Due Oct 2007 ~Little Piggies turning into Porkers!

[FloriaTosca]

Thought I'd get the new thread started as no one objected to my title suggestion

Why don't you ring the m/w and just say that you wanted to check the blood tests all came back okay? I am sure they would contact you if they did identify a problem, but you might as well have peace of mind...

Sound advice as ever from mumpbump! If they checked your blood glucose it may have been high but your bloods were checked a while ago now.

I know what you mean about having too much time on your hands. I was off sick the last 3 months of ds's pregnancy as I kept fainting at work and spent FAR too much time worrying myself by reading stuff!!!

busy morning on here!
Glad the chocolate didnt do any harm Alice, sorry there is no more in...I'd text DH to bring a boxfull in tonight as he's hanging around the station doing nothing
Glad also that your appointment went well ejt, it takes a weight off your mind when you are taken seriously doesnt it?
Muppet, I agree with Alice...play the "too big" card, demand some attention and perhaps have a word with your GP about your concern about PND after last time. My Dh has already asked for a repeat prescription of the drug they had me on after losing Robyn just in case the late amnio he wants me to have comes back with a bad result..so he can get me started on it before reality hits (personally I would rather not have the amnio at all and take what we get but I promised before we started all this and I would never renage on a promise like that.)
As it happens todays scan looked bang on for dates, growth excellent, placenta and umbilical working well and plenty of fluid around LO so no causes for concern...so I'm booked in for another AN check up and bloods in 3 weeks..I've been let off the glucose tolerance test ( yipee!!) and the scan and late amnio is booked for 5 weeks from now.
Got to go work now...I'll catch up with you all later

Floria I'm delighted everything is going so well for you! Big hugs! That must be a big weight off your mind and a bonus that you don't need the GTT too! Good plan about dh bringing home chocs too! However it would be pretty lazy - we have a shop just over the road!! I just need to remember to take ds over this pm!

Can I ask why you are having a late amnio floria? Just interested so tell me to butt out if thats too personal....

i'm so pleased for you floria, glad it went well for you

Much better news from people this afternoon -Floria so glad it all went well. Hope your's is as good inzi. Muppet, hope you get your appointment. Picking up on that, are you supposed to see the gp as well as the midwife at some point? Mine haven't mentionned it but I'm sure I saw her at this time last time.

I am sitting feeling so fed up - the rain is seemingly endless; my DS is as fed up as me (and knackered having got up at 5 and only napped for 40 mins); my DH's away until Sun (He works away and usually gets back for one or two days a week - hardly helpful at the moment!!) and I am in dire need of a massive cake or something - all your talk about boxes of chocs and Fiona and Shrek! So what do you do? No energy to go out, pouring rain to contend with, cravings.......not even enough ingredients to copy the lemon drizzle cake idea! And I know that in the big scheme of things this is hardly a problem - and big apologies to those who are having genuinely bad days! - but I'm sure you all know what I mean! OK, rant over!

Also, I started wavering on my decision to have an elective again last night - got myself into a right old pickle!! If anyone else is in the same situation I'd love to know - just can't seem to come to a decision and I really don't want to have to be thinking about it for another 10 weeks!!
Hope everyone's afternoon is going well. catch up with you all later

Nellie I am in exactly the same situation as you - both in feeling sorry for myself for what is really very little and also wrt the section v vbac thing. Just don't know and it feels like such a responsibility to decide!!

Wasn't trying to belittle your feelings by the way by saying we're both upset about something seemlingly little - I know thats how I feel and from your post sensed you felt the same way! Doesn't help with dh's away either does it?

Also not sure how I will ever decide on section v vbac - I know its a long way off still but if I don't know now I can't see how things are going to have changed by 36 weeks for me to make a decision thats anything more than a whim!

