November 2018 #2

[BadBadBeans]

Ante-natal thread for babies due this November, continued...

Stats spreadsheet is here - add and update yourself as needed!

Fingers crossed for you @theinprobablegirl

Fingers crossed @TheImprobableGirl

Had my booking in appt this morning and she didn't check anything except height and weight. Didn't do bloods or urine or blood pressure. I'd convinced myself that this was all at this appt and not the 12 week scan appt.

I have to have the GD test later on because of BMI. But my BMI is always high no matter what. How you can be 5'8 and a straight up and down size 14 and be obese is beyond me.... had to have GD test with DS anyhow and it was all fine and I was 7 stone heavier with no exercise and awful diet back then.

No one has checked still that I'm actually pregnant.... this amuses me no end thank goodness for the early scan so we know that there is definitely a baby in there!

@Lastnightsmakeup that's good news about the midwife - do make sure you go to the consultant appointment fully armed with your reasons etc as they can be a little more troublesome to get past IME!

Can't stop looking at tiny baby clothes, just want to get tomorrow over and done with so I know one way or another! Was at the cinema when I realised I was bleeding, so left the film after the first 45 mins :( wasn't particularly good saying that.

@GiveMummyTheWhizzer hopefully you will be fine, at least once you've had the test then they will get off your back a bit! Glad all these booking in appointments are going well, did they ask you about all your previous pregnancy information? That's what usually takes the time.

Reading a different thread, I'm now worried that having more scans will affect the baby if it is still there... but its such a silly thing to worry about with everything else thats going on! Im so ridiculous...

@TinyPawz @sarahhh1984 @TheUbercornMum this might be useful for you www.rcog.org.uk/en/news/rcog-statement-on-new-who-guidance-on-caesarean-section/

It's definitely not a decision to be taken lightly but my mw said they'd have to inform me of any risks etc at the appointments and I just have to nod and say I understand and confirm that I still want one. It's a massive relief for me as had such a rough labour before having the emergency section last time and it really effected the first few days with dd.

I didn't realise how many less appointments there are with subsequent pregnancies - last time I felt like I was seeing her every week! Next appointment 16 weeks.

@confuddledconfuddle picked up some prawn cocktail crisps whilst I was at the hospital getting my bloods taken 👌 mmm

@TheImprobableGirl Oh yes I've been fully armed since my last section. My mw said that the consultant who I'll be referred to is very lovely and respectful of the mothers wishes, so hopefully won't be too much of a battle 🤞

Oh that’s good news, there are some really lovely midwives and consultants around luckily

@LastNightsMakeUp Thank you for that info.

Sorry to read you had such a rough ride last time. I ended up with a forceps delivery rather than a emcs but then has to go into surgery straight away anyway to have my placenta manually removed so I got the worst of both worlds! It really affected my first few days/weeks with DD (I was scared to sleep because I honestly believed I'd die) and I ended up having to go for counselling. Logic tells me the same thing won't happen again but I go through periods of anxiety when I worry that it'll happen exactly the same way and I don't feel that I can do it a second time. Will make sure I'm armed with information before my consultant mw appointment.

@LastNightsMakeUp that's fab!

Haha @TheUbercornMum I didn't even get asked! Just "why did you have emcs?" "Foetal distress" "oh good, no reason not to have a vaginal delivery this time then" and moved on! I had to push to go back and get a consultant app to discuss it (to be fair, I am undecided but do at least want the choice!)

@sarahhh1984 Bless you that sounds horrible. No wonder you're wanting an elective, totally understandable. I don't see how anyone could argue with that. I think if you have any problems and you definitely want a section you need to just stick to your guns. The NICE guidelines say that whilst it's usually not the preferred method for birth you actually are entitled to one, and if the consultant isn't happy to perform one for you they have to refer you to someone who is willing to.

Not wanting to scare any first time mums though, I have several friends who have had pretty much painfree natural births - one of my friends had to put her burger down to do the final push!!!

@toasterstrudle I'm pretty sure in the trust I had dd every c section delivery is automatically referred to the 'birth choices/VBAC clinic' in subsequent pregnancies - is that not the norm countrywide?

@sarahhh1984 that was a horrid experience for you, I'm sorry to hear that.

@LastNightsMakeUp I'm not sure! I'm in Scotland and my midwife literally asked that question and then breezed on to the next bit, I had to say I'm undecided and would like more information! Perhaps I would have been given an appointment anyway though, I'm not sure!

