October 2017 #5!

[GimbleInTheWabe]

Hope no one minds me setting up a new thread- we were getting full up on the other one!

Here is the link to the deets sheet, feel free to add or edit your details as you please:
docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1pa8LZMKMLvREYH4kFiNqn1dD7aTb053cT_KHvghwvSM/edit?usp=sharing

Bring on the third trimester aches, midwife appointments and birth plan chat!

Congratulations nessalina, cineraria, bumbling and any others I missed (on the app so can't check back)! Hope all mums doing ok and not feeling too battered!

My top tips would be 1) try to stay calm and trust your body, the second (pushing) stage is an indescribably intense feeling that can be very scary when it feels out of control, but it helps if you can to remember it's just your body doing what it was made for and all will be ok, embracing the pushes instead of fighting them (mentally) makes a big difference I think! Not easy to do however, this was my third and the second stage was only about 15 minutes with 5 or so pushes but it still panicked me at first and took me the first few to get my head right and breathe calmly.

Also baby is often tired from the birth and sleeps well the first night (often in hospital) and then night 1 at home is a total nightmare, this is normal and it will get easier! Saying that as last night was our second night and was truly terrible

Good luck to those currently in labour or waiting!

Wow, you don't check the page for a day and all these babies! Congratulations everyone! I can't believe its only the 3rd and we have so many babies.

Thanks for the tips from the top ladies! Seems like the main thing is the keep calm and breathe deeply, so hopefully my hypnobirthing exercises will help me there. Yes the taking the baby home for the first night is the bit that’s very very abstract to me atm potatoes! I have all the gear and no idea ha.

And thanks for the bag tip @Cineraria, I’ve packed one and I think DP has one but I might pack an actual bin bag too as you say cos it doesn’t have the holes. And v small so won’t take up much space in my already really big and full bag ha.

My boobs have gone insane. Today I started leaking, they're harder and as hot as hell and they are sitting so high up I look like a spare from Les Liasons Dangereuses.

I've gone through the barrier of "Tudor Boobs" and now in the "Regency Boobs" territory.

Boobs.

Boooooobs.

@TheLegendOfBeans my boobs are EPIC now too. 15 year old me would have been over the moon with these norks, not the mosquito bites I had until 9 months ago. I don’t know where to put them. I keep saying to DP ‘look at my boobs they’re huuuuuge!!’

Wow, these babies can't wait to get here! Congratulations @Cineraria (he was definitely worth the wait!) and @Nessalina (pleased that you were able to have a waterbirth again as you wanted, even if it was a quick one!)

I'm guessing there might be at least one more by the time I wake up tomorrow! Good luck to all of you where things might be kicking off.

I reckon I might be the only one left on here soon at this rate

Ah wow congrats cine and ness ! Hard to keep up on here! Very excited for you and great to read your birth stories, thanks for sharing. 38+3 here so still some waiting to go I expect! Thinking of everyone else who is close x

We can hang on to the end together @PingusMistress! 😂 I'm 39+3 today and by my original dates today would have been my due date. Bubbabean recognised this by teasing me again this afternoon- had period pains/ discomfort that started at 3pm and lasted on and off a few hours and then I spent the evening feeling restless and sick. It's all died down again now so I guess all there is for me to do is to go to bed and see if anything wakes me during the night! (Would be great but I somehow doubt it!) I felt very encouraged at about 5pm today but I'm now thinking 2 weeks overdue is still very much a possibility! 🙈🙈 Good luck to everyone else on the edge of babydom xxx

Congrats to all those with their babies!

@ButterflyGem you may be in labour right now but in reply to your hip pain question, I've been having the same lately. I don't think it helps that you are advised to sleep on your left side the whole time so that side never gets a break! When you can normally swap sides I think that helps but being in the same position all night means lots of pressure in the hip!

@pingusmistress we'll be here together, I'm not due until the 26th!

38+3 here and starting to get impatient. Stopped work last Friday but have continued to do bits and pieces as I’m having a trauma doing nothing and struggling to switch off... Feel sick, getting period pains on and off but he seems completely settled.. I’m desperate to meet him and so pleased (but very envious) of those mummy’s who have their little ones.. huge congratulations to all.

Morning all

Sorry it's taken so long to write this ... I don't know where time is going!! Ok so here is my story! I was really lucky as I had the most positive experience I could have ever asked for.

Ok so baby girl had been breach till 37 weeks .... we had a successful ecv ( controversial I know! But we decided to try) so her being head down meant I could for the waterbirth at our local midwife led unit.

On the Friday I woke up feeling ... odd ... I couldn't put my finger on what was actually wrong though! Throughout the day I started to lose my mucus plug. I couldn't sleep that night as I started to get what I initially thought were strong braxton hicks but they got stronger and they got to about 9 mins apart. Saturday morning came around and everything had stopped ... completely! Nothing happened all day then it all kicked off again Saturday night! All day Sunday I was having contractions ... only about 4/5 every hour. I sent DH to work Monday morning but he came home by lunchtime as things had started progressing and I went to get checked out.

Turns out I was 2 cm dialated!
We got sent home ... which was fine it was just good to know I was let imagining things! We had a lazy afternoon at home ... had a bath and watched a film ... but as the day went on things just weren't ramping up ... either time wise or pain wise.
We decided to try and get some sleep ... which resulted in DH completely passing out and me napping and getting annoyed!

