Due June 2020: thread 7. The one where babies appear

[AndddddHerewegoagain]

Hi everyone. Starting another thread!! Hoping we start having babies appear very soon!!

@LillianFullStop very similar night here in terms of things easing off and sleeping well, then waking and feeling crampy.

I seem to have had a few sessions where my BH are coming every 10 minutes, and just now maybe every 5, but not too strong at the moment and no doubt they will ease off soon.

Anyone's chest feel tight/boobs sore?

Yay @MissisBee that's great news

@Zoey92 feeling a bit jealous that your midwife has gone through all that with you. Mine never have and it was a different one yesterday, which threw me, so I forgot to ask some of my questions.

@HaichMal I'm the same, my midwife hasn't discussed anything to do with birth with me at all yet! I have my 38 week appt on Monday with her so hopefully will have some ideas written down after that!! Even though I'm consultant lead, I don't like my consultant so hoping to do the birth plan with a more understanding midwife!!

@HaichMal I don't have a tight chest but my boobs have been very sore recently.

I have been have tummy ache mostly in the evenings a bit like period pain. I also have been going to the loo a lot more so I am hoping that is my body getting rid of everything before it starts. 😳

Has anyone had the same midwife throughout (for the most part)? I have had a different midwife for every appointment so far.

@BabyBird20 I should have written all my questions down and then maybe I wouldn't have been thrown by it being a different midwife. I've been lucky that it's been the same one at every other appointment. I hope you get everything answered. This is my third full term baby and none of my midwives have every talked about my birth plan or ideas. My first one didn't even ask me if I knew about the signs of labour or was planning to breastfeed or anything, and I wasn't very assertive, so definitely make sure you ask your questions because I felt completely unprepared when it happened.

@Magpie21 my area is trialling this consistent midwife care thing, so you're in a 'team' where it has the same couple of midwives. I'm not sure how this is different than before. For my first, it was the same midwife every time, though I wasn't impressed with my care, then for my second there were about 4 or 5 who worked out of my practice. I think I saw all of them and it seemed to be on rotation. Only once did I see one 2 weeks in a row. This time, there seem to be two of the team working in my practice, but I've been fortunate that the same one has been there for all but my most recent appointment. Really hoping she's back if I go another 2 weeks and make it to the next appointment.

I think mine are also meant to be there at the hospital when you go into labour, but again, it will depend on shift I guess. And I guess I'll find out in the next few weeks

@Magpie21 apart from my booking appointment I have had the same MW all the way through. She does a clinic once a week at my GP surgery so you see her unless she's on leave. I've gotten to know her and I'm so glad I had consistency. I have her work mobile number and can phone or text her whenever I need to. She'll hopefully be the one who comes out to see baby after birth, too, but she's part time so it is dependent on that.

@Magpie21
I had the same one for the first two then different ever since, the last midwife I saw said the coronavirus has made it go 'tits up'

I have a question, which is probably dumb! I, like many of you lovely ladies, have packed some snacks to take in my bag for both me and DH. Are you even allowed to eat while you're at the hospital in labour though? I've seen lots of videos where you're not really allowed to eat? So why take snacks to tempt yourself? lol

My midwife tried to stop me eating last time as was worried about if I had C section but by that point I hadn't eaten for well over 15 hours so another member of staff badgered her into getting me a piece of toast (I was on an epidural so felt well enough to manage it!)

I think during the early stages I had a runners' energy jelly thing but nothing else as felt so sick on gas and air plus contractions.

Snacks for after v useful though and also before if you are sitting around waiting for induction or similar.

I've not seen the same midwife either, seen one twice but not consecutively. Not been through birth plan at all, all the bits for midwife to fill out are still blank. Also didn't get my 36 week section filled out (some of that information they use in the event of an emergency section I think!). Luckily I did remember to ask the midwife for the telephone number to gain access to the hospital outside of clinic hours yesterday as I didn't have that either. 39 weeks on Saturday!

With my first I saw the same community midwife half the time - she was my named midwife and I even had her working hours mobile. I'm with a different trust this time and I'm with hospital midwives so I've never seen the same one twice.

@Rinoa I was induced and I was allowed to eat with the gel. Had toast and tea in the morning but couldn't get much of it down tbh with the contractions. But once they had me on the drip and epidural I was only allowed liquids.

