September babies thread #6 - half way!

[easterbuns1]

New thread!

I am so confused why you'd have to wait for a scan! I was told to go get one as soon as I found out I was pregnant and got a right telling off by my MW when I said I hadn't got it (this was all before scan!)

Consultant at the hospital told me not to bother with it! But my gp keeps trying to give me it.

The NHS site says that you can have the flu jab at any time during pregnancy (and indeed surely the earlier the better). I’m baffled why they would need to wait for you to have 20-week scan. I had mine last time as soon as it was available at the GP. Wonder if their supplies are running low or something.

@IVEgottheDECAF my friend delivered his 5th because his wife went into a very quick labour. He arrived at work at 8.30 and left at 8.45 when she called him with contractions. Got home and baby was delivered by him in the bath by 10.30! The other 4 kids sat downstairs watching pepa pig!

Dancing this is my fear! Do you know how fast the previous four were? My third and fourth were both five hours but 4 was back to back which i assume slowed things down

@IVEgottheDECAF I'm not sure. I know they were longer cause she managed to get to hospital but I don't know how long in general.
On the other hand, my other friend had very quick deliveries with her first 2 but her 3rd was so long they were close to a section.

They are idiots. Apparently they have their own “pathway” which states that they aren’t contracted to do whooping cough in pregnancy and that the hospital will do it. But the midwife didn’t say that and when I had the flu jab at the GP they told me to come back there for whooping cough and they booked me in for whooping cough.
They had the vaccine, it was all out ready!!
I am literally raging. I stormed out. Useless bastards. Fortunately I left before I swore. I said all my choice words in the car.

@IVEgottheDECAF that is so unlikely to happen - your hormones are going to keep the breaks on big time in those circs! That said- I labour super fast so have a home birth planned, expecting to transfer to hospital after, as I'm high risk. They reckon they are likely to get to me more quickly that I can get to them. With DC2 they got to me 1 minute before she did...

Thanks for the thread @easterbuns1 ! V impressed you hit post 999 on the last one, v tidy thread making!

@IVEgottheDECAF I totally understand why you're concerned there. Hopefully it will all fall into place. My friend had a ridiculously long labour with the first - usual 24 hour ridiculousness and the next was out in about 3 hours and delivered on the bathroom floor by her partner so I guess there really is no telling.

Have you had a PPH with the others? I understand you're at an increased risk after 1?

@stroan - sorry to hear you are still struggling so badly. My fingers are still firmly crossed for you that it starts to fade after 20 weeks! I've finally stopped vomiting but have read that stomach bugs can offer trigger HG so am not counting my chickens yet.

My scan isn't until Thursday - it feels like I have been waiting 9 months for it already!! I'll be 20 + 5 and am already feeling twinges if nerves. I have my birth debrief from DDs birth in the morning so that will hopefully take my mind off it a bit!

oh Megan I thought you was talking about the flu jab, not the whooping cough (I did think it was late for the flu jab!)! Not sure how it works here for us actually at our trust, cannot remember if I had it before or after the scan last time and I won't be able to get to the GP for the vaccine till post scan this time anyway.

btw, regarding the birth debriefs... how did you all get them? I feel so awkward asking my MW for one as she already seemed pretty dismissive when I tried to bring up my previous labour.

happydays i have never had PPH but have been told high risk as dc5 and they want to get a cannula in as soon as i arrive to deliver and get me on a drip once baby is born

I havent ever had a birth debrief but all have been pretty uneventful tbh

@TwittleBee my midwife offered one at my booking in appointment as we had been discussing my DDs birth notes. Don't be afraid to ask your midwife but I would recommend doing so ASAP as my midwife advised me there was a long wait and sometimes people got appointments through for after their due dates 😂

@IVEgottheDECAF ah, that's interesting. I had one after DD and I've been told I'm high risk this time which has really scuppered my plans for a birth in the midwife led unit. They have said they're happy to consider it but I have to accept the risks. I'm hoping to discuss it with them on Thursday to try and understand just what a risk if it would be and whether I just need to accept the labour ward.

I got a letter after birth stating what happened, and saying they would recommend an ELCS. Then at my first consultant appointment, she went back through everything with me. I don't know if it counts as a proper debrief but it wasn't pleasant and it definitely made up my mind that I want an ELCS.

@happydays00 ah yeah see my original MW at booking app half touched previous labour (she's the one who recommended I see a consultant) but now I have a new MW who I saw at 16 weeks and when i asked her about previous labour she just dismissed it. I'll send her a text asking for a debrief though, maybe it doesnt seem that bad of a labour on paper to them?

@Stroan ah yeah I did get a piece of paper post birth with what had happened but nothing on there about recommendations or debriefs. That letter was the first time I was actually aware I had sepsis post birth - I obviously knew I had an infection as I was kept on antibiotics for a week post birth and felt like crap but no one told me it was sepsis!

@twittlebee same here. I remember doctors coming round to ask if I was ok but didn't get a name for it. When I got the letter and googled it, it was a bit of a shock.

@Stroan I wonder why they don't explain to you exactly what is happening? Previous times I have been in hospital they make it very clear with what is happening.

@twittlebee I think they probably thought I was much more aware during labour than I actually was. Then assumed I knew what they were talking about! I just couldn't figure out why they kept coming to ask, they offered to find someone for me to talk to at one point! I didn't think it had been that bad, but DH was very traumatised for a while afterwards

@Stroan oh blimey! How does he feel about it this time? Is the ELCS calming him down as well as being the right decision for you? My DH just felt useless and is worried about being out of control again but at least this time he will know what to expect and what to not let happen to me.

@TwittleBee it shouldn't matter "how bad" the birth is on paper. If you are feeling anxious about giving birth again due to your previous experience then you are within your rights to push for a debrief.

@stroan and @TwittleBee it's really a bit ridiculous they don't explain more at the time. I only found out I had a PPH when my midwife told me at my booking in appointment this time!! I knew I'd lost a lot of blood but the only time any staff even acknowledged this was when one of the midwives post labour said "oh you look a bit pale. Did you take your iron tablet this morning?" My midwife at booking in said she is amazed I didn't have a transfusion.

After my brief stay on the Early Pregnancy Assessment ward for dehydration this weekend I was not impressed and have a few concerns to raise before I'm agreeing to go back there to push this next baby out.

Weird bold errors there. Sorry!

happydays i am told that as my uterus has been stretched and over worked so many times it may be too 'tired' to contract on its own making me at risk of pph. The drip will help it contract

Is anyone else having fetal heart checks? My first child had a hole in the heart so they are checking this one.

@ColdCottage I was born with a VSD so I will, apparently it’s probably not genetic but they’ll be checking/monitoring the heart carefully just in case

@TwittleBee if you have no luck with your MW contact the consultant MW at your hospital. You need to be quick as they take months to get appointments through. My friend had hers 2 years after giving birth as they kept forgetting her.
Hope the debrief helps!
If you can't get a debrief in time you can request your notes and take them to your MW to discuss them.