October 2017 #6

[PingusMistress]

Hope this works! A shiny new thread for our soon-to-arrive shiny new babies.

Attempt to link to the spreadsheet:
go.mumsnet.com/?xs=1&id=470X1554755&url=docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1pa8LZMKMLvREYH4kFiNqn1dD7aTb053cT_KHvghwvSM/edit?usp=sharing

@mummabubs three days????????? Omg! Good luck and hope you get going soon!

I know, I nearly cried haha! I'm trying to tell myself that probably includes people who are induced well before 42 weeks so probably might be a bit harder to get them to go into labour?? On the plus they've just been given the go ahead to start induction so I'm on the monitor for the pre-part... never thought I'd feel happy for them to say they could start induction but if it is going to take 3 days and I have to stay in hospital the entire time I figure might as well get the ball rolling!

DH has just gone home to look after the dog but I'm feeling remarkably calm. Hopefully the other ladies who were all feeling signs earlier on this board are now well on their way to meeting their little ones! 😊

Glad things are starting to happen mummabubs. Hopefully baby gets the hint and doesn't keep you waiting!

No change here. Back is a bit sore but probably because I ended up sleeping on the sofa after another bout of insomnia!

And my last solo day with ds wasn't too idyllic after he poured his cup of milk on our sofa! But we went out to a cafe and the park so that was nice at least!

Cafe and park sound lovely Tippety 😊

Pessary in, so now the first lot of waiting begins! Apparently I'm already having one contraction every 10 minutes (which has actually been happening for days but they're completely painless so I assumed were nothing)... the new midwife's theory is that I'm so used to braxton hicks that I don't interpret it as pain! 🙈

Glad you got your induction started @mummabubs , and I hope things start happening for you soon (or if not, that you at least manage to get a little bit of sleep in hospital). Keep us updated. I’ve just got a hospital appointment next Thursday to “make a plan” (i.e. book an induction) so I may be in a similar situation this time next week, I’m keen to know what is involved!

Oh dear @TippetyTapWriter , sofa + milk is a bad combination! It is good that you managed to get out of the house with DS though, as it looks like it’s going to be a miserable wet weekend, boo.

I’ve had a lot of cramps today, and maybe a few tiny bits of plug, but nothing grand enough to be classed as a show. Hoping it means the little chap is considering his options though. Still keeping fingers crossed to go into labour naturally.

Baby girl arrived at 4.20 after a c section- the contractions id had since my waters went 28 hrs prior had done nada!
She is beautiful an well worth the discomfort!

Aww congratulations @asilikeit, so chuffed for you! 😊 xx

@mummabubs I hope things move quickly for you!

Thank you! They are moving in that I'm definitely having contractions since the early hours (praise be to the great labour God!) and they are gradually getting longer and stronger. Just started using the TENS machine which I'm loving (if anyone else has hired one definitely practice with it from 37 weeks plus as it means when you need it your brain releases the endorphins much quicker than if using it for the first time). The only thing I would say is you get no sleep on a shared labour ward whatsoever, but I'm sure that's no surprise! So glad I sent DH home as at least one of us will have some energy spare 🙈

@asilikeit congratulations! Bet its all worth it holding her. Looking forward to hearing more.
Thinking of you today @mummabubs, & hoping things speed up for you. At this rate I'll be the only one left here!

Thanks Bobbiepin, I wouldn't assume I'm off to the other side just yet mind! Having 3 contractions every 10 minutes and they need to see 4-5 before considering whether to remove pessary and take me upstairs to delivery suite, so there could be a way to go yet! I've discovered the woman in the bed next to me is term +15, which makes me feel slightly better as before then I haven't known anyone who's as overdue as me! 🙈

Congratulations on your beautiful baby girl @asilikeit !

Glad your contractions have started @mummabubs and sorry you’ve had no sleep. It’s hard enough to sleep with contractions anyway, let alone being on a noisy shared ward. You can pay extra to have a private room at my hospital but I think that is only after baby arrives.

I’m 39+4.
Yesterday morning when I went to the bathroom, when I wiped there was a pink tinge to the discharge. It wasn’t stringy or thicker, and happened a couple of times that morning. I also had a bit of backache and cramps.
The pink tinge soon went and everything went back to normal.

I went to the bathroom in the night again last night and the pink tinge was back.

Is this normal? I’ve been monitoring babies movements these past couple of days (all seems fine), but I’m not sure if this is something that is just part of my body getting ready for labour or could be something else. First baby!

I think that was one of my early signs of labour @leannejade! It was really light pink discharge and I got it a few days before things kick of if I remember correctly so fingers crossed for you!

Congrats @asilikeit!!

