Due June 08: A few eggs have hatched, we wish the rest would GET CRACKING!!!

[systemsaddict]

Let's hope the rest of the eggs get cracking very soon!

Well, my lovely daughter arrived on Sunday at 5pm, weighing 8lb 9oz . It was quite exciting.

I'd woken up on Saturday night with a few sharp contractions but very irregular and I slept between them. Nothing on Sunday morning.

Around 3pm had a few more contractions but was able to carry on with what I was doing. at 3.50 decided I needed to go upstairs and be quiet, and thought I should start timing them so I could decide whether to call the hospital and ask them to get my antibiotics ready. Also wanted to make sure the birthing pool was free.

Ran a warm bath and climbed in.

First timed contractions were 15 minutes apart lasting 90 seconds. Then straight into 2 mins apart. At 4.20 asked DH to arrange for the children to be collected. Called doula to say I thought things were happening. Got out of bath to put on a top before doula arrived and thought "if I still care about that I can't be in proper labour". Got back in bath.

4.30 realised I couldn't get out of the bath, let alone into a car. Called midwife.

4.40 midwife arrived, followed a minute later by 2nd midwife. Started on gas & air.

4.44 waters broke in the bath.

Heard them ask DH to start boiling water for hot water bottles, and get towels and blankets ready.

Heard a midwife say "is that a foot?".

Heard midwife ask DH to call 999 wtih blue light.

Asked to get out of bath. Breech baby delivered on bathroom floor at 4.49pm. She cried straightaway and her apgar at 1 minute was 8.

They left the cord for 15 minutes and then advised me to have syntometrine.

We transferred to hospital for 24 hours so she could have her GBS obs.

As well as being an unplanned homebirth and undiagnosed breech, there was a true knot in her umbilical cord, so we are truly blessed that she is fine. We've called her Theodora (which means gift from God).

The midwives were incredible. They've been doing homebirths together for 20 years and have joked that they've never had an undiagnosed breech homebirth. The v nice but tactless one delivered the baby, and the one who I know well looked after me. Everything she did was exactly what I needed at that moment. I was very spaced out on gas & air and stopped listening to them, and she got into the bath with me to get me to change position. Even when she asked DH to call 999 she did it in such a calm way that I never doubted that the baby and I were safe. It's the first labour in which I haven't panicked. I was able to breathe her out gently and have just a small 1st degree tear - no stitches (hurrah!)

I had my hypnosis music on and that was very helpful, and the breathing techniques were excellent. I hadn't realised how fast everything had been until I looked at my notes in hospital and saw they said the 1st stage was 15 mins and the 2nd stage 9 mins .

Will catch up properly later. Congratulations to all the other new babies.

Hi Debs DH here,

She is just in the bath with her waters slowly breaking!! and the mucus plug has come away. No strong contractions yet but we were going to the hospital any way this morning for a check up.

I or Debs will report back later.

wow Rolf, what a fab birth story. big congratulations to you. Sounds like the midwives were fab. Lucky you, and welcome to dd

Warm congratulations to you too, Essie

Biggest positive vibes on there way from Germany to you and Olivia, Josey. Keeping everything crossed for more good news.

I'm desperately trying to find another gynae, as my one that I got when I moved here is a total arse - actually used the 'c' word, I think for the 1st time ever, You lot all said he sounded shite when I 1st went, but I hoped it had just been a rushed 1st meeting, but I've had enough and wouldn't trust him with my toe nails. WHen I had my rash, he shrugged and siad I had to put up with it. SO then had to go to hospital, where the nice English female doc prescribed steroid cream which worked.

Now last week had UTI, he basically had a go at me for bf and made out like I was a stupid selfish imbecile for bf, and I couldn't have it both ways. And he wouldn't give me anything, so had to go back to hospital, where luckily again I saw the nice english female doc who could & did prescribe me antibiotics, and now for the 1st time in a week I can wee without being in agony.

