July 2017 #6 - labour here we come

[nat2311]

I think this is how you make one?

Cat: I can completely understand and empathise. I still have no crib, no pram base (just the car seat and newborn sleeper thing) and all baby's stuff is in bags in DS's room. I have packed my hospital bag minus a nursing bra and am worried about all the things that we'd need to sort if I go into labour and trying not to think about everything I wanted to get done first.

Hey @rhodes beautiful girl and wishing you a speedy recovery!

@catrash I know exactly how you feel as I went into labour without having done hospital bag properly! My mum and dad were driving to local 24hr Asda to buy last minute supplies! Don't worry about all the bits they will sort themselves out concentrate in your and babie's well being, your family will feel better being able to help.

Wish you a good day and hope to see your Baby soon.

@nothereyet the anxiety was all around the Babiems well being also I think the walk was a bit much and I was super tired. Will attempt a shorter adventure today on my own to see how I feel prior to other half going back to work on Monday!

Any tips for first week without him welcomed!

Lost the thread for a few days there! Congratulations on all the yummy babies!

I've still got 9 days until due date so not expecting anything to happen for a while....

@mawita wow back to work already. Good luck! The worries of going back to work usually feel worse than they actually are. I enjoyed going back to work but my son was about 8 months ish.

@catrash i can only imagine how stressful that feels, im always the organiser and sorter so if i had to leave it up to someone else id be really stressed out but usually other people manage just fine.
Best of luck xxx

@Mawita my oh goes back Monday for three days and then is rostered out again. I'm playing it down but am absolutely shitting myself 😂🙈

@CatRash don't beat yourself up it's just stuff at the end of the day and you'll be surprised at how not prepared you can get away with. Just try and focus on the fact you'll have a gorgeous baby soon and you can find out if it's a boy or girl. Soon this will all pale into insignificance ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Aww congratulations @rhodes2015 she's gorgeous 💕 our babies are birthday twins!

So, a bit more about my labour and how it all happened so suddenly...

After my waters had gone at 17:45 on Wednesday, I was back in for monitoring at 14:00 on Thursday. Still no contractions. Midwife gave me a little aromatherapy session with clary sage at 15:00. Between 15:00 and 19:00 I only had 2 very mild contractions, and upon examination my cervix was softening but not really enough, and Baby Z's head was only 3/5 engaged. Despite the infection risks related to PROM, all on the monitors was fine for both baby and me so I didn't want to rush into an induction yet. We did another clary sage aromatherapy session with a hand massage, and the MW said she would do another examination after 6 hours.

However, at 19:30, I suddenly started having regular intense contractions. And when I say regular, I mean like there was not even a second between each one to catch my breath... I started using the gas and air but as there was literally no respite between contractions I couldn't give my body enough of a break from the gas and I became really zoned out and spacey. I could hear everyone talking around me and fully process thoughts but I could barely even speak or sip water through a straw. I was on my knees leaning over the back of the bed, and my mum tells me my eyes were rolling backwards into my head!

By 21:30 after 2 hrs of these relentless contractions I finally managed to communicate to the staff that I wanted an epidural (and that I was absolutely sure about it), and the most wonderful anaesthetist came to my rescue. The epidural was literally the best decision I ever made! Totally transformed my birthing experience as the pain evaporated and I was able to be present in the moment and in my own personality again. It allowed me to actually enjoy the final pushing stage.

Once the epidural kicked in the MW examined me again to check how far dilated I was - she was expecting 3-4cm after the 2hrs of contractions. But to her surprise, I was already fully dilated and ready to push! We had to wait an hour for the epidural to start wearing off so that I would have some control over pushing, which also gave me a bit of time to rest physically from the intensity of the contractions, as well as allowing DH the chance to arrive at the hospital straight from LHR. He made it at 22:00, at 22:30 I started pushing, and at 22:38 Baby Z was delivered 💙

I had a small internal tear and a couple of stitches but haven't needed any pain relief since the delivery. Catheter and candela from the epidural were removed pretty quickly as I didn't have any top-ups so the effects wore off quite fast, and I was able to walk to the postnatal suite from the delivery room an hour after the birth.

Oh and here he is! Forgot to attach the picture 🙈

Mawita now that's is where I'm nervous too. After dh has gone back to work. He took the last week of June off as baby arrived early and he is also taking the whole of July off. We have been a nice little team here in our bubble with baby watching Wimbledon but I am dreading him going back to work. I am enjoying every single second dh is here.

Linda yes the wrap was a fuff. When I did master it it felt good but yes I think I might treat myself to the close caboo too as my baby doesn't like the pram.

Thanks all. Good to hear I'm not the only disorganised one but I would strongly recommend getting everything sorted ASAP - you never think it's going to happen to you! I would have put money on being overdue! @HaichM I'm looking at you ;)

I've chilled out a bit now DH is here and ensures me that he carried out my instructions as I'd asked!!

Currently just playing the waiting game. Been about 6 hours since I had the pessary inserted and have some mild period pains but nothing else to report.

