August 2018 #6 - Impending Births and The Final Push!

[peterpanwendy]

Into months 7 and 8 of our pregnancies now.. this will most likely be our last 'pregnant' thread before we all have our babies!!

How did we get here? Feels like just yesterday we were waving hello from the TTC boards.

If anyone new would like to join please do, we also have a very busy (private) Facebook group for everyone due in August 2018.

@Buk88 aww congratulations! Lovely name and glad you are both doing well 😊

Wonder if I could ask for people's opinions?

Basically every drug I'm allowed during labour I'm allergic to (makes me violently sick, even with anti sickness or makes me unconscious) and I suffer with slipped discs at the bottom of back and in my neck. I've seen an anaesthesia specialist and they said I should have no problems with epidural or c-section. I'm just worried that having an epidural may mask any further damage I could do to my back (last time it went bang I lost feeling in my legs for a few days and couldn't walk probably for months, even with physio) I'm just worried that I won't be able to care for my little one after he arrives as well as I can. Family, friends and midwife I saw last week are telling me to go for a c-section for my own health as well as baby but as this is my first I'm not sure. Is this something I can request with my consultant when I see them tomorrow, or will they just say try epidural first?

@BertieBotts that sounds lovely! Glad you've had such a positive experience. I have my risk assessment at my midwife led birth centre next week :)

Ah congratulations @Buk88 glad all is well and your little boy is here safe!

@samb1979 I would definitely ask about the c section and air your concerns. I don't think you're being unreasonable by wanting to go straight for the c sec especially with your history x

So I have seriously upset my sciatic nerve. The pain comes and goes but when it's bad I'm sobbing in agony unable to move a cm! I couldn't get down the stairs this morning because it was so bad. Says it can take 4-6 weeks to improve which is when I'm due!! Scary!

Samb it's in the nice guidelines you're entitled to request a c-section for any reason if it's what you want. I think I'd ask the consultant if you can speak to an anaesthetist about your individual risk from the epidural maybe and go from there? But if c-section is what you want don't be afraid to ask for it. Especially as midwife has suggested it too.

@samb1979 Was the anaesthetist aware of the location of your lower back herniated disc, just incase it's at the level where they'd want to do an epidural. If the epidural meant you couldn't move then I would have thought it difficult for you to further injure your back. Do you mind me asking what set it off last time? However, if you want a c-section you can ask for one. They'd probably still do an epidural for that though (or would you want general anaesthetic?).

@peterpanwendy Have you tried going sideways down the stairs? Lead with the bad leg going down and good leg going up (good leg to heaven, bad leg to hell is the way to remember it). Is your back painful too or does it seem to start more at your bottom? If it's the latter you could get someone to roll a ball (eg a tennis ball) on your bum cheek to try to relax the muscle (there's a muscle in your bum which can trap the sciatic nerve), or you can sit on the tennis ball and do it yourself. It will hurt when doing it though but should only hurt your bum, not all the way down your leg. Clear as mud? See if you can see a physio as they may be able to sort it quickly if it is stemming from your bum rather than back.

Thanks for the advice so far everyone 😊

@Gizzymum I have two discs and the are quite low down, however they were checking with my medical records and previous MRI scans to see if they would be ok to insert the needle in the location that they normally would be able to and pass that info on the the consultant tomorrow. Unfortunately nothing triggers the episodes I have, always happens when I'm asleep and when I wake I can't feel my legs and when the feeling eventually returns I can't hold my own weight it's that painful 😖 and just before I found out I was pregnant they were about to do surgery on my c4-c5 and c5-c6 discs in my neck which are being postponed until well after little one comes. The midwife said that she is worried that because I have loss of feeling with the epidural I may not be able to notice until it's too late if my back goes while in labour. I just don't want to feel like I'm failing my little boy if I can't do things for him x

@peterpanwendy I can recommend seeing a chiropractor for sciatica - I had it for years from running marathons and I tried all sorts - chiropractor sorted it really quickly! I hope you get some relief soon x

@peterpanwendy for immediate pain relief either ice pack or heat pack, whatever suits you. That's what my physio recommended for me if I suffered with sciatica during pregnancy (as well as afterwards) can highly recommend either using a chiropractor or physio though. They have been my lifeline over the past few years! Hope you start to feel an ease to the pain soon x

A bit of an update - apols to those seeing this in FB already!

Not as severe as the other one, but have been having some liver issues (probably OC but bile salts are still really low). Had my latest appt (3 in 10 days! 😳) and 4hrs later... my liver enzymes number is still rising, so back again on Friday for more tests. They will then want to do a sweep if favourable and look to induce/break my waters next week if it’s not happened naturally 😳

Their main concern is the liver working properly for both baby and me, as well as me bleeding out as my blood isn’t clotting.

