Due March 2005 part 2

[misdee]

here we go!!

Shalaa - that's pretty much the only reason I'm still in work now (at 37 weeks), i.e. to stop me crawling the walls at home! Instead I can do it here in the office and get paid for it . Good for you bouncing on the ball - that's supposed to be great for getting the baby into position.

Leogaela - I read somewhere that 95% of babies arrive within one week either side of the due date - so chances are that you're safe with the babe inside for a bit longer. Hopefully enough time for the nipper to cotton on to the idea of getting its head down in correct position!

I swore this time I would do all the optimal foetal positioning stuff. My dd was posterior - but we only found that out 2.5 days into labour when I still wasn't dilating! Anyway, I am being hopeless - lounging on the sofa every night etc. Am slightly discouraged by the recent research which suggested foetal positioning had no effect, plus I think dd may have turned when I went into labour and one midwife said that the shape of your pelvis can be a prime factor. Still, I must resolve to do better, as it certainly can't do any harm.

Pidge - do you know what position your baby is in now? It may be better that you didn't know last time! Its really good to hear your experience though - maybe it wasn't so nice for you!

As for the foetal positioning exercises... well you never know, maybe it helps, maybe it doesn't, but I am more conscious of sticking to sleeping on one side even if I get hip pains I am getting up and walking around, doing some stretches instead of rolling back & forward as I was before. And when you get used to it, its quite relaxing being in that sleeping dog position!

Have you tried out your pool yet?

At the moment the baby is spine to front (and to one side) - so fine. But then we're pretty sure that dd was like that too at my last checkup before the birth. I think it would have helped me to know she was posterior. It would have given me a reason for my 2 days of painful "pre-labour" (contractions every 10-15 minutes) plus it was a reason why I just didn't dilate, despite those 2 days plus 8 hours of contractions every 1-2 minutes.

Anyway - will see what happens this time round! At least my body got lots of practice at doing contractions, even if it didn't manage the dilating bit so well!!

On the pool front - it's our top priority job for the weekend. Though dp is out all Saturday afternoon and evening and we're visiting friends most of Sunday! And we don't even have a pump to blow it up yet. I forecast a trip to B&Q first thing Saturday morning.

Perfect! I hope your baby stays in that position. Interesting that the baby can turn any time! Don't know why my doctor was worrying me! I guess your dd's head wasn't engaged enough to encourage dilation? Was anything done to help the birth or did it all happen naturally in its own very slow time?

Your dd is going to think you have put up a swimming pool inside the house for her to play in!

Yup - certainly babies can rotate from back to front quite easily. My dd turned of her own accord during labour (eventually!) though I did end up with an epidural, and syntocin to try to stimulate the contractions. And you're right - I think my failure to dilate was because the head was bashing down on the base of my spine, rather than the cervix. Hmmmmm nice!

My dd is going to be soooooooooo thrilled with the pool! Will get her in there bouncing about - that should show up if it's going to leak or not.

Thanks for the birthday wishes. I had a quiet one at home, just a bit of cake and champagne with my DH and DS. I'm going out on Saturday with 6 friends for a bit of celebration, most certainly last one before the baby arrives.

Misdee - how was the hospital appt yesterday?

How exciting about all those birth pools and bouncing balls. As far as I'm concerned, I just want the baby out safely and am not bothered at all about the birth experience this time (as long as it's not too awful).

I'm still at work this week, off next week for DS's half-term, then back for one more week or maybe just a couple of days. I hope I have time to get the flat spotless next week and that it will keep so until the baby comes.

Congrats for Monday Christinaand have a good time on Saturday. Hope you don't feel as exhausted as I do today after going out last night! Didn't get home until midnight which is way past my bedtime these days and I have been feeling sooo tired all day today. Went back to bed after I'd dropped dd at school - didn't dare fall asleep though as was expecting the midwife between 10-12. got up at 11am to find my notes and then noticed that she's actually coming tomorrow! How hopeless am I? So I went back to bed again and snoozed until 12-ish. Have done nothing useful all day and hav to go pipck dd up in less than an hour!!!
Good news about your sample Shaalaa - those last couple of weeks do seem to drag don't they?
I too have been making half-hearted attempts at OFP - trying to sit upright, spend time on all fours and lie on my left side. I agree though Pidge that most of the time it is so tempting to lounge on the sofa. No idea what position baby is in at the mo - last time I saw midwife she thought it was head-down with spine to my front at the left side but wasn't sure as said it wasn't "typical" when she palpated me. I keep feeling my bump and trying to work it out but am none the wiser - keep feeling a really hard bit right at the top of the bump but don't think it feels like a head - a foot maybe? Oh well hopefully midwife will have more of an idea tomorrow.

Misdee didn't have her apptmt yesterday it got moved to Friday at her new hospital, but has anyone heard from her today? When she is quiet I keep thinking it must be happening....! She's been having signs for quite a while!