Sounds like it could be a show @leannejade, which can be a sign of your body gearing up for labour! Fingers crossed :)

It was going so well, and then the clip came off on the tens machine as I got out of bed to go for a wee, machine fell to the floor and promptly broke... so I'm definitely feeling the contractions more now! (Poor DH has gone on a mission to buy a tens machine and I'm googling replacements to order as the one I've borrowed was a free loan from our next door neighbour) 🙈

Huge congrats asilikeit!

Oh no, what a nightmare about the tens mummabubs! I'm glad things seem to be moving along for you though. Hopefully baby will be here today! Good luck!

Sounds like things might be happening for you pingu and leanne! Maybe there will be a few babies arriving this weekend :)

Argos for the TENS @mummabubs

Prediction; if you're getting contraction action from pessary #1 then you may not need anything else [prays for swift labour for mummabubs]

So happy to hear DD is here safe and well @asilikeit

Update - I would say I’ve DEFINITELY lost my plug (if not, some of it!). Sadly excited about this, but I feel there’s progress!

Of course I have a busy weekend where OH’s mum is visiting today, and my mum is visiting tomorrow

Exciting @leannejade ! Fingers crossed for you!

I’ve just had the runs (sorry) so either my body is having a clear out or it is the reason for the cramps and totally unrelated to baby 

@mummabubs have you asked if the labour ward have tens machines you can hire?

Talking of tens machines, does anyone know if you can test them without putting the pads on your skin? I’ve bought some replacement pads off the internet but I can’t feel any current when they are on the plastic backing. I’m worried they might be duff ones.

I feel your pain @mummabubs - I loved my tens machine this time round when I was getting contractions before section.

So a very brief version is my waters went at 11am on Thursday and I contracted all day and night, had to go to hospital 11 am yesterday and found out the contractions had got me to the grand total of 1cm! I was against any induction of labour so they took me in for section. I don't seem to labour well at all- I think if they left it down to my contractions it would take near on a week to get my babies out! Last labour was exactly the same hence why I knew I didn't want to mess around with smaller interventions if I wasn't progressing.

I actually found the section petrifying even though I thought I'd prepared for it, but the team in the theatre were amazing.

Since been born she has been a total boob monster which I'm pleasantly surprised about as I never managed to feed last time round.

I'm feeling stiff today but not much pain at all which I'm really pleased with- it's certainly better than I felt after episiotomy/ stitches/ forceps last time, so much more comfortable.

Hope all the babies don't make you wait too long! X

I am loving that prediction @TheLegendOfBeans, I hope you're right. My waters seem to have started going in the last hour so that's now given bean a 24 hr deadline to make an appearance one way or another! We've tried literally every retailer in a wide radius, nowhere keeps tens machines in stock so we're in a bit of a hiccup there. The midwives have checked delivery suite; the MLU, antenatal clinic- suffice to say there is not a single tens machine in one of the largest hospitals in Wales! 🙈

Thanks for sharing your story @asilikeit and well done for sticking to your guns and making sure you got the birth you wanted given your options. (I'm being very vocal about my strong desire for the one room with a pool on the CLU... hopefully I'll get it as without the water and without TENS my non-pharmacological pain options are out and the only pain relief left for my original birth plan essentially just became gas and air! 😂 I swear this is life trying to literally taunt me by saying "come up with a lovely birth plan that makes you feel safe and in control, tell yourself baby will come close to their due date and then watch as we the hilarious labour fairies rip into it for shits and giggles"!!!

The thread is very busy this morning...this is great news.
Congratulations @asilikeit
@mummabubs hopefully you will find a tens machine I was debating whether to try one this time round. Hopefully I manage to find one abit easier than the trouble your having (today of all days)
Can’t wait for your update feel like I’ve been living through your journey with you.
Well I’m 39+5 today and had my son today (6 years ago) this baby is showing no signs of an imminent arrival. Had mucus but not bloody or coloured at all.
I had high hopes of a nice long walk today but the weather has put a stop to that so its tea and biscuits and get cosy with a film instead.
Good luck all

Honestly I would try one @xflipflopx, I'm sure they're not for everyone, but all I know is that there are other people here apparently less progressed than me who are requesting all sorts of pain relief and I can honestly say (hopefully not prematurely!) that the tens machine made a massive difference for me in the early hours, literally between struggling to catch my breath and grimacing and being able to sit in bed and talk normally during contractions. Love it!

And my utterly amazing DH has just text to say he's managed to fix the TENS machine at home within a screwdriver and is now coming back with it. God I love him.

So pleased you have managed to get yours fixed!

My hospital are hinting at me
Going home TODAY! I feel like I need another night but appreciate they need the room I suppose. Still think it's a big jump from being in a room with baby and husband and all the support from midwives etc and not far to walk to toilet after section etc to going home to my 5 year old, 3 storey home with no nearby midwives etc. Am I being stupid?! I'm having a panic and some tears, husband thinks we will be fine and I'm sure we will I just feel it's pressured and another night would see me more mobile and pain free etc?!