Due November 2007 - STAND AND DELIVER! (or squat, lie down, go on all fours, etc......)

[RGPargy]

Hi girlies

Our post was getting very large again, so i've made another new one. Hope you dont mind!

Link to the old post HERE

There are some 34 c/d nursing bras on the freestuff page. i'm sure someone was looking for some about that size.

Loopy - good idea about the birth box. You sound very organised! I actually managed to find my JIC bag the other day, but it now remains on the floor in my bedroom, waiting for me to fill up - JIC!

LOM - i've been checking the quality of the TV again tonight. Very enjoyable!! Sorry you're feeling hormotional today. It's horrible when that happens isn't it. Dont worry tho, as you know it'll pass in no time. Chin up! Great news re your sister! Congrats to her!

It's very quiet on here tonight isn't it? I wonder if more of us are off having babies?

Well hello there lovely lovely ladies - I'm clocking in for duty at last after giving birth

Thanks for letting everyone know LOM - I wasn't sure when I'd get the chance to log in and couldn't bear you all not knowing I'd had my baby!

Started having contractions wednesday at 3am. By 7am I was pretty sure I was in labour as they were getting more painful in bed. They did hurt less once I got out of bed though so tip for you ladies - being active does help.

Went into hospital at 11am (around about the time I should have been enjoying coffee and walnut cake with LOM!) and they told me I was 4cm. Many hours later I had only progressed 1cm so they broke my waters and then the contractions got a lot worse all of a sudden rather than having a gradual build up so after 22 hours of labour I asked for an epidural. It worked a treat and a couple of hours later I gave birth to a healthy and beautiful baby girl.

Did tear a little bit but didn't feel any of the stiching due to epidural.

Tips - breathing was sooo helpful. It really helped me deal with the pain - just slow, calm, deep breathing. Make sure you breathe out well. I did 3 counts breathing in through nose and 4 counts breathing out through mouth. It really helps you keep 'with it' and not panic and not get stressed.

Also, the TENS machines are fab IMO. I didn't end up hiring one (too much dithering) but they offered me the use of one in the hospital. Although it doesn't stop it hurting altogether, it does distract you and give you something to concentrate on which helps deal with the pain. Made me feel in control as I boosted it/turned it up.

Stay off the bed for as long as you can manage! DH was fab - asked for a mat and a birthing ball so I spent some time on the ball, some time on all fours, some time sat on a chair, some time walking etc. If they don't offer you these things - ASK!

I found that of all the massage techniques we learnt in antenatal class - the one that helped the most was using counter pressure on the area where contraction is causing most pain. For me it was lower back. So every time I had a contraction DH would press with the heel of his hand on my lower back and I would be on all fours, swaying gently from side to side. It really helped.

All in all, it was a fantastic experience. Every single MW I dealt with during my labour was a darling (good news for LOM!) and responded brilliantly to all DHs pestering. Totally different to my experience in London. They really made me feel looked after.

AS you can probably tell, I am still buzzing. I just wanted all of you who are still pregnant to know that although it's hard and painful - you have as good a chance of having an amazing experience as you do of an awful one. Trust me - I've had one of each.

VBACS RULE.

Congrats to Silk and Empen! I'm sorry I haven't replied to everyone's news but I will do as soon as I catch up with the reading.

Just wanted to add - THANK YOU ladies for helping me through this pregnancy. Chatting with you lot has made such a difference and some days (not willing to admit quite how often) being on the thread has been the highlight of the day. I love you all BIG GROUP HUG FROM CRAZY POSTNATAL LADY

P.s. You can see pics of Sara on my profile

P.P.S. 2 of my NCT mates were on the postnatal ward at the same time as me. How cool is that!

P.P.P.S I really do love you all.

Choudru - congratulations hunni!! So pleased everything went really well for you!! Your new daughter Sara is beautiful and you sound very very proud (and rightfully so!).

Really pleased for you, and also am very of you for having your daughter. I want mine now too please!!

Congrats again.

xxx

Ah Choudru its lovely to hear such a great birth story. invaluable tips and lots of positive vibes for us hoping for a similar experience over the next days! thanks for that, i feel quite reassured!

Congratulation Empen!

Wheres Berry do we think!

RG, thanks for tip. And Sparkly- good luck to you and Callum

So tonight im thinking about labour music. whether it gets used or not is anyones guess but as im having a homebirth its worth trying music i think. im up all hours with frigging restless leg syndrome so its amusing me at 3, 4 ,5 am! here we go...

Underwater Love- Smoke City (having a waterbirth i hope!)
Come Here Boy - Imogen Heap
Im Gonna Be (500 miles) The Proclaimers
Happy and Bleeding - PJ Harvey
Alive - Pearl Jam
Hallelujah - Jeff Buckley
November has come- Gorillaz

Any contributions!?