Now, I haven't had any lochia since Friday. Midwife freaking me out mentioning childbed fever etc, saying only 1 week of lochia is highly unusual & potentially very serious & that I need to get checked. No way can I go back to that mysoginistic toss pot, so am reduced to flicking through yellow pages in desperation. Was so paranoid about dying last night, was genuinely relieved when I woke up this am

Hi guys, just dropping in to let you know we had a Father's Day baby - Alexander, born at 4.39am on Sunday morning. He is absolutely gorgeous and we are besotted (photos on profile).

Birth was a little traumatic (although nothing compared to others on here - but remember I'm a first timer!! ), will try and do birth story later. He was forceps delivered in the end, but healthy and good weight (7 lbs 3 ozs).

Just getting to grips with BFing now.

Congrats on all the other births - they seem to be coming thick and fast now! Any other Father's Day babies?

Just added Rolf & spongebrainbigpants

29/05/08 - neenz, esther and theo
18/05/08 - makecakes, Cecily jean Olivia
20/05/08 - Goingfor3 Harvey
24/05/08 - Katyjo Mia Joanne
29/05/08 - pyjamrama William James Frederick
30/05/08 - Paromapu, Fleur
01/06/08 - greenfairy - Storm Josephine Frances
04/06/08 - Josey - Oilivia Margaret
05/06/08 - ernest - Adele
05/05/08 - tassisssss - Rebecca Grace
07/06/08 - Aberdeen Hiker - Fraser
08/06/08 - Lorrettah - Harry
11/06/08 - Sybilvimes - James Dominic
11/06/08 - Kif - boy
11/06/08 - Lazylou - boy
11/06/08 - systemaddict - Cailin Rose
11/06/08 - Needahand - SJ
11/06/08 - Emotionalwreck - Sophie Louie
12/06/08 - Basilbrush - Rose Madeline
14/06/08 - Dymansluckymum - Anwyn Crystal Anne
15/06/08 - Rolf - Girl
15/06/08 - spongebrainbigpants - Alexander
16/06/08 - Essie - boy

Still waiting:
01/06/08 - laughinglil -(3YO twins)
01/06/08 - Trix11 -(DS and DD)
01/06/08 - alipalli -(1st baby)
05/06/08 - mistermoo -(DD5, DS3)
06/06/08 - Calebsmum -(DC2)
06/06/08 - nettiehay -(first baby)
07/06/08 - Debinaustria -(2 ds's 8 and 6)BOY
07/06/08 - mellymel -(DS 14 months)
11/06/08 - Amberc
12/06/08 - Pregnant Penguin -(1st baby) BOY
14/06/08 - Deese20 -(1st Baby)
14/06/08 - PearTart - (DD1 is 19 months) GIRL
15/06/08 - Jules43 -(1st baby)
16/06/08 - xxgemmalou22xx (first Baby
17/06/08 - fungle - (2nd baby)girl(got DD4)
18/06/08 - Josie57 -(ds1 13 months, mc sep 07)
18/06/08 - hedgehog1979 -(first baby)
20/06/08 - poppy34 -(2 m/c, one ds lost at 21 weeks) (GIRL)
20/06/08 - whinegums - (first baby) BOY
21/06/08 - HeyBaby07 -(First Baby)
21/06/08 - Hoggle -(First Baby)
21/06/08 - Wigeon -(First Baby)
22/06/08 - Upsidedowncake -(1DS 27 m, ep Aug 07) GIRL
22/06/08 - bitofadramaqueen -(first baby)
22/06/08 - ktpie -(first baby)
23/06/08 - looneytune -(DS 5 yrs) BOY
24/06/08 - puddock -(first baby)
24/06/08 - allnew - (first baby)
25/06/08 - Bun2 (DD 5 yrs) Girl
26/06/08 - LauraT (first baby)
26/06/08 - Claphamkitten -(first baby)
27/06/08 - sophiewd -(DD 22 months

Fantastic news Sponge and Rolf.

Good luck Deb.

Ernest - got the cheque this morning, thank you.

