Due April 2008 - new thread for November

[EllieG]

Hello all - new thread here!

ToastAddict -- the relevant NICE recommendation states "Auscultation of the fetal heart may confirm that the fetus is alive but is unlikely to have any predictive value and routine listening is therefore not recommended. However, when requested by the mother, auscultation of the fetal heart may provide reassurance."

So your midwife was both right and wrong...

(Isn't "auscultation" a marvellous word, by the way?)

My only concern with the Freedom sling would be the one-shoulder nature of it. Personally I prefer a sling to distribute the weight more evenly to avoid back/hip problems. But plenty of people use that style very happily. What a good idea that slingmeet site is!

Tx Picalilli ... shame about the NCT, I'd booked classes near where we live now but was hoping to switch.

Welcome annieroo
Just had chicken, chips & coleslaw so am a lot happier now than I was

You might get into hospital antenatal classes, though -- I actually made more long-standing friends through the hospital classes (directly and indirectly) than the NCT ones.

You could still get involved in local NCT activities post-baby, as well, for meeting other mothers in the area.

Hello, Annieroo! Peachy is in South Wales, not sure about anyone else (apologies to anyone else who is in South Wales and I've temporarily forgotten).

welcome annieroo, I will be living in cardiff starting from february 08.

I wasn't going to go to the hospital antenatal classes as I thought they'd be a repeat of the NCT classes, do you think it is worth going to both, Lemonaid?

There was some duplication, but I found both useful there was more general discussion and chat in the NCT classes, but the hospital classes were more focused on kind of talking you through what would happen with a birth at that hospital making sure you knew the numbers to call, when to come in, where to park, how to get a free 24-hour parking pass (ha! if only 24 hours covered it...), what the delivery rooms were like, passing around things like forceps and epidural catheters and other bits of medical equipment so you knew what they looked like, talking through the "what if"s that people had.

For example, it was the hospital classes that said "if you have a ventouse or forceps, the room will fill with several extra people, but don't panic and assume there's a problem -- it's just routine and precautionary" which was a useful tip to have. Also the hospital classes were led by a midwife who was able to give some medical advice (and actually did a few imprompteu checkups on women who were between regular midwife appointments but had some concerns.

And, of course, there was the fact that while I'd expected to get to know more people through the NCT classes than through the hospital classes (I was only really doing the hospital ones because they were free, so I thought "why not?") it was actually the other way round. If I hadn't gone to the hospital classes I'd have missed out on the friendships I made through them -- and it was actually one of the other mothers-to-be there who tipped me off about what is now DS's nursery, which hadn't long opened at the time and I didn't know about, so potentially he'd have missed out on going there (where he is blissfully happy) and on the friends he's made there, and the whole course of his life would have been different... .

No pressure, or anything...

Thanks Lemonaid, they do sound good.

Thanks lemonaid
Think auscultation maybe something different? When they do it with a stethoscope maybe?
NICE say: "The evidence does not support the routine use of antenatal electronic fetal heart rate monitoring (cardiotocography) for fetal assessment in women with an uncomplicated pregnancy and therefore it should not be offered."

Either way, I didn't get it but am not too concerned. May just splash out and buy or hire one of those monitors so I can do it myself at home!!!

Welcome Annieroo, where in S/Wales are you? there'll be enough of us for a meet up soon!

oh I ahve some non pg news- I ahev an interview for an MA next week!! So fingers crossed for me (as you still can, give it a few weeks and they'll be too swollen)- LOL

Good luck Peachy!

Sounds like a good idea toastaddict
DH is back from his field trip tomorrow so have to enjoy my last night with the bed to myself

Good luck peachy - I wish you hadn´t said that about fingers though as mine really swelled with DS & my ankles Maybe it won´t happen this time though because it´ll be a lot cooler.

SMCG - its worth getting in touch with NCT anyway - in areas where there's a shortage of spaces they often know about 'private' antenatal classes and yoga etc.
I'd drop them a line and see if there's anythinf like that in the Clapham area.

Hello to everyone new, sorry I haven't had much time to catch up.

Quick question - Should I be worried that today I'm 19+2 and still don't think I have felt anything yet.

I thought it gave me a kick a few nights ago and it actually woke me up but now I'm not sure and think I have the pregnancy worries!!!

V1KK1M, No shouldn't be worried at all

And erm ladies, there's a wonderful mumsnet thread right here

v1kki - as its your first i'd say its totallty totally normal. I don't think some people feel anything until around 24 wks or so. I'm sure it'll start any day now.

victoriansqualor - are you here????????? i go the go ahead for my vbac from my consultant today. It couldn't have gone better. YAYYYYYYYYYYYYYY. here's to us both having stress free labours!

Hi All,

Peachy, Good luck for your interview.

I am in Abergavenny, where are you? and when are you due?

Thats great news paranoidmummy!!!
What did they say, did you have to fight for it or was it as straightforward as mine??

V1KK1M, I had the same question on this thread a couple of days ago except taht I'm 17 + 4. However, I've been asking a lot of people and plenty have told me they didn't feel a thing until well after week 20, some at 22 or 24. My Doctor also told me the same thing.

Thanks Loisstella, I'll give it a try. My cheque has already been cashed though so I probably won't be able to swap. I need to find a flat first, argh. I meant to say to you, re the Amby, better sleeping sure is a good selling point! Time will tell if it is true or not.

V1KK1M, (to basically repeat what Molly said), I read in Pregnancy & Birth magazine today that it is rare to feel movements until weeks 16-22 and sometimes later if it is your first pregnancy.

hey vs , it went brill. He was a lovely lovely man

turns out he was my mum's cons when she had me but he was not as old as i'd imagined!! I thought cos he was old he might be really stuffy and hard to budge (very bad stereotyping of me) BUT he was totally opposite. he was relaxed and lovely and i love him!!! His face lit up as soon as i said i wanted to try natural and he was just brill.

he said the only real reason for my probs last time was that ds was in posterior position (being awkward i say) and he thinks that's just because they interfered so much. he said i could have intermittent monitoring so i'm not tied to the bed and he's made notes i want to be treated like any usual labour. woooohoooo. he doesn't want to see me now until 41 wks cos he said there is no need to interfere and he wants labour to run a natural course . but said any probs in the mean time and i can book direct with him whenever...

kind of wish i was having his baby now...

ps. other than that my day was awful - got a new car at the wkend after 2 wks with no car (nightmare). Air con unit (massive f### off steel thing) got blown off our office and landed smack bang on my windscreen!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I cried... oh dear oh dear oh dear