Choudru - FANTASTIC birth story! Well done you! (And i dont blame you on the epi front - labour HURTS!) Sara is gorgeous!

Rev - glad im not the only one up at all hours.... here i am at 4.59am and been awake for an hour now!

Guess where Im off to later girls.... go on.... its sunday morning.... YAY! Bootsale day! Its just somewhere to go, doesnt cost anything (unless you buy!!!) and its great to just walk around and then pop into my dads for a cuppa!

After we have been there, we will be back home for more household chores, need to pick up a few bits from the shop,get some washing and ironing done and then i think i may have a little sleep, as no doubt by lunchtime i will be shattered!

No niggles or pains here today so far, but bump has been very quiet, so just going to keep an eye and if I get worried go and get him checked out.

Ooooooh, must remember to put hospital bag in the car today, been meaning to do it all week!

I should have posted earlier Jarm, I gave up sleeping at about 5,30 this morning. which is good compared to yesterday. god this restless legs thing is driving me insane, and seems to be affecting my arms too! I didnt even know you could get restless arms! just feels like my whole body is buzzing with intense adrenalin that wont let me sleep, only move, fidget endlessly. id be fine if i wasnt getting up to go to the loo for 8 times every night- but once im awake, thats it for the restlessness..

arrgh..

Choudru - What a fantastic story. Don't you know it is wrong to make PG ladies cry, particularly on a Sunday morning . I'm so pleased it all went so well for you. Sara is a fab name btw. Ooooooo. Can't wait to give her a cuddle.

Revel - A fine choice of songs. What about 'Push It' by Salt and Peppa form their seminal work ' A salt with a deadly Peppa'

Slept really well last night.( sorry Jarm and Rev) Dh did loads of sorting yesterday . We now have a house even Kim and Aggie would be proud of. And he made dinner that did not conatin ANY gravy and was tasty!! Good DH.

Still feeling very hormotional. Heaven help anyone who crosses me today. I feel completely psychotic. Look out for me on the evening news ' Mad preggers Lady goes on hormonal Rampage in Yorkshire'

See what happens when you dont log in for a few days!! Babies, unfortunately not mine though..
But massive congrats to you Choudru, Sara is beautiful, hope my baby is as georgeous...

Not had a chance to read up yet other than the current page but similiar story for me really, didn't sleep at all well Friday night, bit better last night, been doing lots of nesting.

Feeling very uncomfortable, right foot,ankle and bottom half of leg swelling a lot during the day, still have piles etc....

Went to a fab firework party on Friday night for a few hours and ate Chilli, hoping with that and the bangs would induce labour but no luck there...

Christmas - have purchased 2 pressies and that's it, my sister in law is really organised and spent all day yesterday christmas shopping and then came round last night to tell me, cheers then!!!

39 weeks pregnant tomorrow - Yippee, hurry up baby boy*

Morning everyone! Happy Sunday!!

Revel - lol @ your song list. How could you possibly forget this thread's namesake tho - Stand and Deliver by Adam & the Ants! Sorry you're not sleeping very well. Must be a nightmare (no pun intended) for you. One thing i've not had any trouble doing over the years is sleeping and i totally sympathise because if i were not able to sleep i think i'd crack up!

Jarm - Hope you enjoyed your boot sale today!

LOM - It IS a fantastic story isn't it? I only hope mine is equally as positive. I cant wait! Glad you had a good night's sleep. I seem to be sleeping better these days without a pillow between my legs/under bump etc. I have no idea why, but if i sleep with added pillows, i'm awake every hour or so and trying to get comfy again. Bless you LOM, for feeling hormotional. Hope you feel better soon. Incidentally, i used the word "hormotional" last night to DP and he cracked up. Said it was very apt lol.

Muckers - haven't bought ANY xmas pressies yet, but DP's parents have already bought ours! Maybe i should think about doing some shopping. It might even jog baby into coming a little early, with any luck.

Woke up this morning with a really niggly belly. It's probably just BHs or summat but i must admit it's a little uncomfortable. I keep thinking that my waters will break and then i'll know i'm in labour, but of course i keep forgetting that it doesn't always happen like that. Just because my waters broke with DS doesn't mean it will happen with this LO!

Well, better crack on with some more painting (yawn). Have a lovely Sunday everyone!

Not even thinking about Christmas presents here. I'd say I'm having pains and niggles about every 3 minutes, but called in to the hospital and they were totally dismissive about that I might possibly be in labor. I can't bring myself to actually time the pains and contractions, though, so can't say if it's regular or not. This pre-labor stuff is soooooo annoying!!

Choudru: Great birth story. Sara is gorgeous. Congratulations on the VBAC, too.

