Due April 2008 - Spring Lambs and April Fools II

[Carey87]

New thread!!!

Congratulations again both!

Where do I sign up for one of those quick Kingston births?

Wow congrats Knitter and TMP. I am over the moon for you both!
So glad babies are ok and happy now.

My family have started a sweepstake. Each one are guessing the weight and the day LO will arrive.
My dad thinks its tres funny to bet 12lbs.
Yeah dad.. hoho.. very funny.

Oh Knitter, congrats again. I love the story and am glad the BF has turned out well.

TMP: congrats again to you too! That was a fast labour. Love the name Olivia. My TENS machine should arrive before the end of the week. Glad to hear it worked so well.

My new name to most people around me is 'Big Mama' and every evening my husband arrives home the first thing he gasps is 'you're huge!' like he hasn't seen me in ages

Yum to honey nut cornflakes. I'm now mixing them with my special K so at least half of my breakfast is healthy.

I think if any of you are really craving wine it's ok to have a glass at this stage but if you're like me and are so chuffed with yourself for doing without for almost 9 months you'll probably want to wait until the finish line. I'm packing champagne in my hospital bag.

VS: I have a feeling you're going to become a BF councillor at some stage. You are passionate about it and would do that job really well.

Congrats Knitter and TMP!!!!!!!!!!!!!, brilliant to hear your birth stories, and makes it all so real for the rest of us....gosh, can't believe we'll all be going through that in jsut a few weeks!

I looooovvvvveee birth stories . So chuffed for you both TMP and Knitter. Can't wait to see your photos. How exciting that the babies have finally started coming!

I had MW today and she helped me feel my babys head. She's engaged about 3/5 so she couldn't find her at first but second go she did and put my hand in the right place to feel her too. It was amazing ... rock hard, nothing like her bum (thankfully ).

And that's the second MW who's said she doesn't feel too big. So fingers crossed with a short labour last time and a little head it'll not be a marathon this time!

Scorpiuo- babyw as engaged, then wasn't, now a bit- theya re not supposed to engage after the first until you are in labour, the pelvic bones in later births aren't close enough that when they slip in they get stuck (as in first pregnancies). It's totally the norm for subsequent pregnancies and has no bearing whatsover on when you'll deliver, indeed if a baby was engaged for us at this point we'd probably be in labour itself.

I don't mind (through greitted teeth- am desperate as anyone!) going a day or two OD but a week late as with ds1 would mean I miss ds3's first day at school, and I can't brear that idea as it's such a massive thing for him and he has to take all this gear with him as well (PECs boards etc) so I need to be there. Also, I will be induced at 41 + 1 and I will be alone if I get that far as Mum can't babysit in school term - Doula won't be allowed in unit much. Our Easter holidays are now, we are not having the delayed system that others are.

Wow Knitter and TMP- great birth stories

Sounds like you need some caster oil Peachy.

I hope you all you ladies who want to go into labour soon do so. I have tried to psychologically prepare myself for going overdue as they're is no reason I won't. I also want the baby to grow as much inside as it can although I'm not sure if they keep growing once you get to a certain stage

Molly after 40 - 41 weeks the placenta starts to deteriorate, so the gain is minimal if at all. That's why they encourage induction post dates- because of the increasing risk of stillbirth past 42 weeks. I will induced at 41 weeks (well 41 +1 as 41 is a Sunday) if possible, as it was a failing placenta that made Sam so small (albeit through different causes).

have thought about castor oil but don't know where I would get it from..... I reckon the weekend is likely, as I fully beleive baby won't come when DH is in work (I think thats why the contractions always stop at 8, just before he leaves). Have a curry planned for weekend, and might try to source castor oil for Sunday (the second of my 2 due dates) if needed.

It feels very much like everything is on pause right now- crib made up, pram ready, car seat (finally!) washed and ready for installation, even the less glam things like maternity pads in bathroom cabinets LOL- nothing more to do now except clean, eat and sleep. I can't take the boys out alone at the best of times, so holidays when Dh is at work are a bit drawn out, tbh.