So with you alice! I think my u turn started after the consultant said about my risk of fatality from thrombosis is more significant - I kind of knew this obviously, but didn't need it putting quite like that!! I'll get all the stats when I see him again at 36 weeks, but I can't believe they are that much higher than the first emergency secton. Also, he mentionned that the spinal may not take this time in which case I'd need a general. It worked fine last time, is there any reason to consider that it wouldn't this time do you think??? Really wouldn't want a general - part of my reason for having the elective was to avoid the LO being taken away from me as DS was. And to avoid the complications etc

Also, to be totally honest, my DH was SO relieved when they got me into theatre (it had become like an episode out of ER!) that I know deep down he'd prefer the calmer approach this time round. And another reason is that I'm not sure he would be the encourager I need if I delivered naturally (and there isn't anyone else I'd ask to be there) He's amazing at reassurance but I didn't need that (cause apart from anything else , labour wasn't 'going to be ok'!!)So anxious about that too.

Does any of this sound familiar to you? Sorry - I just went into a massive outpour there!!

OMG I've just eaten an entire packet of fruit polos and the roof of my mouth feels like someone's attacked it with a razor blade. Whoops! My punishment for stuffing them down when I only bought them to stave off nausea should it arise later.

Floria - great news that all is well

Alice, Nellie - forgive my ignorance, but what are the big issues re CS v VBAC? Does having had a previous CS make it more likely that you'll have problems with vb in future? I imagine the uterus might be weaker after the operation. Are there other issues too? Personally, I'd do pretty much anything to avoid a cs - don't want to be cut open, don't want to be anaesthetised (sp?), don't really want to be in hospital even. What are the pros and cons as you see them?

As might be obvious - my biggest difficulty today is focussing on work rather than MN!

nellie I don't think the risk of thrombosis is higher in a second section but can check for you (am surgical doc and can't see why that would be the case but don't do obstetrics). If anything the risks of a planned section are less than an emergency one. There are risks that are greater the second time round but not this I don't think. Also don't think that there is any reason why the spinal would not take - its something that can happen but I'm not aware of any reasons why it should / shouldn't. Had a chat with an anaesthetist friend of mine about spinals before I had ds and about the only thing I can remember him saying that can make it more difficult to get in is in ladies who are overweight - but once its in I don't think there's necessarily a reason why it might be more or less likely to work. And if it is in a planned situation they can just take their time and reposition it / adjust it if necessary, not like in the emergency situation where it might be more critical to get the baby out in a hurry. It sounds like the doc you saw has a preference for vbac and is trying to dissuade you from a repeat section. Having said that they can't make stuff up - they're just picking out the information that might change your mind I guess.

Apricott basically once you have had one section if the reason for the initial section isn't still there then the risks / benefits of elective section v vaginal birth are equivalent, although different for each option. The womb is weaker with a scar so there is a small chance it can rupture which is why they offer you the repeat section if you choose. Before ds's birth I was exactly where you are about not having a section unless I had to - will be back later as mate has just come over!

hi nellie and alice - I'm firmly on the going for a vbac side ... as you've probably gathered from my posts ... I can totally understand where people are coming from who choose to go for and elective section - I'm now going to give you my reasons for going for a vbac rather than a cs ... in no particular order:

• doing things differently this time around I think will help me put to bed some of the issues I've had since ds's birth nearly 5 years ago - I'm older, wiser, and a lot more likely to question this time around.

• recovery time - what pole-axed me last time was the recovery time after the c section - and I wasn't particularly bad. This time around, I've also got ds to think of ...

• complications arising from surgery - from the research I've done, it is statistically safer to have a vbac than to have a repeat section - the rcog is the latest guidance - and makes interesting reading.
  As far as I'm aware, the baby is less likely to suffer respiratory difficulties after a successful vbac - they are also less likely to be injured through cutting.
  As for me, I know that I suffer with severe post-operative nausea - even with anti-emetic drugs - and even with localised anaesthesia such as an epidural or spinal block. I also know that I cannot tolerate any morphine type drugs, and I have a severe allergy to NSAIDs (which they routinely give you after a section). For me, I need to try and avoid a section, as the drugs they will use will make me incredibly ill afterwards.

• this is going to be my last child. I need to know that I can at least try for a vaginal delivery. If I do end up having a C section this time, I will deal with it, because I know I will have given it my best shot.

• 72% - 76% of all women who opt to go for a vbac succeed. That's about the same level as the overal average VBs ... and given that they can't for safety's sake leave you be for as long, and are more likely to suggest an emergency C section quicker, that's pretty impressive.

At the end of the day though, these are my reasons - yours may be completely different!

