Due August 2021 - The Final Countdown continues...

[Daffodil21]

Continuing the previous thread!

I'll let @PurplePansy05 post the updated list

Thank you all for the good wishes - still no baby here 😓 I had my show at about 3:30 this morning, but contractions still aren't strong enough to go in yet. Tried to get some sleep, which wasn't wildly effective, and annoyingly seemed to really slow things down so am now trying to stay upright and see if that speeds things along. My plans about trying to minimise pain relief are rapidly going out the window though - I want an epidural ASAP!!

Good luck @MrsB2019x! Hopefully it's smooth for you and you get to meet baby soon xx

@PurplePansy05 thanks, I will just put it on. Was going to avoid perfume anyway! I shaved 9 days before thinking that would somehow keep some of my dignity (what dignity?) but I’ve probably timed it terribly too then 🤦🏼‍♀️

@Daffodil21 😬 it is literally TOMORROW and I still can’t process it’s happening! Just so glad he hasn’t decided to make an early appearance 🤞🏼🎉

Best of luck for those getting early signs, @MrsB2019x for your induction and @Daffodil21 and @sarah13xx for your procedures. Fingers crossed for good experiences for you all!

@sarah13xx I did exactly the same thing so will regret that no doubt!!

What time did you say yours was?

Ahhhhhh 😱😱😱😱😱

@HopefulB thank you!

Good luck today @MrsB2019x cant wait to hear your news 😊

@Daffodil21 I’ve to be there for 10 then I think it’s 2 hours of whatever they do before it, they have their lunch then the first afternoon person (out of 2) goes. Guarantee I’m last 🙈 is yours 11? It’s the waiting about that’s going to be the worst bit! Cannot get my head round someone lifting a baby out of me though and it being mine 🥰😂

Thanks @HopefulB! Hope all goes well for you @MrsB2019x and it doesn't take too long!

@sarah13xx similar timings. But in for 11 and he said he expects me to be in 2/3ish but that's all being well with no emergencies beforehand

@Daffodil21 I think mine has the emergency theatre open for emergencies during the week but can still get in the way if there’s two at the same time needing in. I’m imagining mine will be 1 or 2:30 😬 for some reason I’m not nervous about the actual operation, just the cannula and spinal being done while I’m shaking with nerves 🙈 hoping after that I can take nothing to do with it until I hear them say he’s born 😂

@MrsB2019x wooo! Sending positive vibes your way.

@biscuitcat making good progress, hope it speeds up for you. Nothing wrong with considering pain relief either :)

@MrsB2019x glad you've finally gotten called in! Hope things go real quickly for you. I've never had an induction but my DSIS had a very positive one ten weeks ago.

She went in at 38 weeks with reduced movement, and they recommended induction (baby was fine). She got the gel Saturday evening, didn't do anything. Sunday morning they said they were starting the drip so she asked for epidural first. 3 hours later baby was born! Was a very lovely experience.

Thanks all! I have been examined and I’m 2cm already so she’s clearly already been working on it at home 🥰 just had the gel to help me along a bit.

Best of luck @sarah13xx and @Daffodil21 for your procedures tomorrow!

@BertieBotts @HopefulB thank you so much. That information is so reassuring. I was entirely unaware of the fact they might try to get him/her to feed so quickly and felt really worried about it. So I’m glad it seems to be a fairly standard practice with a range of potential intensities!

I think maybe the obsession with breast feeding is an Indian medical thing. For years formula was marketed incredibly hard here, often not ethically - eg Nestle pushing formula with addictive additives on poorer and rural people. And a good immune system is essential, probably more than in the UK, as the tendency is to prioritise natural medicines and there are a range of nasty diseases here that don’t exist in the UK. But it is pushed very hard - eg no bottles to be brought into the hospital, formula is a last resort - and I was worried the c section table situation was another part of that. Reassured that it sounds quite standard and is important but not show stopping if it doesn’t work.

Good luck @MrsB2019x

Not one woman at my postnatal ward brought bottles in with her, so I don't think it's odd in the slightest. And that's not really because the hospital pushes for BF, I didn't feel they pushed for anything and they've supported mums' decisions.

Best of luck @MrsB2019x, how very exciting! 🥰❤ xx

That’s good to know, thanks @PurplePansy05

@Daffodil21 I was encouraged to shower as soon as they got me up after the catheta came out 12 hours after surgery. Good luck for tomorrow!!

Good luck @sarah13xx and @MrsB2019x as well! Hopefully it won’t be long until your having newborn cuddles!

How are the other c section mums doing? I’ve got the community midwife coming tomorrow to have a look and maybe change the dressing. I’m just concerned as I don’t want an infection like last time!

Also mums who are BFing, how are things going? For Isaacs first two nights he’s literally not slept a wink, but hasn’t been off the boob at all. Obviously I’m very tired because of this!