Thanks for the info. Haven't even had my paperwork for booking in appointment yet. Goodness knows when that will come. Usually have to fill it out, return to hospital then you are issued with appointment for booking in / 12week scan. According to my dates I'm 7w3d, although with epu scan last week not able to confirm Im probably a few dates later. Either way I think it's cutting it fine. I suspect I will be consultant lead regardless due to age/weight/previous section. Time will tell I suppose.

Still testing everyday and driving myself nuts. Tuesday cannot come quick enough. I think I'll settle a little more when I can see the heartbeat

Just thought re: my last post: to any first time mums, the series of things that went wrong for me weren't things that crop up regularly. It was also unusual/unlucky for them to all happen in the same labour/birth. Most women I know had fantastic experiences.

Thank you@toasterstrudle and @LastNightsMakeUp. I may have a bit of a fight on my hands but I just need to stick to my guns and say it's for the good of my mental health. No good having a vaginal delivery if I'm a nervous wreck in the build-up and during.

Completely agree @sarahhh1984 that will be my main reasoning too. I'll forward any other articles/policies I come across as they crop up too.

Also the thing is, if you were paying privately you'd still have to sign consent forms
Etc but no one would be making you fight for it. (FYI 'all in' package at Guys and St Thomas' for reference is £6k)

Had my first scan, by lmp im 7wks, little bean measuring 7w5d with heartbeat & little sprouts for limbs visible - sooo happy & relieved!! Thought my heart was going to pop out of chest in waiting area. Fingers crossed now it keeps going.

That's great news, @keepinghopeful! Really happy for you!

Congratulations hopeful madness that you could see the limbs though! I refer to my scan picture a couple of pages ago, that is literally a fuzzy grey patch

Brilliant @keepinghopeful !! I'm excited for everyone's scans, can't wait to see some pics of the beans. I wonder if anyone's having twins!! Although please not me I cannot imagine three under two

Aw so glad @keepinghopeful!

Got my scan next week, praying for one healthy baby in the right place, I've just been doing some maths around childcare costs so really hoping it's not twins!

@amarettoplease just read your message, did you have your first baby at lewisham? What did you think? Haven’t seen the unit yet but currently booked in there !

Thanks everyone, after 3 losses prior to this it was lovely to see it today however well aware a while to go yet but one milestone down 😊🙏🏻🤞

Would be lovely to see twin babies 👶🏼 👶🏼 ( on the thread rather than in real life 🙈)

keepinghopeful that is a great milestone to pass, after a hard time of it too- fingers definitely crossed for a sticky bean

Goodness- twins run in my family and given the size of my carb-bulge/“bump” I’m bricking it! Really hoping for one baby!

Overdid it today. This afternoon I was feeling ok-ish and texted DH to suggest a pub dinner after work. I managed to just about get the meal down (not helped by him ordering shell fish and the smell making me feel sick), before a wall of tiredness hit and we had to go home. I got really grumpy and pathetic and was in bed by 8:15. Really need to stay in more until this exhaustion passes. It seems to come in waves.

Yay for a positive scan @keepingithopeful and I’m super impressed you could see limbs. We were obviously super happy and relieved to see a heartbeat but both a little underwhelmed with the blob on the screen measuring 8+6. Last time I didn’t have a scan until 12 weeks and you can see so much more then.

@Aussi yes, I had him there in 2013 and had a great experience. Was worried when I called in the night in labour as they were full and said I’d have to go to the labour ward. I stayed home until the following morning and was 4cm when they admitted me. Waited in a hallway on a birthing ball with some portable gas and air while they cleaned a room then went into what I called my suite! Looks like a decent hotel, medical equipment hidden behind cupboards and a lovely tub. Some rooms have a swinging chair thing instead that looks like a weird sex contraption. I was examined at 10am by the same midwife who delivered my son at 7.40pm. A second midwife came in for the end bit (shoulders got stuck but she managed to grab him out without tearing me) and then a doctor from the ward came to check him over because of meconium in water. Then they gave me and DH tea, toast and yoghurts and checked DS through the night. We left about 24hrs after he was born. The only reason I’m not having this one there is because we’re now closer to Queen Elizabeth and their birthing centre is based on the Lewisham one. Hoping for a similar experience, only this time I’d like no meconium in waters so I’m allowed to birth in the pool. If my waters had broken earlier I’d probably have been transferred to the ward- also nice to know that the doctors/theatre etc are just a lift away if needed. They also had birthing stools and beanbags etc to use and the midwives were all so lovely.

Sorry for the waffle, hope it helps. Thinking about it almost makes me look forward to the next birth

@amarettoplease thank you so much - what a great story! Was struggling to find anything recent online so great to hear your positive experience