I understand the risks associated with c-sections but I think I would consider one. Mine wasn't exactly a straightforward birth the 1st time and this time i seem to be worrying about what to do with my ds1 (no family near) if i go into labour. 2nd time (hopefully) quicker and all that and dh works in london 2hrs away.

Friends sister had c-section after terrible time 1st time round (ripped front to back so could not give birth naturally -10lb boy!!) and said it was much calmer, less stressful etc.

Please don't harrang me...I know c-section isn't an easy option and i really don't come form the 'too posh to push' camp.

I'm not a haranging (how do you spell that?) type of person!

As I said, I can totally see where you are coming from - I think I would be considering it myself if I didn't have problems with the drugs they use when you have a c section - one of the major problems I had last time was that after a 100 hour induction where I got almost no sleep, I couldn't tolerate the drugs I was given in hospital - and because I was an 'odd' case, the midwives basically didn't given me any pain relief ... I cannot cope with the thought of that again!

I'm not a table-thumper by nature!

Muppet, dont' worry - this thread doesn't seem to be one where you're likely to get attacked for expressing your views. It's interesting to hear of other people's experiences and thoughts on the issue. And I know what you mean about suddenly thinking, what are we going to do with DD when I'm in labour? Mine's 12 though so it's less problematic than it could have been - she'll be happy to go to stay with a friend if necessary, will understand what's happening, won't throw a tantrum/burst into tears at notion of being left. Generally, she's only too keen to get rid of us - she's reached the parents-(and step-parents)-are-embarrassing phase

I know its no help whatsoever but those of you wrestling wth the c-section/vbac route, I sympathise with you. I know its not the same but I am getting a little anxious about the birth now too, I had a full episiotomy with ds1 (took nearly two hours to stitch me up) and I am worried it will happen again, i still don't feel 'right' down there now IYSWIM what on earth will the scaring be like if it happens again

Muppetgirl - ds wasn't quite as big as yours he was 8pound 3, and I am 5ft 3 but he had a really big head (still has ) I'm dreading the thought of having a bigger one, see above

Ha, ejt - I avoided trying to spell it cos I wasn't sure how ! Think there's a 'u' in there somewhere!

On the birth thing, I had a longish, unpleasant labour, no drugs, I suffered, I tore and my first thought once DD was born was 'I'm never doing that again', which was depressing, as I'd always wanted lots of children. But here I am again, and (at the moment at least) I'm not scared - perhaps because despite all that, I know I got through it all ok in the end.

It didn't take me 12 years to get over btw, just took about 10 to find a suitable partner and get to the having children stage with him. I sometimes wonder whether I'll find 'double-parenting' a LO difficult after bringing up DD on my own from age one to eleven... Can't wait to find out!

ejt -100 hour induction!!!! OH MY GOD!
I thought mine was bad at 27 hours. Didn't mean to infer you would harrang but I know it's a contentious subject

Thanks everyone - this is really interesting and great to hear both sides. With my 1st DS, I was so against the notion of a c-section but that is how it ended and I was just pleased to have him out and safe. Saying that, the way it was handled really has effected me (there was no communication, they took him way without me seeing him for a while, didn't even tell us if it was a boy or girl until we repeatedly asked!!)

This time, I feel even more informed and even more confused!! I think given the choice, I would rather have a calm, planned section than severe tears and stitching (Mrs Fish what you went through doesn't sound much fun at all!) and certainly more than forceps and ventouse. But as someone else (sorry -can't remember) mentionned, this will probably be my last child and maybe I am letting myself down a bit IYKWIM.... saying that, I was fully dilated and pushing last time so it's not as if I dont know what that feels like - the further on I get I just wonder whether I wouldn't like to experience that one more time. I dont' know!! AAAGGGHHHHHHH!!!

muppet/ejt - I second that OMG having just worked out how long 100 hours actually is in terms of days! Crikey!

MrsFish - I didn't feel 'right' for about five years after my stitches, but then the funny feelings started to disappear. Been normal again for some time now. Perhaps we just take longer than we think to fully recover.

