Late December - Early January Thread 2!

[Bella1985]

Hi! We're on to our 2nd thread for babies due at the end of December/Early January. 3rd trimester is in sight...!

Oh Col I hope things pick up for you. These babies are cheeky monkeys. It's hard to know what to do. DH goes back to work on Wednesday & I hadn't prepared myself for baby not being here yet! I can barely walk as its so excruciating. I think it's SPD that's suddenly flared up. Don't know how I'll cope with DS if DH does go back to work.

Congratulations firsttimer. He's gorgeous.

Emz I'm sure you've tried it but just in case not - have you tried a bath to help with the pain? I have been finding it extremely helpful when it gets too much. DH also supposed to be back at work on wed! We were saying this morning it would be good if the baby could come before then so he can start his paternity leave!

I haven't tried a bath but I will do. I just find it hassle & struggle to get in & out. Plus DS spends the entire time trying to get in! . It seems a lot better today I can walk without constant pain. I wonder if baby has shifted. Might brave a walk later although it's rainy & grey here.

Happy new year everyone!

Congratulations First - he is gorgeous! Hanna's legs were like that too, but have nearly settled back.

Wilf, Serial, Col and Emz - hope things get moving for you soon- you must all be do uncomfortable m. These babies do like to play games with us don't they!

Hope Happy's induction went as planned- wonder if she will have/has a 2016 or 2017 baby!

What a gorgeous baby!!

Happy New Year! Just caught up with the latest news. Sorry to hear some of you are still waiting, hope things move along soon.

We have finally been let home today, can't believe I've been in hospital since 7am Monday morning! Life with a newborn is lovely a little daunting but very very tiring. I have never experienced tiredness of this level before! DS is clusterfeeding most nights between 1am and 6am and catching up on sleep doesn't seem to happen. I have wanted to give up on the breastfeeding a couple of times (mostly at 5am) but will perservere for a little while longer as I enjoy feeding my baby and can't imagine the mountain of steralising required to feed such a hungry little thing! It would be nice if I could have 4-5 hrs to sleep at some point, at the moment DS is feeding every 2hrs.

Fingers crossed all of you are getting close to labour, congrats to the latest additions, and hi to the other tired mums!

Morning ladies. Just a quick update from me. Induction was started around 4pm on Saturday (after being in hospital since 7am - they were super busy). I was meant to have the 3rd and final pessary late last night but they decided against it as the contractions were coming too close together. They'd slowed by this morning so they gave me the pessary then but things have stopped altogether since 😫. Also at no point since I've been in have they been able to reach my cervix so looks like nothing's happening there. They are going to check me again at lunch but the next step is to wait 24 hrs and start the whole process again. FFS!! I'm going to be stuck in here eternally pregnant!
Hope everyone else is ok. Congratulations to the new arrivals and I hope those of you who are still waiting with me are hanging in there!

Happy New Year ladies. Have just caught up with the latest news. Baby LucySB, a boy!, was safely delivered on 31 Dec at 2:51am. We were discharged late evening yesterday.
As mentioned i had a sweep last Thursday but it did nothing for me except a few cramps and losing my plug. I was tentatively booked in for an induction on the Friday, 30 Dec due to high BP. They told me to go in in the morning of 30 Dec but due to 2 labour emergencies, they weren't able to see me until 9pm. As my cervix was ready I was induced via artificial rupture of membranes, that usually sets off contractions, but, I'm convinced my body just doesn't know how to labour, I had only irregular and painful contractions over the next 2h. The doctors then decided to start me on syntocinon drip, and I had an epidural based on previous experience with DD1 on the drip. Contractions came thick and fast, I went from 2cm to ready to push in 2h. Pain broke through the epidural and unfortunately due to the quick labour I suffered some bad tearing and had to go to theatres after to be mended . That said the pain seems to be more bearable than when I had episiotomy with DD.
bella i symphatise with you. DS seems to have fallen into a 2h feeding cycle as well. But he's so very cuddly and smells so good so I'm rather enjoying the lying down and feeding him despite having nearly no sleep since he was born.
Fingers crossed for all still waiting, not long to go now.

Looks like my monkey has decided to change position uttey at 40+6, so I'm off for a scan and if he's oblique as we suspect, I'll probably end up with a section. My ds, age 12, did the same thing! These boys of mine.

Bella it sounds like you're really having a tiring time, I hope it gets better for you and you get some decent sleep soon.

