sleeplessness, toothache, hip pain - the joys of being due August 2007 !!

[tokentotty]

Now that's all out of the way in the thread title we've all got to head down the "things can and will only get better now" ok?? All ailments stop and nothing but good things will befall us all.

Right.

6 pounds at delivery - easier delivery I guess if t doesn't mean i need a CS.
OUCH Wash! Hot bath straight away for you!!

6 lbs...... ........ some of us can only DREAM of a dear little 6lb er... except i haven't had the stress of worrying like you - so perhaps I'll opt for the fanny busting 9lb er.

I have just dicsovered the secret of bliss..... invite DS's best friend round... and then make a cup of tea and listen to them play..... except DS was so excited he wet himself.... aaahh

Aww, bless!

Sweetydarling; Glad to hear your little one will be small but perfectly formed .

Oooooh it is so tempting to climb into the bath for a relaxing soak.....well, it would be if it weren't filled with DS' toys and no doubt in need of a thorough clean (I have been avoiding cleaning the bathroom in the (vain) hope DH might do it)

I wish I could relax some more, but there is so much to do; I have been sorting out DS' birthday presents today as he will be 2 on the 19th and don't think I could rely on DH to do it should I go in to labour early.

...and the bloomin' cat is dropping fur around the house quicker than I can clean it up - it is soooo soul destroying, I feel like shaving him totally

Wash - don't even THINK about trying to clean the bath with a groin/back strain ?!!! I have to admit to the same bath cleaning thing though - a; its full of toys and b; I hope DH might do it... yeah right!!

Just discovered the joys of trying to do a wee in to a pot for the midwife, when you can't see where the stuff is coming from!! In the end I had to guess, and wee'd all over my hands .. I can see where DS gets his problem from!!

LOL growingbagpuss; I know I shouldn't laugh but I know exactly what you mean about those little pots

Will follow your advice re: bath cleaning, if DH mentions the filth I'll refer him here

Poor Wash - tis that time of year for cat fur isn't it? We feel like we are constantly hoovering, and you cannot pet them without it being a major clothes hazard. Hope your stretchy pain settles down. I made the mistake of heaving myself out of bed too quickly this morning, legs separated for a nanosecond and that was enough, I fairly hobbled to the bathroom. The walk to work was one of the hardest yet.

Stupidly cancelled osteopath appointment on Monday because I thought I was doing rather nicely as the SPD had not actually worsened.

Katybird, I am booked on a tour of the Edgware Birth Centre for Sunday morning. Looking forward to it but the nice MW on the phone warned me that we could not transfer anywhere but Barnet if we needed medical assistance. For some reason I find this a bit frightening. Did you look at Barnet's labour ward when you were booked in there? Doesn't it have a bit of a sodding reputation?

I had to have a rest day yesterday so missed all your exciting posts. No way I can catch up now. My salutations to all!

Hi kite, sorry your hips are playing up again. I'm sure when we went for the tour they told us we'd be transferred to Barnet because that's who we were booked in with, but there was someone else who was booked in at the Royal Free and I'm positive they said they'd be transferred there.

You always have a choice as to where you want to go, they can't force you to go to Barnet, but in a medical emergency (the only reason they'd be transferring you) it might be safer to go to the closest hospital. Barnet has a bit of a dodgy reputation and they're very busy so they close quite often, but they have an agreement in place with Edgware that they won't turn anyone away. We've not been on a tour but I'm going to book one, I'll let you know what it's like.

Bagpuss, I've never managed to do a sample without peeing on myself .

Thanks Katybird. In my newly fearless hypno-induced confidence, I don't anticipate any emergencies but I know my partner will want to know the answer to this question.
We are still contemplating a possible home birth but am basically looking into everything now.
I read on another thread that on the day you don't care about how nice your surroundings are but I will definitely care about how symnpathetic to natural birth my midwives are!

I just unpacked a set of 4 white cuddle towels (you know the ones with the little hoods?) that I bought in the John Lewis sale.
They are all white and it looks like I'm planning a miniature Klu Klux Klan meeting!!