Alice I have no prob telling you about why we are having a late amnio but it is an emotive issue and I dont want to upset/alienate anyone;...we are having enough problems within the famiy with one half decidedly on the side of amnio and if necessary termination and the other side (me included now)all for taking our chances and being graeful for whatever we get no matter what.
Basically I have a Robertsonian balanced translocation of chromosomes 14 and 21 ie I carry Downs syndrome. The statistics are out of 6 pregancies 3 embryos are non viable and will terminate naturally before 12 weeks (My first 4 pregancies were these)and of the reamining 3 1 will be clear of the transloction completely, one will carry the translocation and one will have Downs (pg#5 had this but the heart beat had stopped when we went for a CVB at 12 weeks) When we first started ttc we had very long moralising discussions about how we would proceed and whether it was right to knowingly bring a child with a disability into this world...I wont go into all our reasoning but the final mutual (ie compromise)decision was that we would do everything to avoid it (not because we couldnt love it but because we couldnt guarantee the future of a disadvantaged child after we had gone)We origionally decided to have 13wk CVBs done, but having lost #5 before the test could be done we were advised to wait to have an amnio at 16 wks in future. With pg#6 we had the 16 week amnio and the results came back that she was a carrier but otherwise healthy and we were thrilled to bits, only to lose her a week later...subsequent tests proved that ironically I also have aquired lupus-anticoagulant and that the amnio had started bleeding that had caused the placenta to clot and kill our little Robyn. After 4 months on anti depressants I finally came to the conclusion that the finality of never trying again and never being parents was marginally worse than the prospect of losing another baby again. This time an amnio was booked for 16 weeks but I was terrified of losing another healthy child through having the test (as I said I'd much rather have a child with Downs than none at all)and all the scans showed no sign of this LO having the condition (however the partial extra chromosome of a translocation Downs is not "typical" and might not display the usual signs for the condition that a normal whole extra chromosome Downs usually would)so our consultant suggested having the test done very late as; "If it causes you to go into early labour, we dont lose 30 week babies now" ...I have 5 more weeks to try to talk DH out of insisting on the test (so far, he insists that he needs to know, he hasnt moved one iota from the "it would be selfish to have a disadvantaged child" stand point).Trying to rationalise it; we have done everything we can to prevent risking a healthy normal child, if the late amnio causes premature labour, St Marys are one of the primary neonatal units and will do their utmost to save our baby...if it has Downs then whether or not the amnio causes it we will have premature labour and will withhold special care but will hold the baby and love it until it slips away. Sorry if this offends or upsets anyone...it cant upset anyone more than the prospect of it upsets me...all I can do is hope DH relents and that the scans that look so positive prove themselves correct so we wont have to face such a horrible decision.
Hope this answers your question and hasnt upset anyone

When my son was delivered i remember thinking 'oh thank god's that over with' I didn't really want to look at him, be near him at all. didn't bond for a very long while and i always wondered if that was the reason?
I don;t know about anyone else I just keep hearing of births where it was awful, is this because we are having bigger babies? Was it always like this it was just that it was never discussed (My grandmother told me one day, when she was expecting my dad she didn't know how the baby would come out!!)

It's strange, isn't it - how people's choices about the strangest of things get other people worked up ... I tend to stay away from the 'bouncy' threads on MN, as I'm majorly emotional at the moment, and get really, stupidly upset at the smallest things!!

I was just thinking back to how I was before ds was born ... I thought I'd probably want all the drugs in the book, was going to use diposable nappies without a second thought, and thought I'd give bf a go and see how it went - but was fairly relaxed about it ...

in the event, I had the aforementioned yuck induction that failed and led to c section ... leading me to be a pro-vbac person, and intending to do this one wothout much pain relief apart from entonox (basically because I can't use anything else!) ... I hated the smell of the disposables, so switched ds into reusables at 10 weeks - and will be using reusables with madam bean ... and I got so much satisfaction out of bf under difficult circumstances (it felt like the only think I'd managed to do the 'right' way), that I fed him exclusively until 5 months, and then did mixed feeding until he was 8 months old ...

I don't think I've changed much in myself since I was pg with ds, but as I'm now a drug-refusing, reusuable-using, bf-enthusing (sorry, needed an -ing there!), anybody who met me now would think of me as a bit of a lentil weaver !!

see you all later, am going to fetch ds now ...

Floria, I am so sorry to hear your story. I have to say it puts into perspective my worries....