Suddenly things got really uncomfortable out of nowhere and I could hardly stand between contractions.
We headed back into the unit and turns out I was now 6cm dialated! So we were now full steam ahead!
My amazing midwife got the pool ready and it was beyond bliss getting in! That foul pled with the gas and air and I was away!
Had a few hours of being in the pool ... listening to music ... having a chat and trying to laugh as much as possible.
My waters finally broke!
Suddenly I got the urge to push ... I spent about 25 mins pushing in the pool ..., but nothing much was happening so we decided I should get out. Moved onto the bed where we managed to get things moving a bit more but baby suddenly decided she was getting stuck coming round the bend! So I ended up in this squatty thing ( I have no idea what it's called!) but that seemed to help ... managed to get her head just about out.
At this point I got struck by the fear ... I physically couldn't move ... my legs were shaking to the point I couldn't control them and I couldn't get back on the bed as I was so scared of sitting on her head!

After some gentle persuasion from DH and my midwife I got back on the bed.
2 more pushed and her head was out! And then 2 little pushes and she arrived!
She was actually born pooing all over me! But I really didn't care!

It was the most incredible feeling and everything I had been feeling 30 seconds before suddenly didn't matter.

So after 2 days of stop start, 18 hrs of slow labour at home ... within 6 hours of us arriving at our birthing centre our darling Thea had arrived!

We had skin to skin straight away and delayed cord clamping and managed to have our first feed after about 20 mins.

The whole thing was an amazing experience and I even managed to get away without needing any stitches! And I know how lucky Iam!!

Congrats to everyone else who's bubba's have arrived!!
gimble how are you doing??

Sorry it's such a long post!
Looking forward to hearing how everyone else is getting on!

Good luck mummabubs, sounds like baby might be at least thinking about getting ready?!

I'm due on 15th but as I'm having a vbac won't be induced if I go over. Consultant said it'd be 40+12 before they would do a section so if baby doesn't come by herself it'll be 27th oct which seems a very long time!

Baby seems to have had a growth spurt and I'm feeling really uncomfortable now!

Cross post waps. Amazing story, thanks for sharing! Really nice to hear a positive experience. Hope you're all getting on well xx

Maybe they are toying with the idea Tippety, I hope so! For now though it's all gone back to normal so I'm doing my best to mindfully accept that for now at least I'm back to the waiting game 😊

Thanks so much for taking the time to share your experience Waps, it's given me some hope that things can come and go suddenly! Hope you're happily adjusting to being a mummy xx

What a lovely story wapsmahoney! Sounds like a wonderful experience Not even a tear, you lucky thing!

39+2 and after a long night in assessment centre I'm being induced this morning for mild preeclampsia, not doing too well on the being brave front! Wasn't expecting this until next week at least and was aiming for waterbirth at MW led!

Congrats to all with new babies and good luck to those in labour!

Thanks for sharing your story @wapsmahoney. That sounds totally ideal and I’m so happy that you had a positive experience and now you have your gorgeous girl. No stitches or anything! Amazing! Also getting to 6cm at home is fab. How soon did you get discharged?
Im okay thanks for asking, now 40+2 so trying to stay patient even though I’m really not. Actually thought things had kicked off last night as I woke up feeling what I was convinced was a contraction but since then - nowt! Although I’ve noticed things feel a bit more sensitive down there today. Hoping to get my SIL to do an inducing acupuncture session on me today (she is trained!!) so fx that gets him moving!

It seems the pushing phase has a theme of being quite over whelming (someone else mentioned about it I think?) so I’ll try and remember that if I end up also feeling really overwhelmed at the time and try to relax.

Good luck @TheLionQueen1 With the induction. Just remember you’re in the safest place and have the best people around you. You can do it!

Thanks @GimbleInTheWabe trying to put my big girls pants on

They've changed their mind and have closed the birth centre as too full so back in tomorrow morning! I keep thinking I'm going home with baby and come home empty handed!

That’s disappointing @TheLionQueen1 but maybe try and plan something nice for tonight like your favourite takeaway and film or something so you have a treat to look forward to. You know you deserve it!

Austin James born 04/10/17 10.22 am! xx

Evening all. My little girl arrived at one o'clock this afternoon, weighing 2.8kg. 37+ 3. Sat here in the dark with her lying on my chest as she isn't taken with the hospital's cot. It's a wonderful and terrifying feeling to know this little person is dependent on me!

Here's my (positive) birth story:

After my water's broke (old wives tales or not, for me it definitely was due to sex) we went to the hospital for a check up. I knew it must be my water's as there was a LOT. I soaked through 3 maxi pads. We were told we'd be induced within 48 hours due to risk of infection but there was a very high chance labour would start before then.

Sure enough, that evening, irregular contractions kicked in from 8pm (my water's broke about 5am). Stayed at home using the birthing ball (which was great!), lying on the sofa, kneeling, and sitting on the loo until I couldn't take the pain from the contractions anymore (was about 3 - 5 mins apart at this point.) A big focus for me was to remain quiet and calm, so no music, minimal lighting, minimal talking, which helped keep me in the zone.

Went in at 7am. 6cm diallated. Gas and air, which doesn't so much reduce the pain but makes your head drunk so you care less about it. Midwife had some amazing massage and holding techniques which really helped. Got into a nice rhythm. Got to 9cm diallated within 2 hours but the pushing stage took just under another 2 hours and admittedly was exhausting and hard, both physically and psychologically. But again, midwife was great, went through lots of different positions and methods to help me push... Got away with two small tears (stitching was a total non issue to me after 2 hours of pushing! Totally not worth worrying about.)

I'm really pleased with how it went. My midwives were fantastic.

Congratulations to you @wapsmahoney!

Aah! And @ButterflyGem! Baby mania!

Congratulations Butterfly and KitKat!
Lovely birth story KitKat, sounds like you did amazingly well!! The middle of the night alone with your new little one is such a brilliant/scary experience I'm up with mine currently - I think my milk is coming in coz my boobs are freaking throbbing!!