September 2019 #9 - for Twittlebee **title edited by MNHQ**

[IVEgottheDECAF]

New thread ladies as i feel the end of the last one may fill quickly following last nights news!

Once again congratulation Twittle & family

Megan I had the salad servers last time, hence why I'm leaning towards csection this time. Thankfully I never actually saw the forceps or I think I might have actually freaked out even more. Pre labour, I always said that I'd prefer a C-section over instrumental delivery, but during actual labour it just turned to get him out however oh bloody can!

@whisky2014 you can you this and if you go overdue you will really want it too! Many of us seem to be going back to do it again it's such a temporary time frame. I know a bit more about what I would prefer to happen this time but it was about interventions I'd like to avoid because the baby was small not the labour and birth itself. The sence of achievement and happy hormones when you meet your baby is unbelievable!

Having now had forecep delivery under emergency circumstances and an emergency C-section I can say that they're as bad as each other, although have different reasons for being bad.

Really struggling to recover physically still from the section and I know that is expected as it's a major surgery but it's worse than I thought tbh. It's not just a painful cut but pain in the whole body.

There is nothing to say you will tear or need a cut or stitches or salad servers or anything though! I have never needed ANY of that.

Also by the time you are in labour you will just want the baby out. Every pain and every push is closer to baby being out. Listen to the mw when they tell you to stop pushing and you are less likely to tear.

Also remember everyone with a horror story wants to tell everyone else about it. Less dramatic stories arent remembered or retold as much.

twittlebee sorry you are suffering with the pain. I've heard a lot of people say that day 2-4 after a C-section are the worst, so hopefully you will start to feel slightly better soon. Hope little Roy had a good night x

@Whisky2014 try the positive birth company hypno download - not as hippy as it sounds at all and very reassuring.

@TwittleBee sorry you're in pain. What a different week you're having to the one you planned! How's baby twittle doing today?

Going to see mine today - have a growth scan booked as part of today's diabetes clinic appointments. Only one high reading out of the 3 days worth so hopefully I'll get a good star... despite doing the opposite of what the dietician said 🙄

@whisky2014 it would be a little strange to not worry about it, it's all such a huge, huge unknown. It all sounds a bit airy fairy but your body IS made to do this.

People love sharing the difficult birth stories (I get why, it's a big thing to go through) but for every tricky delivery there must be loads that are just completely non eventful!

The oxytocin drip is notorious for making contractions a bit harder, lots of people recommend getting an epidural before it starts. Personally, I didn't notice any difference at all.

For what it's worth, I had an episiotomy with no anaesthetic (and just gas and air) and didn't even notice. Bit stingy for a few days afterwards but no major issues at all. Wouldn't even know now.

And the speculum is bloody sore! But so much happens to your body during labour to prepare for the pushing so it's not like suddenly having a speculum shoved up there. And you can have all the drugs if you like!

Oh, and I bled a lot in my first pregnancy so mine was completely unused! Practically sealed over.

I read a few chapters of Marie Mongans Hypnobirthing book, which went into theories like Fear=Tension=Pain. It really reassured me and stopped me being completely terrified (which I was!). Would be happy to send it to you if you thought it could help.

I've torn quite badly both times, and recovery was totally fine, really truly. They stitched me up immediately and by 10 days later I'd pretty much forgotten about it. I don't particularly remember the stitches being in any way an issue!
Fear makes it all much harder, so reading up on horror stories is quite counterproductive (but hard to avoid!).
@Whisky2014 the syntocin (artificial oxytocin) drip is how inductions work, that's what does the inducing. Some people find it gets painful too quickly to keep up with, which is why some hospitals offer an epidural before you start. I didn't find mine that painful, and didn't need pain relief in the end (it's very different from things like speculums, it's purposeful pain which feels like it's building to something good and needed, so I found it much less bothersome. Prodding you about at other times I found much harder. And if I'd had a strapped-to-the-bed epidural I'd have had very different births, moving about is essential for me!
This is somethings our bodies can do, and we have the extraordinary privilege of living in a time and a place when we labour with hugely experienced practitioners to hand who can step in if things go wrong. But mostly things go right!

Hah, crossposted with stroan saying much the same!
twittle sorry to hear you are struggling with recovery. Hopefully this is the worst bit and all improving from here on in??
Oh and Moraxella - ethical consumer magazine has a big feature on nappies this issue if you want to get into the ins and outs of biodegradable! Personally I'd have thought running a large scale vermicomposter would be more work than washing nappies (you'd need to be sourcing more non-nappy waste from your neighbours to balance it, and a vermicomposter won't reach the heat needed to make human waste "safe" so you'd still need another stage in the process). I'm v impressed you are looking into it!!!

Im having oxytocin / syntocin AFTER the birth

I’ve been induced on a drip before. It was not pleasant and had me reaching for the epidural ASAP. But I’m told there are other better and less painful ways to start induction now at the vbac clinic.

Also had a c section before and am anxious to avoid one this time. The anti blood clot injections stung, it hurt to sit up in bed or lie down and the recovery meaning that you can’t drive just drove me nuts.

