an ambulance, as had I been having a hospital birth they would have got the doctors in at this stage as no baby. But she said I could have the baby out before they got there. Anyway I didn't and ended up blue lighted to hospital. The gas and air eventually came in handy for the journey! After arriving I had to lie on my back and have monitors on, and pushed for about another half an hour and got the head out. Then was told to pant and wait for the next contraction. Then I was aware that the midwife pressed the emergency button and the room filled with people, they dropped the bed flat and pushed my legs up, someone was telling me when to push and when not to and someone else was pressing on my abdomen. It was very surreal but two minutes later they were placing my baby on my chest. There had been a shoulder dystocia, where the shoulder gets stuck in the pelvis, but they managed to get him out completely unharmed, although I had a few tears and had to have stitches.

Baby's name is Matthew Jacob and he was born weighing 6lb11oz.

We stayed in hospital until the Sunday as Matthew was very lethargic and I was having difficulties breastfeeding him. For the first three days I had to express and syringe feed him or cup feed him. Then last Tuesday we had our 5 day check up at home and ended up readmitted to hospital as Matthew had lost 18% of his body weight. He was treated for dehydration and jaundice, and was put in an incubator under the sun lamp. I was given a machine to express for him but could hardly get any milk out. He was too lethargic on his first couple of days in hospital to feed so had to have a nasogastric tube put up his nose to have formula as I couldn't express. Once he came out of the incubator I carried on trying to breastfeed him but he needed formula top ups and still does. We were let out on Saturday evening, and the breastfeeding I'm still finding really hard but we are persevering and he is so much better now in himself!

Congratulations on the birth of Matthew violet. I'm sorry to hear it was a tough labour and first week, although it's good to hear that it sounds like you've turned a corner. Get as much rest as you can and take each day as it comes.

Congratulations on the arrival of your son violet

lilies I hope thins are progressing for you.

I really feel for those of you who want sweeps but aren't allowed them yet. It's my due date tomorrow and I had a sweep this morning. I'm 2cm dilated, my cervix is nice and soft and the head is low. Planning on bouncing on my ball and keeping as active as possible today.

Congratulations violet! I'm sorry to hear you and Matthew have had a rough ride, I'm glad things are better now, you sound like you are doing really well

Thinking of all of you in early labour or overdue, fx for successful sweeps.

Baby Torf is still yet to be named but is doing really well. .. he's now 5oz above his birth weight at 16 days! Breast feeding did not work out for us again (same issues as with DS1), which I'm sad and disappointed about, but the decision to formula feed was definitely the right one for me and the family.

Congratulations Violet!! Sorry it's been traumatic though but as biking said it sounds like you've turned a corner.

So still not contracting here, I was feeling pretty normal this morning but have just had lunch with my parents and suddenly feel very tired and nauseous, also losing loads of plug so have gone back to bed. It's wierd not feeling contractions though, any thoughts anyone?!

Congrats to all the new mums and babies! I've got my fingers crossed that the wait will be over soon for everyone else.

Here is what happened to me a week ago. Waters broke at around 6am on Wed, strange popping sensation followed by show and contractions. Broken waters confirmed at hospital and was sent home to relax and see how things progressed. Managed near constant contractions for 18hrs at home via TENS/breathing/bath until they were getting excruciating and I was shaky and weak and needed some extra help/pain relief.

Was informed I had pre-eclampsia when admitted to maternity ward (BP had been fine pre-labour) and was 4-5cm dilated. Opted for epidural which would help lower BP. Took bloody ages to get sorted due to difficulties monitoring baby's HR (attached a clip to his head but kept falling off, took 3 attempts to get cannula attached, then contractions were making it really hard to stay still for epidural to be put in). Finally got it sorted and enjoyed 3 blissful hrs of rest until I was 10cm and ready to push.

...But then baby's HR kept dipping with each contraction. After an hour of pushing we went into theatre to try forceps and consented to EMCS if necessary. Luckily the forceps worked and little baby Felix was delivered safe and sound.

Had some weight loss issues (day 3 11.5% loss, but we're back up to 7.6% on day 6) but now breastfeeding is fairly well established and loving the new addition to our family

Congratulations Violet and Jelly - gorgeous photo! Jelly that sounds so like my first birth (though I was in hospital and ended in EMCS) - I had forgotten how many times they had tried unsuccessfully to put a clip on her head!

Eastend - Sorry haven't fully followed, you have lost your plug, any BH? no contractions? My waters broke and didn't start contracting for a good 90 minutes after that.

Pies You are doing so well hanging in there! I was 41+6 with DD and just wanted her out sooo much!

biking and Iam did your symptoms progress? Hope you are both doing well xx

How are the ladies with babies getting on? Nehagarg and Mollie, how is the feeding going?

Torf - I think Baby Torf is a perfectly good name! A fed baby from boob or bottle is the most important thing and at 5oz above birth weight sounds like he is thriving :)

Still cannot decide whether to have a sweep this week! Did not think I would still be so undecided by now. Not long left to decide. Tonight I feel really excited to meet the baby which is great as I have focused so much on all the "what ifs" and decision making, I've found it hard to focus on the fact that all being well we should have a baby by the end of next week! All nesting now done so I am feeling ready for it, finally!!!

Congratulations jelly!

I think we'll be on the next thread before I have baby!!