Thread 11. TTC #1 Grads, Babies Arriving Or 'Look At What I Made With My Genitals!'

[AudreyBradshaw]

Behold, the wonder of birth! Members from 6 weeks bfp to post-partum wonder Mamas! No question to grotty or minging.

We've come full circle from obsessing about cervical mucus to now obsessing if it's our vagina baby plug going! What larks!

Lots of talk about poo, ours and now babies too! Baby brain is REAL! This heat can kiss my arse. And who KNEW being so neurotic about which changing mat to buy could be so satisfying and addictive!

Roll up literally, in my case, cause I'm practically rotund! for TTC #1 Grads!

miley luckily i never posted the form. i filled it in but since knowing my EDD was 2 months out i never posted it. it is going in the bin now !!! I may add "no bounty/marketing" to my birth plan. I never new about this before reading that thread !

would be interested to know about whether the new mums here cam across it (better sampling data ;) )

Wow, congratulations Nev! Hope you and baby are doing well!

Hope the sweep works Pink

Potato sorry Arya had a bad night. Are health visitors much support to new mums?

Soda I dread the day I grow out of my maternity clothes. I know it will come, and I'm going to be stubborn and not buy anything else. I've just had to buy a load of summery things for holiday on Friday knowing I won't get much use as winter is coming..

Stardrey I do like overhauling a CV. Must be a guilty pleasure! Hopefully your DH finds something more suitable soon.

leonie baby Theodore is a stunner! I love how deep his little eyes are. I hope you get to go home soon!

Miley, I was due yesterday, so am 40+1. I should be induced next Tuesday or Wednesday if baby doesn't appear before then.

With the Bounty people, do they just let them roam the wards?! That's disgraceful. I bet a lot of women now to any pressure they put on you, especially after having just give birth!

*bow to any pressure

Omg congrats nev and shelbta! sorry the labours weren't the easiest but happy to hear mum and new bubs doing well and safe

It's raining babies! Congrats on 40w pink I think you are next up - I hope sweep goes well today and things kick off before your induction date.

indi I'm the same - 32w and hips are killing esp after a rough sleep of tossing and turning. Have tried all manner of pillow configurations but still not 100% comfortable. I have 8 weeks to go and I feel like I'm stretched to my limits and the size of a house!!! I am now thinking of moving my ML up from 37w to 36w as I suspect I will just get more and more uncomfortable in the next few weeks.

congrats on being discharged bunch!

Potato sorry about the rough night with Arya - I hope she gets all that wind out and settles.

sorry (and quiet horaay) for your DH's night job audrey - can only mean better things in store!

nev sorry, somehow I missed your post. congrats on your baby. Hope you're enjoying lots of baby cuddles.

Miley bounty lady went round everyone in my room, I was the only one to tell her to sod off. They do give you a goody bag and the forms to claim child benefit but mostly they try the hard sell. I can imagine for a lot of people you would feel like you have to say yes... I just looked at the woman as if she was something I scraped off my shoe and said maybe later.

Pink hope the sweep works and you're cuddling your baby soon

Marmite I was choosing between 2 hospitals too (only 5 minute drive difference location wise) and might be worth having a look at policies that matter to you E.g. Some hospitals allow partners to stay overnight in the ward and others kick them out after 9 or 10pm. Also if the hospital has a birth centre if you are keen on that type of birth

Miley I didn't even let her take photos. Just told her "he hasn't had his hair washed yet" and hen got discharged and left. I got the pack and forms off her first but I've gifted the pack to my cousin as it was just nappies.

Hep the one on our ward seemed quite respectful. She didn't come into closed curtains and didn't come near me until the second day because in her words " you really didn't look well yesterday".

Warning the raspberry leaf tea. My midwife told me not to risk taking it before 37 weeks as it can be that effective. It certainly my ramped up my BH. The dates made me poo loads but my active stage of labour was anything but shortened. But I love medjool dates so didn't mind anyway.

Potato at night time I am, proper dripping. Delightful isn't it? How is Arya now poor thing?

I swear to god everything takes ten times as long to do with a baby: we've been up since 7 and I've only just made it downstairs after a shower and putting his clothes away. He won't let me do anything this morning. I ended up having to put the sling on just to put the laundry away. I have my first lot of none family visitors turning up with my parents in about 15 mins and he is a boob monster this morning. He cries for the boob then shouts and and hits the boob. Gah! Men!

Hi ladies

Trying to check in between the feeds shitty nappies and cuddles! Hopefully home today.

Good luck with the sweep pink! I really hope it moves things along.

Bunch can I ask you - I just got bollocked by a midwife for saying I was going to have her (baby not midwife) sleeping in the sleepyhead during the night (in a crib). Are you doing that?

Waves to everyone. My ass hurts from stitches!!

X

Shelb I am. She would hate me as he's in our bed in it. It's safe to do so, my midwives have been fine with it as has the health visitor. What a jobs worth.

shelb I didn't buy one because my bloody midwife told me they hadn't been tested for over night sleeping! I think some of them are just full of crap. Atticus looks so cosy in his!

Wow congrats Nev!

Any news Leonie on whether you're getting home today? FX. Hope you get to go home today too shelb!

Hope your sweep goes well today Pink

These Bounty women sound awful - also something I hadn't heard of so good to be aware!

Quiet congrats on DH job front Stardrey hopefully much better opportunity around the corner.

