August 2016 Babies (thread 6) - Ready to Pop!

[FourForYouGlenCoco]

New thread - the one where we stop being pregnant and become new mamas! So close to the end. Exciting!

gosh coco what a fright. So glad all was ok in the end, I can only imagine the shock of it all...especially being heavily preg and having to deal with all of that. Take it easy!

I have midwife appoint this afternoon...what are peoples thoughts on having a sweep? I haven't been offered one yet but a girl in my antenatal was offered yesterday at 38+6, just wondering whether there are any negatives of having it done pre-due date? My thoughts are that baby knows best and will come when ready, I am quite happy at the moment and not desperate for baby to arrive, so I am in the view that keeping things natural and 'as planned' is best as trying to start things artificially might just prolong a process thats not quite there yet?

any more baby news today??? hope everyone is doing well!

bearhuggy I would personally jump at the chance! Are there any specific reasons she was offered it? (Trying to work out my chances). If you're comfortable how you are and happy for baby to come whenever they want they props to you and ride that pregnancy bus! I on the other hand can not wait to get off and never ride again

haha christine !! dont worry, not long left to go...whats your due date again?? my friend was offered as she was uncomfortable and swollen and the midwife said they could give it a whirl and see what happens...no news as yet so not sure if it had any effect. will keep you posted !!

Uhhh every time I say I'm swollen or uncomfortable (fair enough that's been since week 12) my midwife says "ahh that's pregnancy" or "haha yep that's what happens." I have a good mind tape a bag of sugar to each of her feet, give her a boot in the back and attach a bag of spuds to her front and tell her to go out in this heat and not complain!
I'm 36+6 today. FULL TERM TOMORROW. And due 11th August. This means that if I get through today, all going well I can have my water birth whenever she decides to come!

Thank you so much ladies, your kind words have really helped! Told DH that evening and his knee-jerk reaction was 'you can't go to the beach any more' which kicked off a barney and really didn't help me feel better. Im not a helicopter parent but am super safe/vigilant generally, hence why she was fine, but Christine you're exactly right - it's the 'what could have been' playing on my mind. Will try to let it go!
bear usually I'd say avoid intervention if possible, but actually I think sweeps are the exception to that rule. The risks are minimal (infection, but given that it's an aseptic procedure, I'd say there's more risk from sex than a sweep) and they will only work if your body & baby are ready anyway - so more of a gentle helping hand than trying to artificially force your body into something it's not ready for. Don't think it's common for a midwife to offer it pre-40 weeks, but if they do it's really personal choice IMO.
Confession: I did actually do myself a wee DIY sweep last night! Was mostly having a feel out of curiosity and figured I might as well while I was up there. No effect today of course cervix is super soft and stretchy though, waters easily feel-able, so I'm thinking/hoping it'll be another quick/easy labour when things do kick off!

coco that must have been really scary. I'm glad she's fine and you're fine. Your vigilance clearly stopped any harm coming to her. It's a shame that no one else near her noticed she was in difficulty (or came to help a very pregnant mother trying to reach her daughter). I hope you don't let it prevent you going there again, it sounds like a lovely place.

coco how scary.. Glad everyone's ok though just shocked..

First time mums offered a sweep at 38 weeks here and my midwife said I can have one if I want. But she's away so will be a random midwife who I don't know, makes it a bit less appealing!

As coco said above it only works if you and baby are ready anyway. With ds I had sweep at 5.30pm and he was born at 9.10pm so it did work for me! I had been having what I now know were mild contractions for 2 days though :)

Gosh, Coco, I hope you're feeling a little less shaken by now, tho I know these terrifying "what if" events do tend to stay with you for ages after! I'm so proved with the other parents who didn't intervene - this is the sort of thing that could happen to literally anybody, & I'd hope that sheer human decency would make me rescue someone else's child if I saw they were in a real pickle & I was the nearest adult. That's so disappointing. I bet you've been cuddling your DD tight!

And I'm impressed by your flexibility, managing a self-sweep! I'm not sure I could reach my cervix even if I wanted to at this point. Though you've made me curious to try!

Gosh, Coco, I hope you're feeling a little less shaken by now, tho I know these terrifying "what if" events do tend to stay with you for ages after! I'm so peeved with the other parents who didn't intervene - this is the sort of thing that could happen to literally anybody, & I'd hope that sheer human decency would make me rescue someone else's child if I saw they were in a real pickle & I was the nearest adult. That's so disappointing. I bet you've been cuddling your DD tight!

And I'm impressed by your flexibility, managing a self-sweep! I'm not sure I could reach my cervix even if I wanted to at this point. Though you've made me curious to try!