Just got back from midwife - definately with you on the pee-pot difficulties. made me realise that my bump has grown in the last two weeks. Had my second anti-D injection (I'm rhesus -ve) which didn't hurt at all - i think the midwife did a very good job. I saw my 4th different mw today - does everyone see this many??

I'm 33+4 today, and seeing mw every 2 weeks from now (ithink someone asked about this a few days ago). I started my "parentcraft" classes this week and am the first one due which was a bit shocking - everyone else due mid-end sept. Am also still breech - thanks for those links will go and try handstands in the pool. Annie (happy birthday) how did you get on with somersaults? i gave up tumble turns several weeks ago coz i found it quite uncomforatable with a bump!

Am jealous of everyone finishing work. I don't finish till the 10th Aug (due 19th). I work from home so no rubbish commute but also decided i need the money as don't qualify for SMP as was already pg when started this job. didn't know i was when i accepted it - gave up a perm position for a 1 yr contract - but hey ho these things happen and i'm much happier in my new job.

Sorry I hardly ever post and then write a mammoth entry!

PMSL Sweety!

Glad you're calm about the birth kite, should really get round to buying those hypnobirthing CDs. Edgware are definitely keen on natural birth, so I'm hoping that as long as everything goes to plan (and I know how unlikely that is!) I'll be able to avoid intervention. And if I end up at Barnet it'll be a medical necessity so I won't mind.

JSer, I've seen different mw but that might be because I switched from a hospital to a birth centre. I see the same GP for most of my antenatal appointments.

Jser, I have seen one midwife only, once. I guess that will change going forward, but my hospital seems to assume I am seeing a GP and ahem I don't.

They should really lend you a BP machine and a urine testing kit. I am not a big hippie but I can't see why I can't check this myself. In the latter case, it is just a little colour chart. Save on travel time and inconvenient doctors' schedules. I went into my local GP (not the one I am registered with bc they are closed all Wed afternoon ) and explained I just wanted my BP checked and I got a big lecture on not taking iron supplements unless I actually have a deficiency. Felt about six years old.

at the statistic someone mentioned earlier that CS rates go down in August because the anaestheticians are all on holiday.

Ah well, suppose I should do some work.

Kite - I was prescribed iron tablets even though i'm not iron deficient. the midwives have all been surprised i was prescribed them when they see my actual Hb level but tell me there's no harm in taking them! It's so frustrating all the mixed messages you get!

I was very dizzy last week and feel absolutely shatterd all the time. MW said i'm a little iron diffcient but wouldn't prescribe me supplements. He said i should just eat lots of steak and spinach.

Jser, I actually think this GP made a lot of sense. He says he was aware lots of midwives tell you to take iron if you are just feeling tired but surely you have had enough blood tests to know whether you are anaemic and it doesn't just come over you suddenly. I admitted that all my bloods had shown rather high iron levels for a vegetarian and he said to be careful, iron was not like vit c that just goes through the system as needed. It accumulates in the liver and kidneys and it is after all a toxin. I am taking my floradix back on Saturday .

Oh god, you have just reminded me that I need to ring and book my next midwife appt

Dog hair is just as frustrating. Think i will give him a going over with the shears, when i get some energy.

Since finishing my course of iron tablets I've felt quite knackered and weak, although I have been busy painting/cooking/cleaning so that probably hasn't helped either. Taking two sachets of spatone a day but I don't know if they'll help.

Today was a good day, my wonderful big sister came over and Kim'n'Aggie'd my spare room. It is now in some sort of order and you can see the floor! she even took the spare bed apart and put up the single for me, she's an absolute star. Her birthday next week, I'll have to get her something really special but I have no clue what.

Feeling a lot better now that the house is slowly coming together, I was getting really bogged down with it and just too tired to get it done. We must have thrown out about 7 binbags of rubbish and the same again of stuff for charity, it's shocking how much crap you accumulate!

Going to wash all the baby clothes tonight so his bag is packed and ready to go. Then maybe I can just keep on top of the normal housework and otherwise relax until the big day. Nice thought!

Oh, and I wrote my birth plan, tell me what you think: let me know if there's anything I've missed out, or if I sound too rigid!

Birth Plan

Birth Partner: DP

Labour as long as possible with gas & ait and TENS, No pethidine. Low dose epidural if I'm not coping well.