Thanks for all the helpful comments on choosing between the 2 hospitals, this is such a lovely helpful bunch
Sounds like a few of you know people who've been under St Marys. I know they are experts in specialist fetal care there. Wythenshawe apparently have a lot of birthing pools which I quite liked the idea of? But I have no idea really! Thanks for the helpful suggestions of some of the other things to check, I will have a look at parking etc and also policies - do I just find them on the websites? I will ask the midwife at my Booking In appointment next week too to see if they have any helpful input. Do people tend to have a look round the hospital at some point? Wonder if that would be helpful too.

We do have quite the NW contingent here

I've just come out of 3 hour meeting at work and all I could think about the entire time was how much I wanted a packet of salt & vinegar crisps

Bunch, loving the boob comment! All men are obsessed with boobs I think, it clearly starts from an early age I hope the first non-family visit goes ok.

Shelb, how are you feeling? How long were you in hospital for? Your midwife sounds a bit strict!

So the sweep was ok. It was a little bit uncomfortable and I do have some pains in my tummy now, but it was over in a matter of minutes. I haven't had any bleeding yet.

I would definitely have another sweep if offered, I'm happy to try anything to get baby on the move! My cervix is apparently favourable and I'm 1cm dilated. The midwife could also feel babies head, so she said they are all good signs. I'm booked in to be induced on Tuesday if nothing has happened by then, but hopefully it won't come to that.

pink I feel like I'm going to regret asking this (cervix-phobe) but what exactly do they do?

bunch I also laughed at your 'he hasn't had his hair washed yet'

Currently writing out my list to discuss with my midwife this afternoon - she's going to think I'm bloody mental.

Miley I fully intend to live in leggings from next week but I think work would definitely bollock me if I wore them in the office - it's pretty corporate here. I was also told not to take raspberry leaf tea before 37 weeks. I'll be starting it this weekend when I'm off work. I'm 38 weeks today

I'm also planning on using sleepyhead for baby to sleep in overnight in crib. I've heard mixed things officially but friends have done it recommended it.

Marmite I did I tour of my labour ward but they only offered them after about 28 weeks I think so youd need to probably decide before then.

Thanks for sweep info pink. Good to know it's not too bad. If you're already 1cm dilated hopefully it should get things moving. What's the induction process like in your area? Are you on a drip or do they give you pessaries and allow you home? You get gel pessaries here and then you're usually allowed home until they start working but I'd need to have that all done in hospital which I really want to avoid so happy for sweeps to encourage things along if it gets to that.

Everyone is so talkative today!

The Bounty thing is so surreal. I remember Stardrey posting about it a while back and sharing threads about it. However, I think I thought it was all out of fashion now, and something they used to do. I feel quite shocked that it’s still happening, and Potato and Bunch were approached on the postnatal wards. It feels so intrusive. Well done for getting rid of them, guys.

Miley, it is dragging now, but I also don’t really want is to come to an end. Not because I’m enjoying pregnancy so much , but because I think I’m scared of that’s next – not so much the childbirth (though I appreciate that won’t be a walk in the park), but the whole having a baby thing and it not just being me and DH anymore, for the rest of our lives. I think I’ve been getting quite nervous recently and a little panicky actually, the more I type this and articulate my thoughts on getting to 40 weeks.

Anyone else feel like that? I guess I do want to meet my baby, but when posters say that I don’t really feel the same urge it sounds like they’re feeling. I think I’m a bit apprehensive about it all, really.

Glad the sweep was ok, Pink, and wasn't too bad an experience. Fingers crossed it works some magic!

Marmite - you've now made me want salt and vinegar crisps, and I'm wondering where I can get some from.....

Lisa i think feeling apprehensive is completely reasonable !

tbh I have no idea how i will feel. I'm sure a mix of emotions is normal !

lisa I'm absolutely shitting it. The thought of being responsible for something so fragile and needy (possibly not the right word?) And me being a complete failure at it terrifies me I'm excited to meet my baby but am also hoping to all that are godly that I have these instincts that just kick in. OH said something along the lines of "in 6 weeks time you'll not just be miley any more and I'll not just be (OHs name) - your new name will be mum and I will be dad for the rest of our lives". T'was a total holy shit moment.

I also want salt and vinegar crisps.

miley i'm quite calm..... think i am still in denial ! or rather disbelief! that might change on friday.

OH has started to organise the stuff in the spare room that will be bean's room! after years of nagging asking politely, he has finally cleared stuff out to be thrown out or to put in loft !!

hmm.... salt and vinegar crisps dipped into philadelphia .....

Bunch sounds like Atticus and Arya are on the same wavelength today. She won't let me do anything, she just cries for me the moment I put her down. I've done basically nothing today.

Shelb the hurty ass will get better I a few days. Lots of showers and baths in the mean time.
I have to admit, I looked at the sleepyhead the second night we were home and decided it looked like a sids risk. Was that why the midwife was unhappy?
How are you doing/feeling?

Pink glad the sweep went well. Fingers crossed you're in labour before the days out!

Lisa I felt very apprehensive about having an actual baby, I wasn't excited about baby cuddles and I was worried about OH and I not having time together etc. But once Arya was here it took all of a few hours to fall head over heels for her. Things have changed but OH and I have the rest of our lives together but we only get to have Arya this tiny for a short time so I'm just treasuring that.
It's a bit of a shock to be referred to as mummy but although doing things isn't instinctive the need to care for and comfort your baby is.

Health visitor went well. She was happy that we are doing everything we should be and that Arya is happy and well looked after and loved. So we've been put on the light touch course, we'll see her in 8 weeks then it'll be a few months. I just need to pop to the clinic every 4 weeks to get Arya weighed.