Due August 2007 - Part 3

[loler]

Here's to a succuessful new thread!

Link to the old thread just incase!

Thanks GillL - Hooray for being big then!! Hopefully we'll both manage to be a bit more productive at work today eh ?
UKI - OUCH !! Oh poor you love, that must have you feeling really rough. Is there anything you can do/take except water and cranberry juice ?
That's fantastic about your skin clearing up Hersetta, so strange that something like those tablets can cause such a reaction when they're only supposed to be bloomin' natural, homeopathic and good for us!

Morning everyone - so glad to hear everyone is still full of good news only and Hersetta, that your mystery rash is going at last. I have two more packs of mumomega but am happy to take yours from you if you would like, as I intend to keep taking them if I manage to breastfeed. Let me know and I will send you some money on paypal - no point you suffering twice over by having to pay for that rash!

I had a terrible day at work yesterday. Someone had left the heating on all weekend and it was roasting. I was stoic about it when I should not have been. By midday I was having palpitations and my hands were icy cold while everything else burned. I begged for a window to be opened but by the time that happened it was too late and I had to travel home in a cab like the invalid I felt.
Now of course I am massively worried about any effect on the baby.

We had a lovely Easter in North Devon - spectacular weather and wonderful beaches. We normally head towards Dorset so we were not quite prepared for how long a drive it is to Devon but we took the back roads home through Somerset and it was much nicer than the motorway. I only had one or two hormonal moments (tears, you don't understand what it's like to be pregnant accusations, etc etc) so that was a good record for me.

I kind of have my birth plan in my head - it plays itself over and over when I can't sleep! It basically involves no drugs or intervention and lots of lovely low lighting and Mozart, while I huff and puff with my yoga breathing and feel little pain because of my excellent command of hypnobirthing technique, and at the end someone gives me tea and toast and my boyfriend tells me I was amazing.

Sorry to hear about your bad day yesterday kiteflying. Have you spoken to your midwife about possible effects to the baby? I'm sure it will be fine but best to check.

Glad you had a good break in Devon. We went there on holiday last year and it was lovely but we won't go again until the dcs are older. DD was only 1 and the long drive together with bank holiday traffic meant it was a very stressful journey and at one point she just wouldn't stop screaming.

Your birth plan sounds wonderful! Are you planning a home birth? I was all set to go to hospital but I've really been thinking about having the baby at home. Dd arrived in 5 hours and, assuming this one will be quicker, I worry about dh getting home in time, getting dd to a baby sitter and giving birth in the car if traffic is bad. I think I will be much more relaxed if I can stay at home and I really didn't feel like I got the support I needed in hospital after the baby was born.

Wow Kite - that's amazing! It's like you've read my mind about my birthplan too !! That's exactly how it's going to be for me, I have no doubt whatsoever.

Thanks TT and GillL - there is of course quite a good dose of wry humour in my birth "plan" (or dream sequence...) of course. I have told my boyfriend that whatever happens he has to tell me I was amazing!

GillL - would love to have bubs at home but we would be devastated if anything went wrong so we are taking our chances on being at a hospital but being allowed to get on with it, i.e. no monitoring, no consultant saying "time's up", no one shouting at me to push. Boyfriend has promised to be focussed and practice saying no to big scary doctors.

One of the reasons I had thought to follow TT in getting a private midwife was to have someone with me at home for most of the first stage and then have her with me at hospital to say no to big scary doctors, but we are going to wait and see how we go. But if you have already had one quick labour, and your husband is on board I hope you will plan a home birth - I am convinced they would be more relaxing if you are confident in your ability to get through it without pain relief and doctors.

dh isn't happy about it but says that if that is what I want then I should do it. He's mainly worried about things that could go wrong but we are close to the hospital and so far I have no complications in my pg. I put a post in the Pregnancy sections and the women who have had home births rave about them. Those who had dh/dps against the idea said that they were completely converted once it was over and would do it again.

I'll be seeing my midwife Thursday next week so I'll see what she says.

With regards to pain relief - last time I was pushing by the time they had monitored me for long enough to decide if I could have Pethedine so I had to do it with just gas and air. Midwives carry gas and air with them for home births. They are also allowed to administer Pethedine (or equivalients). I'm hoping just to have gas and air this time if the labour is as quick or quicker than last time. There's no point in making myself drowsy otherwise as the side effects can last for hours and also make the baby sleepy.

My BF is definitely on board for a home birth for our second when and if s/he comes along but wants to allow for the unexpected this time as it is our first (and an IVF baby) and I am happy with that now we are booked with a good birth centre.

I put the introductory chapter of Janet Balaskas' book in his hands last week and he has been much more anti-intervention since then.

To be honest I think I'd really rather have a home birth, especially as I live so near to hospital for those 'just in case' scenarios but seeing as I've no family history of my own I figured it would be better to go in this first time. Having said that, I've made it quite clear that I wish to be at home for as long as is humanly possible because I do live so close to the hospital and will have my midwife, who I feel extremely comfortable with, at home with me.

By the way, as an escapee from the IVF process, I just wanted to say how sorry I felt for that poor woman who had to watch her embryos being destroyed because her ex-boyfriend couldn't deal with her being the mother of "his" children.
I thought it was unbelievably cruel of him, and it was a shame the situation turned into a discussion about parental rights and legalities on both sides instead of facing the reality of it: her being forced to destroy those embryos.
We did not have any "spare" proto-babies and to be honest we were glad not to have to deal with the ethics and emotional aspect of freezing embryos. But I would have thought that once you consented to create an embryo, that was full consent. I find it unbelievable that embryos can be destroyed for the reasons given by that man.

