December 2016 - Thread 5! 20 week scans and wriggly babies

[DartmoorDoughnut]

Thought I'd start a new thread before thread 4 fills up

Minispringroll I dont like staying in hospital either, I only stayed in a few hours after our first was born, I just wanted to be at home and comfortable. Really hoping to be in and out this time around, don't want to be away from dd3 too long, when I had her I was still waiting to be discharged 10 hours after she'd been born.

barking I think it's meant to be one or two consecutive weeks. I'm confused how it's meant to work, though, if the baby comes early. Does paternity leave simply kick in with the date of birth like maternity leave?
DH has asked at his school and they are happy for him to take it whenever he wantes,...he's supposedly also allowed to take it at different times.

spring you can start it any time from the birth date onwards (you have to have taken it by 56 days post birth or something), I'm just wondering if it automatically kicks in if he needs to leave school to be at the birth. A bit like any maternity related sickness in the last 4 weeks will automatically kick start maternity leave?
I know he can get all these questions answered when he gets back to school (and also whether they'll let him split the two weeks either side of the Xmas holidays, as that's at the discretion of the school) but I'm impatient!!

That would be very strange if we all ended up staying in. I have no idea how long my labour will be this time by daughter was 4days from waters going. I spent 1week in a side room when my daughter was born and hated it. Hoping to be out the same day of next day this time.

I'm lucky my DH works in Bristol hospital so if it comes to it I will meet him there and he will have to look after our daughter till someone else arrives. He has to take paternity leave from the day the baby is born but that could be due to the nature of his job.

Our hospital offers free drop in childcare, but only until 4:30. I guess we might use that depending on timings. As we live abroad we don't have family nearby, so we'll be reliant on friends and neighbours after 4.30! I don't think I'll mind being by myself for the birth if I have to be.

A woman gave birth at the taxi drop off point at our hospital recently, with the taxi driver for company!

barking my DH is teacher too and is very keen for me to give birth timed well with the Christmas holidays so he can have 4 consecutive weeks 'off'!! Re. if paternity leave starts if he has to leave work when you are in labour - we wondered and asked this with DC1 and have never had a satisfactory answer! I think it probably does. And yes we might need to split the weeks too - can't see why this wouldn't be allowed.

KitKat1985 what about a home birth? I understand you are a nurse so this might be your idea of hell, but sounds like it would be a good solution for you.

weechops not in Glasgow, but over in the SE Scotland (waves)

lily Yes, DH is hoping for 4 weeks "off", too. To be fair, he's the one doing most of the cooking and cleaning around here. We'll also have family coming round for Christmas for a week, so it would be great, if LO could make a slightly earlier appearance.

Anyone that already has dc, what time during the day/night did you go into labour? I'm curious as for me its only ever happened at night (or early hours of the morning) never during the day or anything. Also my waters have only ever 'gone' on their own once.

I went into labour in the afternoon, have birth around 11 in the evening.
It started with waters breaking. I wonder if there's a pattern and people tend to give birth to each of their children around the same time of day?

I wondered that soloman I definitely seem to be following a pattern.
All 4 of my labours have started after waking at night

3am.... It was a long labour and DD arrived 32hrs later. I had my waters broken:

bigfam I've always been late at night/early hours. Dd- 8pm born 6.14am, ds1 - 6pm born 5.34am, ds2- 11pm born 2.15am. My waters only went on their own with ds2.
And all the little buggers have been/still are early risers in the mornings!

With my daughter my waters went at midnight and she arrived at midnight 4 days later!

My Gosh I'd be really scared to give birth alone, I really want DH there! He was a great support when DD was born. Am going to have my mum staying for 10'days before my due date just so she can look after DD while I have the baby. She lives abroad. There's no one else I could really rely on for childcare nearby, so if I go into labour early suppose I'll have to go it alone! Really don't want to though.

Re taxis, I'm in London and last time I called a few taxi companies and asked them beforehand if they take women in labour and made a list of them. It was fine with the one we took to the hospital.

My midwife told me that most births happen at night and with so many home births here the older kids often just sleep through and never need childcare!