I have some castor oil, DP got me two bottles from Lloyds Chemist, said it was for his grandads constipation and they ordered it in, he only asked yesterday and picked it up today.
If you're desperate I could send you a bottle?
I figure if I'm going to have to have a CS I may as well try it and have an em cs rather than an el cs.
I know I told peple not to do it btw but I have researched it LOADS and will only be taking a very small amount when I do it, and making sure I stay hydrated.

Wow, fab birth stories - how exciting to get to read some of those already. Congratulations again Knitter and TMP!

VS - I'm seeing one of the acupuncturists from the actoxford website that PaL linked to and she's fab. Today she said my energy levels seemed very low and she did something and half an hour later I was buzzing like a bee round the house - I haven't felt like that for weeks! And they have a rota in place if you want them to see you during labour.

Wonderful birth stories, all very exciting! Sorry if this has already been discussed - but what is the story with castor oil?

Castor oil supposed to induce labour (I think you mix it with orange juice and glug it down). In practice is more likely to give you an almighty case of stomach pains and the squits and leave you dehydrated and in no condition to cope with labour when it does start.

Peachy - I hope things get going for you over the weekend. Sending you lots of hugs. If you do resort to castor oil you'll need to send someone else into the chemist for you. They won't supply a pregnant woman as far as I know.

Apparently drinking castor oil and OJ makes your intestines overwork, which can bring on contractions, these will only be labour ctx if your body is ready.

However as PAL said it can cause issues, like awful d&v and dehydration, it also won't work unless your body is starting to get ready for labour anyway.

A lot of MW's still reccommend it but there have been horror stories of people using it, and basically people self-medicating, taking way too much, becoming ill and not being able to cope with the labour, so if anyone is considering using it I'd say it has to be a last ditch attempt, has to be done properly and should be done as close to the end of pg as possible, being overdue and using it can cause baby to poo in the womb and have meconium in the waters, using too early can cause you to be quite poorly.

I wouldn't reccommend it for most of the mothers on this thread personally tbh, especially not first timers, there are many other ways to get baby out and unless waiting is a real issue then wait you should.

What methods would you ladies try to bring on the baby then?
I have seen the links to various websites and things that could work, but has anyone here actually got some experience with any particular methods?

A friend of mine said she had a friend who tried castor oil and it worked fine, but I have no direct info on that one. I hear opinion is pretty divided on castor oil, but in the main its safe.

I also know taking the old raspberry leaf tablets are a help too.

Whats your experiences girls?

Goodness me, do I not like the sound of the castor oil! May stick to the usuals - pineapple, raspberry leaf tea, etc. Mind you, still 3 weeks to go at this end. Shocked at the amount of food I am consuming, surely there cannot be much room in there?!

With DS I took RRL capsules and took baths with lavender oil and milk (well, actually it was lavender bath soak including lavender oil plus bath salts that included milk powder). No idea if it made any difference (I suspect not), but he did arrive a couple of days early.

From what I have read PFJ, the castor oil method itself isn't the actual problem, it's people taking too much, too soon and becoming ill.
It's only rec'd to take about 2oz of castor oil, yet people drink bottles of the stuff, also surely if you're going to have the shits and vomit it's better to be prepared (ie a pretty empty stomach when you do it) It's also VERY important to stay hydrated.
Can't tell you any tried and tested methods myself as I've only had CS's!

lulumama cautions strongly against using castor oil at all, though.

(Mind you, there are some posters who swear by it)

I still don't think people should risk it unless it's really their last chance saloon, it's a hard call.

Sex is a good way as are RL tea tablets.

Yoga was good tonight. Thanks Peachy i feel a bit better now. Yoga teacher said squatting was a good way to encourage engagement, and even if its not its a good birthing pos to practise.

VS - be careful, i know you will be, just concerned. Good luck!