Happylass poor you, what a runaround. I didn't realise it was possible to have repeat inductions. Fingers crossed something happens for your very soon! Totally know you what mean about feeling like you're going to be pregnant forever!

Lucy congratulations! That sounds like you've had a hard time though. Good that you're back home and you've got the lovely new baby smell to help you feel better! I can't believe how many boys we've had!

Serial that sucks - I thought they ran out of room by the end to change position! What a little monkey. Perhaps he'll change back? Have you looked at any sort of yoga positions to help with turning him? I don't know how effective they are but it might be worth a look.

As for me, it's been a couple of days since I found out I was 4cm dilated, have lost lots of mucus plug, every time I think it's finished it seems to make a reappearance. It's also been nearly a week since I started having the bloody show, I think that's over with now. All I am getting is vague cramps that develop into nothing. Sigh!

Thanks for the commiserations, but I was just being paranoid! Scan went well and baby is lined up nicely. I am very relieved.

Good news Serial, glad baby is where it should be. They know how to make us stress at the last minute! Col, sorry things haven't got going enough for you. Hopefully things will start up for you soon. Congratulations Lucy, another little boy. Where are all the girls? Sounds like you had a rough ride & a major tear. Hope you recover ok. Sorry things have stopped for you Happy, I had no idea they could re-do an induction. I hope you get there soon. Glad you are home ok Bella. I'm a bit worried about the newborn feeding & sleeping pattern. We didn't really have that with DS. With him being prem, he was 2 weeks old when we brought him home, he was already on a 3-hourly feeding schedule & slept well. Got to juggle a newborn & an almost 3 yr old this time with DH going back to work fairly quickly. Last time he worked from home for 3 months. All beginning to feel a bit scary & real.

I'm so uncomfortable now. Due date today, I had cramps & lots of BH through the night & throughout the day but doesn't appear to go into anything regular. I'm sure this is a troublesome girl being a drama queen. Need to update the stats, hope I'm not going to be left in the waiting lounge forever! Got my sweep booked for 4th & starting to feel a bit anxious. Not sure what to expect!

Oh good luck happylass what a nightmare. Hope things have moved along by now.

Congrats lucy! Another baby for the thread! I had the same drip as you but it didn't work as fast as yours - very sorry to hear the pain broke through and you had to go to theater to be stitched. Fingers crossed for a speedy and full recovery.

Looking forward to hearing some baby news from col, emz and serial - it's so bizzarre how our bodies trick us into thinking things are happening when they're not. This really is the final stretch so hold on, it won't be long!

My belly is starting to deflate now, I managed to put some socks on earlier...! Regret it now though as my c section area is sore so maybe I'll give it another week before I start trying to put some decent shoes on again! hoping my stupidly swollen ankles and feet will be gone by then too

Bella -- in my experience, the swollen ankles go when you start sweating like crazy during the night. All that excess fluid just seems to leak out at once.

I have three full days ahead of me of waiting, so I'm planning to do something fun or interesting each of those days because otherwise I will go mental! Cue dramatic sigh.

Thanks for that info serial - a doctor had a look at my legs before discharging me as I told them I was worried that the swelling wasn't going down (even my thighs and hips felt tight and weird) and she said there was no water retention in my thighs at all (!) but they've started to feel more normal today...hoping my ankles will be next to go down!!

I had asked DH to take me for a nice lunch and drive on my EDD so that I wouldn't mope around all day, and we'd have something to do together - I was rather looking forward to it so obviously I never made it to EDD - perhaps you can arrange to do something nice amd baby will take it as a cue to come!!

That is the ultimate goal.

Bella, Iv made plans last few days with DS & DH. Don't think this baby wants to come out. It's quite happy. I'm so uncomfortable & heavy now. Took DS to soft play with DH, luckily I didn't have to do much running around. Not sure how I'm going to cope the rest of the week as there's no nursery or groups on & im slow! Sweep tomorrow morning... Not really sure what to expect. Going to try & relax & hope it starts things. Little part of me does think I should wait & see what nature does on its own. Sounds silly.