-If no epidural: Would like to stay upright as much as possible and labour in bath/shower.

-If epidural: Please put catheter in AFTER I'm numb. Intermittent monitoring if possible.

I would prefer not to have an episiotomy unless STRICTLY necessary, would prefer to risk small tear. Please discuss with me. Ideally would like as few interventions as possible.

Baby placed straight on me, skin on skin and try to breastfeed immediately.

Attempt to push out placenta naturally if possible, syntocinon if not. Please DO NOT pull placenta out.

Please wait until cord stops pulsing before cutting it.

Yes to vitamin K injection.

Apologies if I swear or scream or say anything horrible! Also for if I poo!

(Should I actually write that last bit? lol)

Oh, banana, I wrote that PLEASE DO NOT PULL into mine as well after our chat earlier.

I am embarrassed that mine somes to one page. Yours is polite and brief.

Mine goes more like:

NATURAL BIRTH:

I am preparing for a natural, drug-free labour and birth and would like any intervention to be offered only if absolutely required to save my baby?s life.

I will be using hypnosis, breathing and active birth positions through my first and second stages of labour and would like my choices to be respected and not second-guessed because these techniques may present as an unusual calm, even well into labour.

I do not want to have internal examinations to estimate how far along I am. I will be spending most of my first stage of labour at home and my partner will know how far along I am. If an internal examination is thought necessary, please ask first and do not ask me to lie down in order to examine me.

Please give me privacy.

Please avoid anyone unnecessary coming into the delivery room. I would prefer only my partner and midwife to be present at any time. I do not want any student observers.

Please do not offer me pain control, I will ask for it if I need it.

I would like to give birth in the water.

In second stage of labour, I will be breathing the baby out and using gravity to assist the baby. I will not be pushing. Please do not tell me to push or dismiss this as exhaustion on my part.

I do not want an episiotomy under any circumstances. If there is any danger to my perineum, please let me know to be less upright until the perineum stretches. Please use hot compresses if necessary.

Please offer the baby straight to me when he or she is born. I do not want anyone other than my partner to tell me the sex of the baby, or to tell me he or she has arrived.

Please give the baby as much quiet as possible any time after crowning. Please whisper if you need to raise anything with my partner.

I want the baby to be skin to skin immediately after birth unless any meconium is present, in which case please give me something to clean him or her with rather than taking the baby away.

I do not want the baby?s umbilical cord to be cut before it has stopped pulsating and the baby has established breathing.

Please do not offer me syntometrine to hasten third stage labour. I would like to deliver the placenta naturally. I do not want anyone to pull at the placenta to remove it.

Please do not coach me or refer to me as a ?good girl? at any stage in my labour!!

IF INTERVENTION IS SUGGESTED:

Please make any suggestions of intervention to my husband first and not in my hearing. Please allow us time to consider our options together and without other people in the room.

Please do not allow anyone but a consultant to carry out any procedure required, and please have as few people in the room as possible.

No continuous foetal monitoring please.

another hundred emails since yesterday!

Had a very nice evening out for birthday - dh couldn't understand why I wanted to go home at half ten though (he is getting less understanding with each pg!). Hope you have a good one Annie.

Saw MW yesterday and am also a reluctant member of the breech club! I was pretty sure it was and has been for a while - not much heartburn and no need to have regular loo stops! It explains the pain in the ribs though - it must have a very big head! Have any other of the breech babies turned? I CAN'T have a CS got to take DD to school for her first day! Will be doing a lot of floor scrubbing!

[slinks away having revealed TMI]

I'm impressed by both birth plans, I haven't started mine yet. There's always a risk of sounding demanding when you have a rigid plan banana but rather that than any confusion over your wishes. Better to pee off the midwives than have to fend them off during labour.

Good luck with the floor scrubbing loler!

I've never had a birth plan and not going to this time either. Found it better to go with what's happening at the time. With shift changes etc had lots of different MW anyway. Everyone I know has felt very differently about how they want things as the labour progresses (and in my experience this changed for both of my previous labours).

Guess what I'm trying to say is don't get too hung up on it.

My very very sqeemish DH has cut the cord both times - has moaned both times that the scissors were blunt and is going to take his own this time!