Don't know why that posted twice!

Officially over 37 weeks here - whoohoo! My TENS machine arrived in the post, we're collecting the pool we're borrowing at the weekend, & the midwives are coming to do their home birth visit tomorrow - starting to feel really ready for this little one's arrival now! Can't wait to meet them & find out who they are & get to know them. Saw someone's 2 week old this morning & it's made me feel really impatient! Though I know there are still potentially weeks to go... Gotta (try to) keep zen about these things...

glencoco I'm so jealous! I need a DIY sweep, I confessed to women at work yesterday that I had googled it and got a very frosty response! I had a feel in the shower but I don't know if it's because I have no idea what I'm doing or because I have short fat fingers (or both) but could only feel wall around my finger and nothing in front. I've never looked at the end of my toothbrush with such a curious face. Quickly brushed off of course haha!

Goodness coco terrifying! When I was younger we stayed in a villa and my younger sister got into a bit of bother and she did the same thing - put her arms up and I pulled her out but I will never forget her wee eyes looking up at me. It's very scary. I'm glad your dd was ok though - be kind to yourself today.

Glad to hear that your DD is okay GlenCoco What a fright, but you did notice and you got to her, so don't beat yourself up.

Fascinated at the notion of doing your own sweep. Has never even occurred to me to see how things are doing, but now tempted!

Gosh coco how terrifying. So glad all ended up ok.

Re: sweeps. I had them with both previous DDs. It worked with DD2, not with DD1. Interestingly, I had to push to get one with DD2 as the MW said they usually only offer them to first timers, as they are less likely to work. If anyone can explain the logic of that to me, please do. I have a MW appointment at 39+1 so will be asking for one then. Hopefully it will be the same MW that I've seen 2/3 times as she seems to be on my wavelength.

To be fair I did a year of midwife training, so am relatively au fait with the bits and bobs up there! I also have a home Doppler (and again, know what I'm listening for) so can check up on baby afterwards. Fascinating when it's your own body - the amniotic sac feels like a sort of rubbery balloon skin, for anyone who does have a try.
Anyone else's belly button really sore?! Mine is somehow still mostly innie but has popped out along the top edge and it really hurts!

coco what are you using? Just your finger?

sophia I was put on sentriline at 16 weeks. I was gutted as although I have a history of depression, I've managed without meds for 9 years. If you ever want to chat please pm me. Xx

In other news Ashley is here! No intervention needed so she clearly is an impatient one!

She's doing great, doesn't need NICU and we can go on Friday when she's had a course of IV antibiotics.

Lovely pics! Amazing news. V glad she's doing so well (was she 35weeks?)

belager Congratulations! She's beautiful.

Congratulations belager. so peaceful after not knowing the worry she's caused! Beautiful

Congratulations Belager, she is super precious!! Well done you!!

Sophia I have no knowledge of any of this, but I hope you get the right help and they don't force things on you.

Coco how frightening, everything is fine now so don't beat yourself up - it's not like you had left her to her own devices. But the other parents should definitely have helped!

Self sweep you say?

Congratulations belager what a cutie!

Very frightening glenco, hope you are calming down now. Thinking of you.

I had another scan today, all OK, except baby is small. I've got to go back next week and the week after, and the section has been brought forward. So I'm having the baby bang on 39 weeks. They think it is 5lbs now, I think I might have to buy some tiny baby clothes, I wonder if I can work out an approximate weight from the graph in my notes?

plimsoles 35+1 today
She weighed in at a teeny tiny 4lbs15

Congratulations Belager! She's lovely :)

Coco - that sounds terrifying. And completely natural to replay it over in your mind but the main thing is that she is safe.

Owl - baby clothes that are labelled as 'tiny' vary masses. Beware! We have some tiny baby clothes from John Lewis that will fit DD in about 6 weeks or so (she was 6lb4, dropped to 5lb7ish and is now gradually gaining again). She may well have fitted the tiniest size that JL offer, but that's not what the inlaws bought so I don't know. M&S tiny baby clothes fit her; Mothercare do some tiny baby clothes too which fit her.

Can't remember who was asking about early sweeps. My community midwife would have needed consent from a consultant to perform one pre 40 wks for me (though she was in the process of arranging that). She said that it was more likely to be successful for subsequent pregnancies; first time mums are unlikely to have any joy with an early sweep. And at the end of the day, a sweep is only going to work if your body is essentially ready to go into labour. Otherwise it's just a bit sore!

Brilliant news, belager! She's utterly gorgeous. Making me so keen to meet my little one & sniff their head.