I'm off to mope with my maybe-contractions and take a hike then possibly jump on DP if he's still in bed (9:45 AM here).

Muckers - I think that we are all perfectly entitled to cancel Christams this year. It's very hard to be relaxed and patient about impending isn't it?

Rg - feeling a little calmer now ta. Dh and I have just done a walk and I maged about 3 miles which is the furthest I've been since getting Pg. feel almost like me again.
I did have an indignant outburst in Sainsbury's though as they were selling 'Christmas Gifting Cakes'. FFS since when was gifting a verb - grrr load of americanised b**cks.
Easy on the painting

Loopy I think you are perfectly entitled to a CBA.

Aiki - Happy jumping

Loopy - think i really should pack my bag and then leave it downstairs somewhere for when D-day happens and i can just mumble "BAG!" to DP. I secretly realliy love CBA days. I'm feeling a bit like that today, but there's still so much painting to do that unfortunately "CBA days" have turned into "CBA hour" (if i'm lucky!).

Aiki - sorry the hospital have been very dismissive of your pains and niggles. They could at least have tried to reassured you! Oh and Happy Due Date!

LOM - THREE MILES??!!! Bloody hell girl!! I'm lucky if i manage 300 yards these days! I'm equally as ggrrr about the "gifting" cake thing! WTF is a gifting cake?!!!!!!

Well i've painted one side of the wardrobe door and the bottom of some shelves and that's about it. I cant do anymore because there's nowhere to put the other door while i paint it, plus we're losing light too. Not sure i've done a very good job on the front of the door, but DP says it looks ok. I'm just really paranoid that my painting is a bit pile of raddish tho and i'm convinced he's just being nice lol.

He's going to put the doors on the wardrobe later to make it easier for me to paint them in situ, rather than resting them on stuff and not being able to turn them over to do the backs etc. Ugh, i hate painting!

Rg - It's bizarre but between morning sickness and SPD I've been a physical wreck since getting PG. Now the SPD is better I'm the fittest and most mobile I've been all the way along. I'm very much an outdoorsey type and have been going crazy with cabin fever .

I assume it is cake that you give a present. I've seen this term used on websites recently, 'baby gifting' and the such like. I'm well aware I can get pedantic about these things but really. I don't want to bring a child into a world where there is 'gifting'.

I'm sure that yout painting is great

LOM _ ah yes, the great outdoors. I can actually see it's appeal at the moment. It's amazing how much you appreciate being mobile and able bodied when it gets temporarily taken away from you, albeit not completely IYSWIM. I'm looking forward to regaining some of the simple things in life, like being able to bend down, tie my trainer laces up and have enough mobility to do a step video!

Re the cakes - i thought that was the case but why do they have to call it that?! How very very annoying!

Rg - The not being able to reach feet thing is an issue. I've got athlete's foot at the mo - tmi- and Dh has to treat it c'os I can't reach. What with that, and Fanjo being closed after last week's hospital visit, romance in the little house is most def dead. Well, hibernating anyway

Muckers, you mean you haven't bought mine yet Tell you what, forget about it, I'll have a new beautiful nephew for Christmas. Anytime soon would be lovely.

Chou, I cried at your birth story, well done it sounded fantastic! Beautiful name too!
See Epidurals do NOT mean you are doomed!!!!

Congratulation to all the other bundels arriving, looks like Aiki is on her way, 3mins apart, sounds like Labour to me!

Sorry leaving now (sure I'll be back at somepoint, just can't stay away)

hello all,
Congratulations to you Choudru and Empen. Encouraging birth story Chou

Ladies, does anyone experience any fears of their waters breaking in inappropriate places? I do and it's really controlling my movements. Have had to get pampers dry mats (cant remember if that's wwhat they are called) for the bed and the car seats,

LOM- hope you are feeling a lot better now and happy sunday evening to you all

all those who have done their christmas shopping, I have not started but then again have very few to buy for anyway, so I will catch up later!

Oh and Sparkly, here is hoping Callum picks up soon,

oooooooh dear, now I am not sure how I've managed to get my name in a different colour, hope it does not mean anything!

Hello I'm back! Moved in and settled just in time for impending birth of DS, 39 weeks on Tues! Everything went v.smoothly and i have enjoyed playing "house" instead of "flat" but the stairs are wearing me out (3 storeys!).

Congrats all those of you who have had their LOs. I haven't had a chance to catch up properly yet. And good luck to those of you in early labour. No signs here, think he is v.comfy.

Having a bit of trouble typing cos after a lovely pregnancy with very few niggles (apart from anger management issues) have got carpal tunnel syndrome really badly in right hand. Is not painful so much as irritating but fear will seriously impede my ability to mnet!

Looking forward to catching up with you all properly next week. Have a lovely evening x