Waiting lounge
SerialReJoiner: EDD 27/12/16 (blue)
Happylass (38): EDD 28/12/16 #1 (blue)
Colonolthirteen (31) EDD 30/12/2016 #1 (blue)
Emz32 (29): EDD 02/01/2017 #2 (yellow)

Arrivals
Baby Boy Stealth: 18/12/2016, 8lb (EDD: 31/12/2016)
Baby Girl Admarks: 22/12/2016, 7lb 2oz (EDD: 30/12/2016)
Baby Boy Bella: 27/12/2016, 7lb 15oz (EDD: 30/12/2016)
Baby Boy Firsttimer: 28/12/2016 (EDD: 29/12/16)
Baby Boy LucySB: 31/12/2016 (EDD: 05/01/17)


Team Blue: 4, Team Pink: 1

Waiting lounge
SerialReJoiner: EDD 27/12/16 (blue)
Happylass (38): EDD 28/12/16 #1 (blue)
Colonolthirteen (31) EDD 30/12/2016 #1 (blue)
Emz32 (29): EDD 02/01/2017 #2 (yellow)

Arrivals
Baby Boy Stealth: 18/12/2016, 8lb (EDD: 31/12/2016)
Baby Girl Admarks: 22/12/2016, 7lb 2oz (EDD: 30/12/2016)
Baby Boy Bella: 27/12/2016, 7lb 15oz (EDD: 30/12/2016)
Baby Boy Firsttimer: 28/12/2016 (EDD: 29/12/16)
Baby Boy LucySB: 31/12/2016 (EDD: 05/01/17)


Team Blue: 4, Team Pink: 1

Congratulations Lucy!

Oh Happy, sounds like the baby is a tease. Hopefully, baby will decide to make its grand entrance soon!

Hope baby Serial, Col and Emz make their moves soon!

Lucy and Bella - I'm with you on the sleep deprivation. I'm struggling to even get dressed at the moment and spend most of the day either napping or in a zombie like state! I think I'm having it easy as H will sleep for 3+ hours (I have to wake her for feeds), however we are nursing for 1.5+ hours every time and I'm continuing to top up with formula (about 60mls) as she never seems full. However, I think I'm in a vicious circle and will never be able to exclusively BF...

admarks I'm the absolute opposite - I'm EBF but am fantasising about giving DS formula so he would just sleep for a few more hours at night! He didn't sleep at all last night between 1am and 6.30am unless he was on my chest, the minute I moved he'd stir and make feeding cues, suckle for 2mins and then fall asleep again. He's fast asleep now but I'm really hungry so can't nap every single second he does!!! Considering a dummy for the night time to see if it helps...

I'm also slowly driving myself insane with mixed messages we keep receiving...a nursing nurse at the hospital showed DH how to swaddle and put a towel around DSs head in the cot to keep him feeling 'safe' to settle him. We've done this ever since but now am reading up that it's not safe and we could be putting DSs life in danger...
A midwife also told us to not cut his nails because we could chop off the top of his fingers or damage the cuticles yet community midwife said we need to do it because he's scratching himself silly and can get the mits off in seconds...DH and I are petrified of taking nail scissors anywhere near him now... ...this is so hard...

Hope those of you still waiting aren't in too much pain/discomfort. I sort of wish I was back pregnant because my body automatically looked after DS then, I didn't have to make so many choices about what's right and wrong for his health... is this the baby blues phase?

Bella you are finding out what most first time parents find I think.... You get different advice from the professionals. I wouldn't use scissors, we did cut DSs finger when we used them & it bled for ages. Bite the nails off. It sounds gross but you can feel the difference between finger & nail by nibbling them. I don't think it's the baby blues, just the overwhelming realisation you are solely responsible for a little human. It does get easier I promise.

Just had my first sweep. It didn't hurt was just a bit uncomfy. Midwife said it was very favourable & one of the easiest sweeps she'd done. Very stretchy & was easily 2cms. Here's hoping it does some good. Struggling to walk now as its all a bit achy.

Hi everyone, so baby col was born his morning in an ambulance after an extremely quick and surprising labour! All of us are doing well so far. I hope everyone is doing really well, will update properly later!

Wow! Congratulations Col, can't wait to hear more. Glad you are all ok.

Wow col congratulations!

Fingers Crossed for you emz - your cervix sounds more favourible now than mine was after 6 hours with the prostaglandin inserted and consultant,registrar and midwifes' hands had given it a good stretch

It is very daunting emz - it doesn't help that DM is telling me all sorts of advice which is outdated compared to NHS guidelines too, its just so overwhelming, coupled with tiredness, everything seemed a bit bleak earlier. Had a 2hr nap this afternoon so feeling much better now!