Ended up paying £150 (ouch!) to have my own (tiny) room just to get off the ward due to a really annoying, loud couple in there. Also means I get my own shower and toilet and can just be in peace and quiet. I thought being relaxed was probably fairly important to get things moving.

Sounds like you had a fairly good birth @ButterflyFree - nice and quick anyway!

Cat: ouch sounds right but I'll keep my fingers crossed that you can enjoy it and relax and it will get things moving. There's little worse that really loud, annoying people when you're trying to relax during a stressful and anxious time. I'm glad DH has managed to follow your instructions and arrive so hopefully things will get going now.

As for us here, the crib is arriving in the morning via my bro and then I'm hoping we can persuade BIL to bring round the changing table and pram base so I can feel more settled. We've finally got some boxes so I can start sorting through things and packing for when we do eventually manage to move to our new house.

Rhodes and Butterfly congratulations. Sorry you had a stressful time Rhodes but glad you and baby are OK now.

Will update properly once I've slept, but for those of you who haven't seen on Facebook: DS arrived this afternoon. All good.

@catrash had to pay for a room? Do you not get your own room when in labour anyway? Didnt even know paying was an option. I ended up with my own room at postnatal but that was more because i was telling them i was going home and they didnt want me to.
Ive never been on labour ward so not really sure what its like but id hate to be able to hear other people. Would really grate on me and get on my nerves i think.

Im not actually sure where my crib is. Its either in the loft or at my nans house. Ill put it on the to do list of things to check!!

@mynameisntlinda I think in some NHS hospitals, you can pay for a private room after the labour, as long as there's no one who needs it more for medical reasons. Must admit, I would pay if I had to stay, can't think of anything worse than a shared bay with 3 other mums and babies. I'll be pushing to go home asap as well, we live so close to the hospital.

Congrats @butterflyfree he is lovely! And your birth did go very fast! Glad to hear your DH made it too! What an insane time for him. Enjoy the first few days!

I just came back from a shorter part solo part accompanied trip no anxiety in sight so hopefully we will stay that way.

I woukd defo pay to be in my own room. The post natal ward had 5 beds but by night were only 2 or 3 of us. The woman and bloke next to us kept talking in English and i think french and reciting tjings from a bible and having loud phone conversations. Did my head in. And they were told off multiple times by a mw for keep putting the baby on pillows in the crib. Dh coukdnt stay on the ward so i said i wasnt staying because there was no way i could be in hospital on my own iver night...so she went and came back and said they had a side room and dh could sleep on the floor. Bet he wishes he could go home coz hr moaned about how uncomfy it was and how little sleep he got. I just gave him "the look"

That sounds good @mawita glad it felt better today

I'd had paid anything to have a private room too. 🙈

Congratulations @rhodes !

@catrash thinking of you? Hope it's going well

I'm on an induction ward I guess at the minute and once you're in labour you go up to the delivery ward where I'm pretty sure you get your own room. Although I haven't got much sleep I'm so so so glad I have my own room - it's so much nicer!! I'm glad I'm not the only one who find other 'inmates' insufferable!

I sent DH home at about 8pm because I was feeling tired, I ended up watching a film until around 10:30pm when I needed to take my blood pressure meds anyway. Been getting the odd bit of sleep but gave up about an hour and a half a go due to, what I assume are, contractions. Although they seem to have bigger gaps between them now - might do some pacing and see if that helps.

Also had blood tinged mucus so assume this is my show.

Thanks for all the well wishes BTW - much appreciated!

Thanks everyone!
Good luck catrash hope all goes well, thinking of you!
butterfly he's absolutely beautiful!

Fantastic news spin congratulations!!

Good luck @catrash

Congratulations @butterflyfree what a stunner

Good luck!!
Ive just woke uo from an hours nap (that the 2 year old refussed to join me with)
Hes downstairs with dh so im playing on my phone for a bit...he doesnt need to know im awake yet and hes going out with friends in an hour so i dont feel guilty hiding away up here lol

Few more details...

Contractions got more intense and closer together all morning. Latent phase was as rubbish as I remember it being - painful contractions and feeling sick (though I didn't actually throw up this time). But this time round I knew that was the worst bit, which helped get me through it. Got my mum round after lunch, then went to the hospital at 2:30pm. Was 5cm dilated, so went into a delivery room for gas and air. Felt the urge to push at about 3:15 (which is a relief actually - a focus to the pain), and DS was born at 1537. Gravity assisted - I never got on the bed!

Stayed in overnight for support with feeding, which appears to be going well so far. Cam home after lunch and all well. DD is being super helpful big sister!

Thanks all 💙 and congratulations @Spindelina !

Does anyone have any advice on how to ease discomfort for bubs when passing meconium? Poor Baby Z is really struggling and fussing a lot as he tries to push it out... he's got rid of a great deal already but it just keeps coming and nothing appears to soothe him until he passes it 😥

@ButterflyFree maybe try gently bicycling his legs. Bless him ❤️ also breastmilk has a natural laxative in so feed as much as possible and it should start to flush it through

That sounds nice and straightforward @Spindelina glad that feeding is going well. Definitely a relief when the older sibling is helpful! I lived in fear of bring number 2 home and her sister would hate her!