I had to go in get monitored as little person has been having a quieter day. He woke up at 2nd round and the MW said that's standard for babies to sleep then wake ... I wasn't particularly happy as he'd usually be a lot more active but have said that, he does have quieter days occasionally...
Anyway I used that opportunity asked about birth plan with the midwife (which is different person every single time of course..) it was good to know more about the birthing centre that I'm interested in and I think that's where I'm going if everything goes well ..
37+3

I've seen the same midwife for every appointment, she runs a clinic at our GP every Tuesday. She's really nice and we've got to know each other well, had a full appointment last week going over my birth plan. Hearing other people's experiences, I feel really lucky to have her

@Magpie21 I've had the same midwife throughout my appointments luckily. We went through my birth plan at my 36 appointment. She did send me for a scan today though because she thought the baby might be breach. Thankfully they're not x

I have been lucky also and have had the same midwife all the way through! I have her direct mobile number and she's been very good at chasing the health visitor for me as I moved area. She once won midwife of the year apparently 🏆 which I did not know was a thing.

I've only seen my midwife once this time, as I'm consultant care (haven't actually seen my named consultant though!). It was the same midwife I saw for all my antenatal appointments with DS, and she and another midwife did the postnatal visits.
I'm quite lucky that in all the many hospital appointments I've had, I've seen the same 2 doctors for most of them, so I do feel there's a bit of continuity there. I hope I get one of them for my last appointment.

I wasn't allowed to eat during my induction, I can't remember exactly why, I think because of the drugs the had me on for the pre-eclampsia. I was only allowed to drink a certain amount each hour as well - the midwife was measuring me out syringe-fulls of lucozade. I puked most of the way anyway, then ended up with a general anaesthetic, so just as well!

@haichmal aww sorry your apps have not been what they should of been.

I've had same midwife throughout apart from booking in app.
I didn't have 1/2 appointments when COVID was at its peak, I've had my 34/36 & will have my 38wk app, they have not been at my local GP surgery but instead my local surestart/children centre.
Crazy to think if she can do a sweep in 2weeks i could possibly be in labour in 2weeks time (hopefully) 😲

Oh I see, in that case I guess I will most likely eat my snacks prior to going into the hospital lol and maybe leave some I may want for afterwards

Reassure me that bump dropping has no connection with how soon baby will come! Baby was 4/5 - 3/5 palpable last week and feel like bump has dropped even more today - have a decent sized gap between boobs and bump again!!

I've been speaking to a lady on my NCT group who has done alot of research and spoken to other Mums who had both emergency and planned sections.

So From 2014 it become a UK requirement that women are allowed to opt for Csections should they wish. Hospitals have to allow choice... But for some reason this is not widely known. @BabyBird20

This is what's on NHS website

www.nhs.uk/conditions/caesarean-section/

"Asking for a caesarean
Some women choose to have a caesarean for non-medical reasons.

If you ask your midwife or doctor for a caesarean when there are not medical reasons, they'll explain the overall benefits and risks of a caesarean to you and your baby compared with a vaginal birth.

If you're anxious about giving birth, you should be offered the chance to discuss your anxiety with a healthcare professional who can offer support during your pregnancy and labour.

If after discussing all the risks and hearing about all the support on offer you still feel that a vaginal birth is not an acceptable option, you should be offered a planned caesarean. If your doctor is unwilling to perform the operation, they should refer you to a doctor who will"

Wanted to let you know @BabyBird20 x

@Magpie21 I have literally not seen the same midwife twice. I don't know about you but I have found it absolutely infuriating and so unhelpful. Each one keeps making vague comments like 'and I'm sure you've discussed about what to do if you think you're in labour' and I have to be like 'Eh no I haven't actually'. No continuity of care means each one seems to have assumed another one has covered a part of my care which is really stressful for me especially as this is my first pregnancy. Also it caused difficulties with my bump measurement because of lack of consistency and I got so fed up last time that they sent me for a growth scan and then on to an appointment with the consultant. Basically I think to shut me up with all my questions. Make a list of your questions and stand firm, they can't just pass you off as someone else's problem.

Ladies I have what I'm pretty sure is a stupid, ridiculous question but I'm going to ask it anyway. I have been thinking when in the postnatal ward with baby what happens when you need to go to the bathroom or something? Maybe I sound mad but are you just expected to leave baby in the cot while you waddle to the bathroom and back? What about when you get a shower? Do you say to a midwife to keep an eye on the baby? I'm just especially conscious that we will be on our own with no other halves or family allowed in due to Covid. Maybe I'm being totally paranoid and overthinking everything...