You all make me feel SO lazy, both me & dh are hopeless getting around to cleaning so we have someone to clean for us! OK, since I moved in with him is the first time I have ever had a cleaner... but its bloody great!

Bonym - i can't mistake the feet at the top of my bump and if I push on my belly button its really soft so I know there is nothing there. When I get BH contractions though I get 2 head sized bumps at the top of the bump which I find really wierd and the left side of the bump sticks out much more.
Maybe the baby has shifted position again!

Just got an email from my sister who told me that she was induced a week early as her babies head was so big!!!! That c/s is looking more and more attractive!

i am still here. have been visiting dh this afternoon, so dont panic just yet.

dh has been given permission to be with me at the birth by his cardiologist, as long as he is still at the same hospital. i have an appointment tomorrow so will hopefully see what they say there about bubs size, and if they will induce early for any reason.

Will you still need me then Misdee?

yeah, you as well my dear!

misdee - good news that dh can be there at the birth - but does this mean that if he is transferred to Harefield, he can't be? Hope your appointment goes well today.
Midwife has just left and has confirmed that baby is head down which is a big relief to me - I just need to make sure she stays that way now! Everything else is fine - blood pressure, urine etc. so feeling very positive and I'm actually starting to look forward to the birth. Hope everyone else is doing ok - I'm off to Ikea now for a bit of retail therapy!

i am being induced! on the 21st feb. but migth be the 17th if one of the ladies booked in already doesnt need to be induced or cancels for any reason. maybe i should be moved to feb board

if dh is at harefield i dont know if he'll have time to come back for the birth.

forgot to log out on sisters pc. oops

OMG!!! So baby could be here in less than a week! That's so exciting. (BTW - stop trying to confuse us poor befuddled expectant mums by using mieow's log-on

sorry for confusing you.

but your right, less than a week, so scary!!

wow misdee!
is this to do with your diabetes???
are there any problems???
very excited for you!

new hospital have agreed to use my scan date of 27/2/05 rather than LMP of 4/3/05, so that put me forward 5 days, and because i have GD and dh being an in patient they took pity on me.

bubs growth is good, no problems there, but said thwey would've probably induced at 39weeks anyway.

Wow you could be holding your baby very soon! My baby is head down with his back to my right (if your facing me) so he/she is in a good position. Had been 2/5 engaged for the past few weeks but other than that no sign of immminent labour! Can't believe I actually want labour to start, bet i'll change my mind half way through!

Leogaela, hope your baby moves into a more 'comfy' position for the both of you! Also hope your baby has a small head and I mean that in the nicest possible way!

hi everyone
we've got antenatal weekend starting tomorrow, which should be interesting!. good to meet some of the hubbies as know a few women coz of yoga classes each week. also booked into the active birth centre for 2 workshops over the next 3 weeks. make some of my reading a bit more more real.
had an offer on our flat and just finishing off negotiations, but looking very positive. we've put an increased offer in on the house we want in bath but haven't got anywhere yet. but i don't think all is lost. any ideas when the best time to move would be after the birth, given that we have to move soonish as dp commuting and the new person wants to complete quickly? we might have to rent somewhere for a while as things are unlikely to slot in that well.

Sweeney - fingers crossed for you on the house purchasing. As for moving - to be honest I think you cope with whatever is required, particularly if it makes your life easier in terms of commuting for your dp. You need to arrange to have lots of help - just accept that you won't be able to do anything at all - if at all possible I would pay for someone else to pack and move you.

Misdee - how exciting - that is so soon. And such good news that your dh can be there too.

On the pool front - in the end we decided it would be crazy to risk labouring in a pool with a potential leak. Dp suddenly had visions of me mid contraction and 100 gallons of water starting to flood out over our living room floor! So we went back to the original option of hiring from Splashdown - complicated by the fact that the local agent doesn't have any pools available, so we will be picking one up in Reading next Saturday! So I for one am hoping this baby doesn't make an unexpectedly early appearance.

Girly - have sent you an email about the Made in Water pool.

Spent Sunday with friends who have a 2 year old and a 7 month old. Dd was fascinated by the breastfeeding, and at one point pulled down my friends top and thrust her plastic doll onto the boob!!

Hi everyone, hope all is going well

I think I'm as ready as I'm ever going to be - the hospital bag is (finally!) packed, the baby's room is finished, and have been and looked around the unit I'll be delivering at...just counting down the days now...

Exciting news misdee! Good luck, and looking forward to what will likely be our first birth announcement

dh is now at harefiled and will hopefully be out at the weekend so will be with me on monday. thats if i dont get called in thursday and he is ok to be with me on monday. sister is on standby, mum as well for babysitting. everythign is almost sorted.

how is everyone else?

Everyone still 'with child'???
I have my midwife appointment again tomorrow (yhacve had one every week for goodness knows how long) so we will see whether my blood pressure is still behaving......

It was at 37 weeks that I was admitted to hospital last time.........