Congrats to Essie/Mr Essie, Rolf & spongebrainbigpants

debinaustria - seen the update, hope things go well at the appointment and that things get going for you asap The HOT (ouch!) meal I had last night caused major activity from bubba but no contractions or anything. Dh did his bit when he came to bed too so it's not for not trying! Baby does seem lower down today but then he does this and then comes back up so not getting too excited. Gosh my bottom hurts this morning though from that meal (sorry, TMI!) As for house being quiet, yes, very very quiet and very odd tbh. I'm just not used to it! Dh has taken today off at last min so has taken ds to school this morning so I'm still in my pj's Good luck xx

fungle - Happy Due Date Hope appointment goes well and enjoy your brunch.

Rolf - wow, what a birth story! Sounds fantastic for an unplanned home birth that was also breach. Well done you!

Ernest - I'm so on your behalf of the treatment you've had from that horrible person. UTI's here are taken much more seriously and they always insist on them being treated. Not sure if you remember my cock up saga here where I didn't get treated for 6 weeks thanks to their messing about with samples and stuff. Well, a few weeks ago I ended up with what sounds like kidney stones and it was bloomin painful, probably as a result of a long infection. Soooo, you should have been treated so much better!! GRRR. And WTF is he doing making you feel you're wrong to bf??!!! . You poor thing about the lochia, I really don't know about this stuff but sounds best to get checked by someone else. Is it really a case of YOU having to search through yellow pages?! Hope you get someone good asap, please keep us posted xx

Right, time to have my first cuppa of the day I think

Hi everyone - just taking it easy while I can, stood in the bath for about an hour with waters trickling slowly and a couple of shows, haven't had a gush as yet. Managed to break a glass on the floor so couldn't get out of the bath until dh had cleared all that up. So, just had a nice milky coffee and a couple of choc biscuits for energy.dh is having a cup of tea then we'll be off to the hospital, still no contractions yet, but I am sooooo relieved that it's started before having to be induced.

Congrats Rolf - what a birth story, and congrats Sponge - a Mummy at last eh, I fell quite emotional for you!!Whata great Fathers day present

Ernest - hope you are feeling better soon and they sort out what the problem is.

Don't know if they have internet at hospital so dh will fill you in later, I did want him to bring the laptop to the bath before but he said he would just type my message for me!!

BYEEEE (can you tell I'm excited?)

OMG - I go to bed on Monday night and wake up to 3, possibly 4 (fingers crossed for Deb's) birth announcements! WOW!

Congratulations Essie and Mr Essie! That is one heck of a birth story to wait for I think. Broken cord!!??? Hope you all get to be home together very soon. Enjoy your babymoon. If you feel up to it, please pop in and let us know the name! (And you know we love a good baby photo...)

Rolf - Wow! Sorry but had to LOL at not being able to get out of the bath (you may remember we discussed that as a non labour fear as we were getting bigger and bigger and bigger). Delighted that the midwives looked after you so well and that it was so quick for you. The knot in the cord sounds v scary so what a lovely appropriate name.

Ernest - I absolutely hate the C word, but it sounds like appropriate use to me. Hope you find someone better v. v. soon.

Sponge - Woo hoo! Wonderful, wonderful photos - esp Home Sweet Home. Also loving the father's day one for your DH. Congratulations!

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OF YOU THAT ARE HOLDING YOUR BABIES THIS MORNING!!! Lovely to wake up to such great news. (Must be a good day, not a spot of from me today!)

Congartulations Essie.

Wow Debs exciting! Really liked the link about bf, been checking my latch, think its a bit off so hopefully can improve, might make my nipples feel more human.

Good luck everyone due soon, sorry not had time to catch up on all the posts.

xxx

Wow, loads of excitement this morning.

Essie - congratulations, looking forward to hearing all about it. Although the broken cord sounds very traumatic.

Rolf - for an undiagnosed breech, unplanned home birth what a great outcome! Glad that in the end the midwives were fine.

Spongebrain - Alexander is gorgeous! Looking forward to hearing the full story.

Ernest - hope you manage to find a better gynae, he sounds terrible!

Debs - yeah! Glad things are finally happening, good luck!

sorry congrats to rolf what a story!

hooray and congrats to rolf (wow, what a story!), essie and spongebrains!!

woo hoo debs, bring it on!! so pleased for you!