Feeling quite discombobulated and not 100% ready for it all the fear of the unknown is stressing me out, but as long as the baby is healthy and arrives safetly, that’s the most important thing.

Feeling heartbroken and emotional that I’m changing my sons life so much, so soon, but hopefully we’re preparing him as best we can.

Will be delivering on the ward now, not the birthing suite, but they are supporting me to have as much of a hands off birth as possible. Now to figure out how to relax about it all so my oxytocin kicks in! 🤞🏼

[Edited by MNHQ to protect identifying details]

Caffeine did you mean to put the poster's name in there? I might ask MNHQ to redact that part.

Try not to worry about the induction, I'm sure it will go really well. I think everyone having DC2 worries about DC1, it's completely natural but they benefit so much from having siblings, I'm sure there will be lots of wonderful moments between them.

Get into that meditation, hypnosis and breathing

@BertieBotts No! How do I do that???

Thank you. Yes I think now more than ever I need a quick refresher on all things calming!

You just report your own post and explain :) they should be able to just delete the appropriate but I think. But you have to request it yourself.

@BertieBotts done - thank you.

Also thanks for your birth plan list 1 I screen grabbed it! Kind of which I photocopied my last one to use again! Will wrote the new one up before Friday and hope for the best.

Definitely want as little intervention as possible, delayed cord cutting and instant skin to skin. I actually felt amazing after having my DS - just euphoric and impressed by my body/biology. The pain kicked back in obviously, but it was a feeling that stuck with me.

I was a total mess for my first and didn't have anything written down and the midwives just said not to worry - do you want syntocinon for the placenta, and do you want vitamin K? And I could answer both of those so they were happy. Everything else we just dealt with as it came up.

Fingers crossed that it all goes smoothly for you, CaffeineDragon. You know this, but the doctors will weigh up the pros and cons before recommending induction and you get the final say, which might help you feel more in control and relaxed.

To stimulate oxytocin, I've been watching light hearted comedy on TV (and avoiding the news) and have got some easy going library books too. These are small things but they can be a great distraction if I start to feel overwhelmed.

@somersetsinger ahh good tips! Yes, they're being great, so will just focus on taking it one thing at a time as required.

I just cut and painted my toe nails and it was soooo much effort. They are so swollen I literally look like an elephant and my almost 8 month pregnant belly was very much in the way! 😂

I over did it a bit today. 1hr of gardening followed by 3.5hrs of flat pack furniture assembly was not appreciated by my bump or back. It was almost like a half hour long contraction 😱. Carrying DS1 home from nursery an hour later also didn't help matters.

I think tomorrow I'll just stick to ironing a pair of curtains. 😳🤣

@Gizzymum or maybe just a day of rest!

@StrawberryLemonade
How did your induction go? Hope you are okay :) xx

What has everyone packed (or used!) for baby's coming home outfit?
I've got a short sleeved vest, some little pants with feet, and a velvet jacket, and hat.
I'm worried though that I might need a proper coat for her? What's everyone else got?

I packed a few vests, few sleepsuits and cardigan. The going home outfit is the picture I posted. Will put a vest on underneath. I haven’t packed a coat but I got a cardigan sort of thing or alternatively il put blankets on him when he’s in the car seat to keep him warm :)

@Emmasmum2013 Last time I took in a cute outfit but didn't end up changing him into it, so this time I'm just taking vests and sleepsuits so he'll go home in whichever he happens to be wearing when discharged.

I'm just taking a blanket for if it's cold (which I doubt it will be).

@CaffeineDragon "day of rest"? What's one of those? I'm now considering trying to do as much of the wardrobe as I can 🤣🤦🏻‍♀️

Hi sorry I haven’t updated yet. Everything’s been a bit manic!

It’s a girl! She was born on Tuesday afternoon. Relatively straight forward induction in that I didn’t really need much inducing and started contracting myself after the first pessary. It was painful and tiring though which is to be expected. Came home yesterday. Struggling with feeding a bit and been up most of the night but otherwise ok. DD1 is so proud of her little sister. DD2 is a teeny 6lb and absolutely gorgeous. Once we’ve established feeding I should be ok. Feeling quite emotional today!

DD2 was too small for her coming home outfit so is wearing second hand tiny clothes! She did have a newly knitted cardigan and hat though

@beesknees9 you could try magnesium spray for the leg cramps? I have a REN one. It tingles a bit when you apply it but it’s a nice feeling. I googled it and I believe it’s safe in pregnancy (and many pregnant women are deficient in magnesium, as well as non pregnant women actually!).