I’m hoping for a natural birth this time to avoid that recovery period but also not looking forward to it!

Ladies having growth scans.... do I need to be concerned about percentiles?

I had a growth scan on Thursday and while baby has grown enough between visits, he's sitting somewhere between the 10th-15th percentile. My consultant wasn't very nice (actually quite rude) and just said it's fine and he'll be a small baby but didn't give me anything other than that.

Google as always isn't helping and I'm beginning to feel that the baby is small because of something I've done and something I need to worry about.

I am pretty sure that as long as baby continues to grow it is ok. If growth slows or stops then that is an issue. Some people have small babies just the same as some have big babies.

My last three dc were born over the 90th line. Bump is measuring over the 90th line. I clearly make bigger ones.

@db92 mine told me if the percentile drops more than 40% between scans then you need to pay attention.
Mine dropped 37% between 20 and 27 and then 46% between 27 and 29 so now getting weekly scans

If baby has always been around 10-15 then it’s probably a small baby

@db92 my DD was small but not as much as expected. I measured small through out, 35 weeks at 41+, what they are concerned about is slowing growth, lack of fluid. She was a healthy 6.12 (they made out it was likely to be 5lbs! Equally the consultant was a dick and was throughout labour, the midwives AMAZING and supported the last minute scan I demanded before they started an induction), just so far overdue that she was classed 6th%ile.

I start scans on Wednesday. I've said I will travel to a birth centre attached to a labour ward rather than my local MW led centre, my midwife was saying this morning "if it's small this time we have to be flexible" which is fine, I just hope labour comes on naturally early enough to not need a second induction. The induction wasnt even that bad, I just wasnt prepared it was so worst case for me, the baby had some other problems and monitoring was difficult. Towards the end you might need more frequent scans, take every opportunity!

Oh thank you all so much. This board is so supportive isn't it? I'm glad I have you here and for us all to share our experiences :)

Thank you @stroan For the offer if the book. I am happy to buy it from Amazon it I see she has a few different ones. What's the title of yours?

I'm wondering if I am being a loon choosing home birth especially because I am a worrier. I think I also downloaded some hypnobirthing audio book..should really start listening to it!

Forceps being referred to as salad tongs has given me a much needed laugh this morning. 😂

If I had to choose, I'm going to go against the grain and say that I would sooner go for a forceps delivery. Conversions to a section doesn't seem to happen too regularly at my trust, and usually long before any episiotomy is performed. I just really don't fancy having major abdominal surgery and then having to care for a new born.

Sorry to hear your recovery has been tough @TwittleBee. Hope it all goes much better from now on. Hope baby is doing well as well.

@whisky2014 If you're more comfortable with a home birth than a hospital birth, then you'll probably wind up less stressed overall.

So baby is still breech (I’m 31w) & growth is right on the bottom line now. Waiting to see midwife - I’m really nervous

My chart

Oh my god @TwittleBee - gutted I am only just seeing this amazing news after a couple
Of days away. Congratulations! He looks incredible. Sorry to hear the recovery is tough but glad everything was ok.

@db92 I'm having growth scans but because they were worried about his size at the other end of the spectrum.. consultant easily not as helpful but one midwife did point out to me they were rarely THAT accurate with the estimations of weight based on the scans... seems to be the same as what I have heard anecdotally from friends.

@twittlebee sorry you are finding the recovery tough, hope it gets better and baby is doing well

@happytobemrsg how did it go with the midwife? It doesn't look like growth has dropped a huge amount from the chart? I have no faith at all in growth scans (2lbs out in my case!). Which I know is easy for me to say and they are obviously useful for the medical pros.

@whisky2014 it was just called Hypnobirthing. I should say that I didn't finish the book but really enjoyed the initial chapters which introduces the theories - there might be better ones out there. I used some visualisation techniques in labour but sort of accidentally!

I'm feeling much better about the percentile things, thank you all. It's just so tough when you're not given a full explanation as to what it all means! Pregnancy really is a minefield.

@TwittleBee hope all going ok. Thanks for the update and lovely little pic. I hope his infection passes quickly.

Just read about sweating. The only issue I’m getting is stinking of wee. I’m not sure if I’ve just a sensitive smell, but my wee stinks and worried I’m just leaking constantly. I’ve not been doing pelvic floor either. Asked my sister if it’s normal and she said she didn’t have it!? Argh.

Also. My movements are fairly quiet. Kicks seems to be in evenings but not really strong. I’m 31+1 and now shitting it that a baby could be here in 8 weeks. It’s. All. Getting. Too. Real.

Doctor reviewed my chart & scan results & is happy with the care plan I’m getting at the moment (scan every 3 weeks). On the way home I worked out that I was 31w when they first questioned DS1’s weight so maybe that’s just what happens with my babies - they are little. Hoping he will turn & not be breech though - really want to avoid c-section if possible (I had the craziest labour last time - went from 0cm - 10cm on paracetamol at home... asleep) so maybe that’s why I’m not scared about a vaginal delivery this time around (though I’m fully aware it can be different).