Aunwyn (testing out the spelling we're considering) is an angel she feeds like a pro my milk came in yesterday already and not too engorged at all because she eats so well.

she was born in the water, called midwives at 2pm they arrived 3pm, checked me and i was only 1-2cms dilated but very soft, did hypnobirthing (worked great in the beginning, totally lost it in the end), in the pool by about 4, gas and air ran out (!) at about 5.30 and I was so annoyed but i think it actually helped finish faster. there were a few times i begged to go to hospital for an epi (when contractions were right on top of each other and still only 4cms!) but the midwives wouldn't let me (they were amazing) and my waters finally broke in the pool at 19.10 and she was born at 19.16. they tried to tell me not to push because they weren't sure i was fully dilated and i was like, HE'S COMING RIGHT NOW! i pushed for 3 contractions and SHE arrived!!

of course the second she was out the pain stopped and i was so, so, so, so, so happy to be home. i had no tearing (2nd degree with ds) water was heaven. at night after ds was in bed (he'd been upstairs with his nana the whole time, apparently didn't connect the screaming banshee downstairs with mummy!) and Aunwyn was sleeping, dh and i curled up together in bed and had a cuddle and he said, this, right here, is why you did it at home. it was bliss.

Hi guys, way way behind on everyone's news but just flicked through the past couple of pages, lots of very exciting stuff happening!! Congrats sponge, rolf (LOVE Theodora - I considered Thea - and sounds very appropriate!), Essie (can't wait to hear more), anyone else I've missed, and good luck debs! Ernest I spent ages googling childbed fever (after reading an article on it I shouldn't have a week before having Caitlin); it's incredibly, incredibly rare, don't let them scare you, just keep an eye on your temperature and go to hosp for checks if it shoots up. Sure you will find a good gynae soon, it's so hard being in a new place at this time. The lochia might start up again anyway - mine stops and starts at the mo.

Josey so glad Olivia's gag reflex seems to be working and the pain tests had results! The brain is such a miraculous organ and we don't really know how it works, there are lots of stories of people getting better from brain injuries that seemed impossible to the dr.s, the neurons just found a way round them, and newborn babies' brains are particularly creative that way. Olivia and you make such a great team, it's wonderful how you are doing. You are right about taking care of yourself though - you are her most important support system so every single time you get to rest, eat well, recover a bit more and do something (whatever) that helps you feel better, it's a central part of taking care of her. Hope the infection clears up soon.

All great here. Had some problems feeding (Sunday night my nipples were dripping blood like a horror film!), my own fault really for not getting someone in to check out why it was painful earlier, she was 'chewing' her way on and not latching properly. She ended up refusing milk-and-blood feeds (reasonably enough) so I expressed and syringe fed Sunday night to get some milk into her which wasn't much fun for either of us, but the midwife got her latched on pain-free Monday morning. It's just a question of latching her on v. quickly while her mouth is wide open, but there is literally a split-second window of opportunity there and my co-ordination is crap! We are working on it and the midwife or support worker is coming every day to help until we get it sorted.

But had a lovely, lovely night last night which made up for it. Dp got her sleeping in the co-sleeper cot (she's been in the bed till now which he doesn't think is safe) and we had a good sleep with a couple of peaceful and gorgeous night feeds where she latched naturally lying down, so we always have that as an option.

I am feeling so much better than I did after ds' birth (though the stitches kill - hurray for strong painkillers) and realising how inappropriate was the pressure I put myself under last time to get 'back to normal' as quickly as people who'd had easier births. Physically this feels so, so different, and means I can actually enjoy this bit and bond with the baby, which took much longer last time.

Maybe more later if I get the chance - sorry for the essay but I feel I've been out of touch for ages!!

Dylansmum - that final paragragh is so wonderful, it made me cry! So happy for you.

Right, looking at the still waiting vs graduated list, I'm doing a roll call of everyone ahead of me (you're excused Deb)!

• Did I miss something from alipalli, mellymel or AmberC?

• Where are you:

laughinglil; Trix11; alipalli; mistermoo; Calebsmum; nettiehay; mellymel and Amberc???

Considering I'm only 5 days overdue, we seem to have been a reasonably punctual group ladies! (I'm always late for everything - LO will turn up breathlessly apologising if he takes after me).