Thanks @Magik01 - hope you get some rest soon!!

Still no baby for me 😭 waters went at 8pm last night and still not even a sight of labour! Going in for induction at 6pm if they have space and I am absolutely petrified ☹️ any positive stories on induction??

Oh no! I would post on Childbirth and ask for positive induction stories and make sure to mention in your OP it's already planned :) As I've seen lots but they don't tend to come up "in the wild" because the stories about induction being long/scary/hard etc seem to dominate, to the point you'd get the impression that it's always awful, which I am really sure is NOT the case. The majority of inductions are straightforward and result in a completely normal progress of labour but people don't tend to speak about that because it seems normal/boring/obvious I think.

Thanks @Magik01 @MrsB2019x 😬

I just want to go now to get it over with.. can’t imagine sleeping tonight 🙈

@Magik01 we’re day 5 post section and healing seems to be going well. The first 48 were the most difficult and I’ve felt more human since! I have a dressing that stays on for 7 days so no clue what my scar looks like now. Before it was really low down and neat but during the section she said she’d have to create a new part to get baby out.

Hope your dressing change goes well and you avoid an infection this time.

I forgot what it’s like having a newborn! I’ve never BF before so this is new for me and the baby. It’s very tying isn’t it! The big draw for FF is being able to share the load from the start.
Is your milk in yet?
Mine came in day 3 and my boobs feel ginormous.

@Hoares3 hope all goes well and they had space for you to go in

Good luck for tomorrow ladies! It’s like Christmas Eve!

@Magik01 @WinterBabyof89 My milk came in as soon as we got home and DS is now exclusively BF ❤🥰 I am so, so happy, this is what I wanted.

However, it wasn't easy. We struggled because DS had a mixture of poor latch/nipple confusion as he was given formula in a bottle to stabilise his glucose levels when in hospital. Then his little tummy was overstretched as a result of FF and of course I wasn't yet producing enough milk, so we had to do mixed feeding. I was very worried and had to give my head a huge wobble to keep trying to EBF. Had a wonderful chat with a specialist BF midwife before we were discharged and she told me keep at it, you're doing great, remember it's all about patience, persistence and perserverance! I spent some time in hospital telling myself to be positive, not stressed and not to give up and it has really helped. But I can totally see why some women give up quickly. It's so hard when things aren't going to plan and they're not eating enough or at all. When high on hormones and sleep deprived you can feel like you've hit the brick wall very quickly.

But to me it was so worth it! It's hard but beautiful and personally to me it's created such a special bond with DS, I can't imagine having it any other way ❤

DS isn't cluster feeding as such, but he's not far off, he loves feeding in the evening, into the night, then around midnight, 3am and 5/6am. So considering every feed is more than an hour it's pretty tiring and can feel constant. But from what I gather this won't last forever and it's important they get their milk overnight due to the difference in ingredients. During the day he sleeps all morning and then has a shorter feed every 2hrs or so it seems.

My dressing is off now, everything looks good. DS was weighed today and didn't lose any more of his birth weight. He's had his heel prick tests, fingers crossed they come back ok 🤞

Section girls, make sure you sleep before your section, there won't be much opportunity later on! xx

@Magik01 night 2 was the worst for cluster feeding for me but it stimulates your milk to come in. We’re settling in to a routine now, every 3-4 hours but more in the evenings which was the same as my daughter. Hopefully your milk come in soon and the feeding settles for you

Hi all, haven't posted for a very long time but popped back to see how everyone's doing -- so many babies already, how exciting! Hoping mine makes an appearance in the next few weeks.

Re positive induction stories, I feel like I had a good experience with mine a couple of years ago. Baby had slowed growth so I was induced at 38 weeks. They gave me the gel in the morning and after an examination said I didn't look in any way prepared for birth and it would likely take a few days, but I started getting contractions pretty quickly and by lunchtime they were less than five minutes apart. Baby wasn't coping that well at that point so they gave me an injection to halt labour (didn't know that was something they could do!) and put me on a low level of syntocin instead. I then laboured on a Swiss ball using gas and air for a few more hours, and just before they were due to examine me again I felt the urge to push. Baby started getting distressed again right at the end so they used ventouse to help get him out. While it wasn't a textbook birth I still feel positively about it because I never felt like I wasn't coping or like things were out of control. The actual giving birth part at the end I found almost easier because you're more actively doing something rather than just tolerating the contractions and wondering how long they'll go on for.

Good luck to those going in for induction, fingers crossed it all goes smoothly and you get to meet your babies soon!

Oh! Forgot to mention that the morning of the induction (after the gel) I went for a walk and spent some time walking up and down the hospital stairs as that's meant to help get baby into a good position. I don't know if that's what helped speed things along for me, but worth considering if it's an option.