Hersetta my eczema is playing up right now too. Just waiting for the pollen count to soar and the hayfever and hives to start. My body hates summer! lol

God Kiteflying, your funny turn at the office doesn't sound like fun, are you feeling ok now? I wouldn't worry about baby, it was an isolated incident. You must look after yourself though, not everybody fusses over pregnant women, especially if they see them every day they tend to forget.

Since I don't look very pregnant I don't get fussed over much, even by friends and boyfriend. He'll move furniture for me and carry heavy bags of shopping but that's the extent of my fuss until I go to my sisters who won't even let me bend over or make a drink!

Re Homebirths: Lovely in concept, but I don't know if they'd let me have the baby at home, what with me being high risk (i.e fat) and all. Grr! There is NOTHING else wrong with me (except for a touch of SPD, which has eased off and isn't specific to overweight women anyway) my blood pressure is well within normal range, my heart is fine, all the scans, blood and urine tests they do come back fine.

I'll be really angry if my consultant comes around flashing his rolex and suggesting planned c sections because they think it's going to be a big baby. I've read birth stories by loads of big women who say that's happened to them....they measure the size of baby through a great big tummy which adds on several inches either end and pronounce it to be gargantuan, and undeliverable vaginally. So they do the caesarean and then it turns out to be 7 lb and they all say "oops! oh well..."

No thanks! In fact I may tell the consultant to bog off unless/until I start developing problems. Perhaps I could cope for a while at home alone, before going in when I'm just about to have him? Paracetamol can do wonders these days, can't they?

I wouldn't even have contemplated a home birth for my first.

They tell you to stay at home as long as you can stand the pain. A lot of women swear by TENS for inital pain relief. I must have phoned the hospital 3 times in 2 hours and each time they told me to stay home a bit longer (probably thought 'first timer doesn't have a clue') but the third time I put my foot down and said that I was coming in. If I'd taken their advice then dd would have been born at home or in the car. Definitely trust your instinct and do what you think is best.

i think i may be in the minority but i really dont fancy a home birth. i've never been bothered by hospitals (my dads a doctor so think that might have something to do with it) and think i would be much more relaxed knowing there is help nearby if needed. we live about 30 minutes drive from the hospital.

i just dont think i could relax at home at all - too many things to distract me, whereas at the hospital you are there for one reason and thats it, and someone else can worry about cleaning etc. but i think its one of these gut instinct things and you either really like the idea or you dont and whichever you are happiest with is the best idea for you.

i know its still about 4 months to go, but am starting to worry slightly about getting everything in my office sorted before mid july. 2 weeks off in may, and thats bad enough to get people to watch my files, but 9 months off will be quite a feat to prepare for.

damn nearly lunchtime over again. its defiantely the fastest hour of the day.

posts crossed gill - but that sounds sensible to me - everyone i know says to stay at home as long as possible so there is less chance to be forced to be monitored and so stuck on a bed, but i guess you know when its time that you really have to go (hope so anyway)

Bananabump - how does being overweight make you high risk? Is it an assumption that you are an unfit or am I just being dense? Sounds like a fight on your hands.

Conker - I feel for you arranging all your files. Happily, I should have very little handover and am hoping that taking an extra day off a week in the four leading up to departure will remind people to expect no contact.

I think for me the "fear" of a hospital birth is not a fear of hospitals but a fear that someone will take over and tell me I have no choice but to do x or y intervention. I would much prefer to be at home with one midwife and no "system" or protocols that say you can only push for an hour and a half before they intervene for example (this is a rule at my chosen hospital but we are hoping won't be a problem)

Bananabump - its funny, isn't it, that when you have a smallish bump people find it easier to expect you to be "normal". I think the only answer is to moan more.

I've had the same problem as bananabump as I'm another big girl. Was automatically referred to a consultant at 17 weeks who I must admit was very nice and didn't mention my weight. Gave me the once over and doesn't want to see me again until 32 weeks so am happy with that. Consultant also referred me to an anaesthesiologist though so he can also give me the once over to see if there would be any problems if I had to have an epidural or a general (as I've never had once before - left that side of things to DH - he's had 15!!).

Just been to the massive boots on Oxford Street which is only 75 yards from my office and bought a couple of baby bits. Lovely yellow cellular blanket for moses basket for £5 and matching flat sheet at onlt £4 for 2 - not bad I though. Got a couple of other essentials (dummy and first couple of bottles incase BF goes pear shaped).

Figured this was getting a bit overdue...!!

Time for a new thread

Afternoon all- gald everyone is well- ish. Had lovely easter in sunny Devon with parents but got slightly irritated with everyone continually questioning me about baby things...
Grandfather unfortunately died on Monday but he was 95 and it was very quick so couldn't ask for anything else really. I saw him on Saturday and he said I had to have a girl as my cousin has just had another boy. Never thought about it really but on that side of the family there are 3 girls and 13 boys in 3 generations. I am sure am having a boy but now feel under a bit of pressure!
On a lighter note, Gap maternity will be in London Oxford Street and High St Ken from April 21st and Guildford and Leeds. Apparently will have "jeans, Capri pants, skirts and some tops in store". Can verify the jeans are super comfy but will probably be expensive compared to what I paid in the states.

I know what you mean Conkertree. The one person I trust to look after my team is leaving soon and I really can't think of anyone else to replace her. I'm really worried about what I'm going to come back to. My task up til the end of July is to make sure absolutely everything is documented and fool proof so hopefully it won't fall apart. I'm only taking 4 months off so it shouldn't be so bad.

Mum came with us to the scan yesterday where we found out the sex. When I picked dd up yesterday evening she handed me a bag full of baby boys clothes. She couldn't help herself. It's lovely though that she wants to help out. She bought so much for dd before she was born and then loads more afterwards (she had to rush out to get tiny baby cos new baby clothes were miles too big). I really want to go out buying things now.

Ooh, will answer on tokentotty's spangly new thread!