For first births, you'll almost certainly have time to get to hospital with partners etc. It's subsequent births that are quicker.

My contractions started midday on Friday, dd came at 23.45 on Sunday. So plenty of time to go to and from hospital, too much! She would have come earlier on Sunday but she got stuck.

This time I'm having a c section so it'll be planned and quick. Thankfully! I feel no need to give birth 'naturally' again!

Back to work tomorrow after a lovely long weekend. Only 9 weeks left!

I had a long labour with DS (26 hours) and so although I'm hoping this one will be quicker, I'm hopeful that I'll have plenty of time to sort childcare and get ready.

Feelin sorry for myself at the moment. DH has gone out to fetch me some gaviscon but was being really awkward about going, moaning about how late it is etc. He's been gone for ages too, we live in a village but there's plenty of late night garages open.

minispring I had an emcs last time after a horrible 3 day labour that all went wrong anyway so elcs this time! And then ended up staying a week in the end as had to go back in because DS lost too much weight. St.Michaels were great though so don't mind. Will hope to stay in two nights this time before going home to toddler madness - I found them really helpful and supportive with establishing breastfeeding etc. so keen to get all the help I can before being left alone as well.

2/3 of mine were induced so no worry about getting to the hospital in a rush or sorting childcare last min! The middle one is the one who came on his own, my labour got going more in the evening but had been having some pains on and off all day - I just hadn't believed it was labour because it was way less painful than the first time round!! By the time i finally realised any got dh to come from work I was quite well into labour! But the taxi still took us fine!! I think we used Addison lee. Luckily we have a car now but I still always feel a bit more relaxed with the controlled aspect of induction, knowing when you'll go in etc! Although the spontaneous and less medicalised birth was a better experience overall I suppose... Will see what happens with this one! My mum is hoping to come and do childcare for the other kids while dh and I go in to hospital but she's not back from holiday Til 4th so as long as its not early that plan will be okay - otherwise will have to ask an emergency favour from someone local!

Hey! So I've been travelling for past 3 weeks in south east Asia (currently in Malaysia!). I spent 3 days in Singapore and it's since been discovered that they've had a recent Zika outbreak! I'm not too concerned as I don't think I got any bites and I'm 26 weeks now but was wondering if I will need any extra follow up when back? Anyone got any experience with this?

Don't worry, I'm sure you'll be fine especially as you felt no bites and it's a recent outbreak- I think you just need blood tests when you're back.

Good ole pregnancy insomnia!
I'm trying not to fret about how tired I'm going to to be tomorrow ..

bumble I hear you! Woke up, thought, oh, if I'm awake anyway I might as well go for a swim before work. Looked at the time and it was 2.30 . Pretty much awake from then until 5am, then snoozing for the last two hours .
Got such a busy day at work as well!
8 weeks until maternity leave and counting!!!!!

Oh my word, things move so quickly around here, excuse me catching up a bit, shout if I’ve missed anything major!

Welcome Appletree and double, I’m expecting a singleton this time ‘round but have 4yo DTs. Really pleased you’re feeling confident enough to post daisy! Congratulations on joining team pink Helga!

Zain Dáire is a lovely name Nojo!

We did NCT last time, and it was great for making mum friends locally and for the basic anatomical stuff. I’ve since got quite into yoga and I’m really enjoying adapting that for pregnancy and trying to prepare for the birth. I’m considering hypnobabies too turnips and Solomon, any tips?
Glad to hear your scan went well springroll and love the dye work! I love the Frugi stuff too and Polarn O’Pyret is great as well.

Solomon, DTs were just over 5lb each and they were in tiny baby or prem stuff at first, but very quickly into newborn.

Bigfam the brush and locket are lovely, how sweet of your DH! I went into labour early in the morning with DTs, around 4am I think.

We’re in N London Grey, Firawla, bow and Popski!

Notaclue, depends on your definition of stylish, but I was in Decathlon yesterday and they had some great brightly coloured rucksacks for quite cheap.

Kitkat, that does sound stressful! I’ve never used them, but there are ‘emergency childcare’ firms out there you could look at as a backup if your mum is in hospital with your dad?