And what prize are we offering to the person that goes the most overdue? Let's give me something else to aim for!

Oh and congrats dylansmum and needahand too! Needahand I saw in your birth story you wondered if the hypnobirthing meant you didn't realise you were in labour until later on - I think the same thing happened to me looking back - being able to put ds to bed with contractions coming every minute or so must be down to the effects of the hypnnosis!

And just seen emotionalwreck's birth story, many many congrats to you too, hope you can now get lots and lots of rest and recovery time after all that, sounds like you were a complete hero getting through it all!

Wow, congratulations to the flurry of new babies that arrived over the last few days!

Essie well done, looking forward to hearing your story.
Rolf eek, but bravo! lovely name too!
Spongebrain so pleased that you have your lovely boy (he's gorgeous) after all the difficulties you've been through.
Debs thanks for the updates that's true MN dedication! hope all is going well and baby has arrived!

PP I think alipalli was going in for induction last we heard so maybe another one soon!

I'm trying not to look at the list with my name right at the end... Sophie doesn't count as she's queue jumping on Thursday . Here's hoping I'm not as overdue as some of the rest of you or you're in for a long wait to move to the new thread!

right off to see my rather vague MW for my 38+5 appt...

Dylansmum I would definately pronounce that On -wen - I think that's what you are after? yes? looks pretty written like thattoo!

good luck deb!

SA I know child bed fever is rare, but I just need thins checking out for peace of mind. My lochia isn't stopping and starting - I've had no discharge whatsoever of any kind since Thursday, so need to know al is ok. Spent the whole bloody morning on the phone. Now have 2 appointments! SO need to choose and feeling too frazzled.

1st doc - highly recommended by 2 people, but their 1st appt when I originally called was in August, so likely always to be busy/diff to get appt? (If they keep me on?) Also in town, so more difficult to get to/park

2nd doc recommended by midwife, couldn't give me exact appt - just to come along bwn 3 & 6 - dunno if this is normal for them & therefore if long wait will also be the norm?

Have to choose & ditch one. Any clear headed bods help me choose?

congrats to all the new babies! wow!

And hugs to everyone with tough births! I'm convinced it's just the luck of the draw so I'm sending you lots of hugs and hoping your recoveries are extra quick.

josey hugs and love sent Olivia's way. We'll be thinking about you today! And take care of yourself, I hope your infection clears up quick!

Speaking of weight loss, I've just done my post-birth weigh in (gave myself a few days to settle down) and I've exactly one stone to lose before I can fit in my skinny jeans. I'm almost into my larger size ones (two sizes larger, not one) though which is making me happy as I hate all of my maternity clothes and never want to see them again!

ernest I would go for second doc - waiting may be a pita but you want to sort this today. And think I count as clear thinking as still sitting here with no imminent labour signs apart from smug madam kicking me and probably giggling at my frustration.

congrats to essie dylans mum rolf spongebrain -loved your birth story dylan -v.inspiring and admiration to rolf for yours.

Apart from getting back into shape ah how is it all going?

Ernest - no idea about choosing the doctors, although I hate waiting weeks for appointments and would probably prefer to sit in a waiting room for ages if it meant being seen the next day.

LauraT - fingers crossed then that you don't go way overdue, but I'm happy to wait here with you! It doesn't really matter where our thread sits after all...

laurat as fellow waiter I'm thinking prize should be somethign we've hankered after all teh pregnancy... Strange though it seems I'm absolutely despereate to eat blue/soft cheese again.

sponge - many congrats
rolf - lovely to hear from you after an absence with the good news
Essie and Mr Essie - best of luck
and Debs - can't believe you have beaten me to it
Ernest - poor old you - hope you get better and find someone better to look after you.

Nothing from me I'm afraid, so now am just getting on with life as normally as possible. This morning, have had my hair cut - was going to dye a sofa, but have discovered in my stupid hormone induced state that I haven't bought enough dye, have mended my pregnancy jeans. Do you think I am finally in nesting mode? Please God, say yes!

Will go and have a bounce on my ball whilest watching something mind numbing on TV - do you think Pingu is too advanced? - then will go and have a snooze.