February 2019 - babies babies babies

[Since2016]

New thread ladies! The final few weeks!

@AliceRR most people say 42 weeks but it can vary. The trust a friend is in say 40+11 and mine says 40+13 as standard but you can refuse induction if you want. It's largely dependent on trust 'rules' about timing.

Oh how exciting for you @Yakadee. Can’t wait to see your update tomorrow! X

I went 14 days over with my first... they tried to tell me they’d only allow 12 days then it’d be induction, but tbh, 40 weeks isn’t a magic number when all babies are ready to be born, so I didn’t see any need to forcefully evict him for no reason 🤷🏻‍♀️ I also didn’t want the experience of a rushed, more intense/painful labour 😬
He came naturally in his own time, and the midwives commented that he certainly didn’t look over due, do either the dates were wrong, or he just needed a little longer than 40 weeks to be ready.

I also tested positive for GBS with my second child, I opted for no drip and just monitoring after the birth. If he had shown any symptoms he could have had the anti-b’s then. But actually, I think it is (or was) roughly a third of women are positive for GBS, of those the vast majority are unaware, and the percentage of babies that are affected are so minimal the NHS doesn’t test routinely (or even discuss it with pregnant women it seems!). The hindrance of being on a drip in labour was a far worse thought for me than the remote possibility if the infection being passed on.

I’ve discussed it this pregnancy as it’s in my notes that I tested positive before, and I took the same stance. The midwife agreed with me... but then my results came back as negative anyway 🤷🏻‍♀️

I had my final growth scan today and she's measuring entirely average-sized now so that's a relief as I won't have to fight any plans to induce me if I go a bit over, which they were talking about as a possibility if she was measuring big. She's apparently around the 7lb mark at the moment (38+2). Really REALLY keen to avoid induction if at all possible, so that's good news!

I went in for reduced movements for the 2nd time at 39+3 with my son and they examined me saw I was already 3cm and offered to break my waters that night so you might find that happens to you if you go in with reduced movements. .

My two inductions have been quick as I haven't needed the pessary, they have just been able to break my waters, both times babies have been here within 6hrs with no hormone drip necessary.

Hope you have a plan soon @maxiflump1

@bubblybrit - I know, so excited! I wonder if I'll sleep tonight? (No!). Just hoping this snow doesn't happen so everything can go as we planned x

@Yakadee and @MrsY87 these are exactly the type of stories I need to hear about inductions. So thank you. Fully psyched up to be there for the long haul. But I would ideally love her to be here before the weekend. As my hospital dont dischage from Scbu over the weekend so I would still be there until the Monday.

@Yakadee. I know that I wouldn’t sleep if it was me so I do hope that you get some rest! I’ll keep my fingers crossed that the snow holds off....at least until you are home with baby! I’m only 37+2 but feel so ready to have this baby NOW. My best friend decided to tell me that most first babies are overdue....yeah thanks for that....not what I wanted to hear! X

I’d be super excited too yakadee. Good luck! Looking forward to hearing from you when you have your LO

Good luck for tomorrow @Yakadee ! Can't wait to hear news of your lovely new arrival :) x

@HugoBearsMummy I have strep B too. I had to have the antibiotics in labour with my first.

You need to go in a bit earlier when in labour so the iv antibiotic drip has time to pass to the baby before it passes through the birth canal so make sure when your labour starts they are aware you will need it when you phone.

1/3 women have it and it's totally harmless, just a natural bacteria but it can cause infection in babies as they have no immune system when they pass through.

@detachablehoof they don't routinely test for it which is ridiculous. Even though they knew I had it with my first they weren't going to test me this time (as it can come and go) until I 'exaggerated' discharge I may or may not been having. Glad I did though as it was positive again.

So I had a bloody show on Wednesday, Thursday morning 4am had a gush of fluid on the toilet, called labour line but was reassured probably just discharge. Friday lunchtime I had a routine midwife review, was up in antenatal clinic as she was covering clinic that day. Did a swab that showed it was amniotic fluid I was leaking and got sent straight away for monitoring and induction. I was 1cm dilated and had the pessary, 6 hours later still only 1cm dilated, waters broken and drip started. Monitor kept failing off so stuck on the bed, almost had an epidural. Tens machine and gas and air were very helpful, pethidine not so much.
Our little girl arrived Saturday morning 2.08 am. Madeleine Rhiannon. Got home from hospital this morning.

Congrats @emalady, and I love the name!

Congrats @emalady, and I love the name!

Congratulations @emalady! Lovely name! Hope you're doing well x

Congratulations @emalady

So I’m sat on the sofa with feet high up as there so puffy whilst sat on a bag of frozen defrosting veg because (sorry if tmi) my vagina feels so swollen the pressure is unreal! Any way I felt it important to let you all know about my complete lack of giving fuck/dignity. I’m only 37 weeks so good knows what I’ll be sitting on in a few weeks time!

@emalady congratulations! x

I feel really swollen down there too! Sonographer said baby's head was really far down today and she had to press the probe right into my pelvis to get a good pic, but it feels like someone's stuffed a bowling ball in there. And my bits just feel really heavy and like they have a lot of extra blood flow.

Just to clarify... I would absolutely have an induction if there was a medical need, my post comes across as if I wouldn’t have one under any circumstance! 😬

@Leonora94 has to almost the same yesterday, DH had to pull of my jeans to massage all the fluid down my legs as he’d just moved it from my feet to slightly higher up my leg. Then had to try and get off the floor.

I’ve put on so much weight too - I’m sure a lot of it is fluid but I’m struggling now and I’m only 36+3 :( the pain today has been really bad in the area between public bone and tummy - between the pelvic bones I guess. Really sore trying to do anything :(

@AvoidingMarking thank you for telling me about your experience! So if I go in to labour, I shouldn't wait at home till contractions are really bad? I should go right in? I have a midwife appointment on Thursday so I may speak more in depth to her about it all too...

Congratulations on your beautiful baby girl @emalady x

@NotAsGreenAsCabbageLooking it didn't come across like that at all and I'm the same.
I think it can come across from medical professionals that you have to be induced after x days, have to have sweeps etc when in reality you don't and they can monitor instead if required it's just this option is rarely mentioned! If there is no medical reason/risk to mum or baby then I don't want to evict at all.

Congrats @emalady!

Congratulations @emalady. Beautiful names. Hope you are settling in well at home.

Im still on antenatal ward and still having mild contractions every 10 mins. There’s no doctors around to make any decision as to what to do with me as it’s really busy in the delivery suite so Midwive’s are keeping me in until the morning. Hoping to get some sleep tonight!m The staff are lovely but serious overstretched in here today.

@emalady - congratulations! I'm so pleased for you! 🎉

@Leonora94 - I'm feeling swollen too. It's not a great feeling. My feet are quite swollen (for me) however I've been on my feet quite a bit today.

So I am ready (as you can be) for tomorrow! Shaving was not an easy task although I'm quite impressed by how well I've done Haha x