Due December 08 - time to start blooming and glowing.

[JamInMyWellies]

New thread lovely ladies

Oooh, some of these midwives make me so cross. I think I have got a downer on them because the horrible ones seems to outnumber the few lovely ones. My care is consultant led and I haven't even set eyes on a midwife yet and I'm quite glad. Also...my MIL and my stepmother are both ex-midwives and I can hardly think of a worse pair to have near you in labour - the things they'd come out with...

I had tens, G&A, pethedine and epidural with DS. All of which I wasnt planning on apart from the tens machine. I really think you can plan all you want but when push comes to shove so to speak only you will know at the time what you need.

I tore naturally with DS which I dont remember happening I didnt feel a thing even though I had no epidural left by that time as at the Royal London you have to let the epi wear off for pushing. According to my DP the Doctors wanted to cut me but our midwife bless her said no way. I also found out the other day she apparantly did that push on my tummy thing to get DS out. I do remember being stiched up - ouch ask for mucho anesthetic for that bit.

Kati bravo for that little chunky monkey.

oh and BF dont feel pressured to go either way. Whatever you decide is the right decision to make. And for gods sake dont go onto any of the BF/FF slanging matches debates on here they will just make you feel guilty no matter what you choose.

re bf/ff at the end of the day you can only do what's best for both you & your dc. I know I could've struggled on with bf and probably got it established eventually but I was feeling so upset and stressed by it, that everytime I heard ds start crying for his feed I just didn't want to go near him which made me feel even worse. In the end, we were both much happier with the bottles and could start bonding properly.

so much to think about isn't there? ho hum. Sometimes would rather not be given so much choice! But that's coward's way out!

Hello all and happy Thursday!
Well, the 20 week scan went fine, really amazing to see the heart beating and theyoungvisiter we're like you, everything in proportion apart from a big tummy!

I've been feeling definite kicks for the last 24 hours or so, which is really odd - before now it could be mistaken for brewings in the innards but this is definitely a little foot shoving out against my tum, it's really exciting to feel a real person in there.

turniphead I like the mantra, I used to be a cox so am used to coaching myself through things like cycling up a hill ("Nearly there now, just another few yards" etc) and it should be really good to apply the same thing to contractions. Then again mostly what I did was tell strapping men to do things that were bound to cause them lots of pain, so karma may come abck and bite me on the bottom here!

Mantras definitely work. I also found that when DH dragged me on massive hill walks, I'd just put my head down, breathe deeply and concentrate on one foot in front of the other

oops
premature posting

But wouldn't think further than the next footstep and just know that it was getting me closer to my goal. Guess you can do that with contractions as well.

I think in labout you have no choice but to go 'in the moment', I certianly wasn't capable of thinking 'ooh, X more mins/hours of this to go' . I know it's a cliche to say your body takes over but it's true - all very primal...

Veggie get that Erin O'Brien unwrapped and do it lady ! I really like it Have only managed once this week but plan to do it tonight. The Davina one was too slow for me - the toning bit is ok but I honestly thought the aerobics section was still the warm-up ! Maybe good for those that are not used to exercising though. What really bugged me was she shows you her post-birth tum at 12 weeks after the birth (after going on about how flabby it is) and it is really toned looking ! If I had a stomach like that before PG I'd have been really happy !! She is quite honest though and does a wee pep-talk bit too

OMG I have a lot to learn about his birth lark - yikes !

ME TOO MIBBES! I feel totally unprepared and unknowing. but in some ways, I'd like to look forward to it, as it's horrible at the time, but the end result is what I've been wanting for so long!

Clearly not monitoring your very well if he hasn't noticed you didn' have G&A and i'm sorry G&A is good but if that doctor had needed sutures on his scrotum i'm sure he would be wanting more than G&A!!!!

well they had brought him in at the last minute (meconium in waters and DS's hb was dropped). But yes I was very clear I wanted an anaesthetic at that point!

Oh who'd be inside on a day like this? Looks so gorgeous outside... Roll on 5.30... am going to walk home, I think. Lovely!

sorry just discovered that we are up to page 31 i had only read page 30. After catching up i am now crving double deckers and thinking about tell buff boys to row mmmmm.

I got a childrens size paddling pool instead of a toddler/baby one and this thing is massive, bugger hiring a birthing pool we'll just pump this baby up and pop it in the loungeroom.

you do definitely go to another place when you are in labour but it helps to draw on experiences in your daily life like exercise. When my MW said i was 10cm but to wait 3 more contractions until i pushed to be totally sure i waited 4. I pretended i was doing hill sprints and making myself to one more than i needed.

oh thats another regardless of what the MW says you have to wait until you are completely dialated to push any earlier can make you labour regress.

thanks mibbles that is just what i needed.

speaking of being healthy i took an apple and banana on my walk and ended up buying a Reeces Nutrageous bar, i am so weak, but it tasted so good.

I've been anally organised and bought myself some ice tray things for storing breast milk in!

tear wise i think i had a 2nd degree and let it heal naturally lots of lavender baths and MW told me to keep my legs together (no problems with that not happening IYKWIM

Get some arnica tablets as well, reduces swelling and I think it definitely helped me!

Veggie - I'm planning a homebirth on the NHS, I asked my midwive about it at my booking in and she seemed supportive so we'll see.

I take it from your paddling pool talk that you are planning the same?

well if you don't use them for BM you can always use them for freezing ice for Baileys or Pimms

haha! that's a great idea! Or just freeze the baileys and eat it as an ice lolly. And I got one of those triangular pillows too - think it'll help support my gut when it gets uncomfortable and be good for feeding and also when the little beast is starting to sit up - support it. Hurray!

yeah, icecube I really wanted to but it helps that the NHS midwives here are really proactive in encouraging them i think partly cos they don't have to stick to hospital policies on times etc and don't have to listen to Doctors

mmmmmm iced baileys

so many messages!

Well I had my GTT today and it was blurgh - sorry effie! but I think it's better to be prepared! I was the only person there who had an idea of what would happen (having spoken to friends) and it seemed to make the real thing more bearable - whereas the two women in front of me were both first timers and both threw up which negates the test so they have to do it all again, poor things. Now waiting for the result...

jumpjockey we've got the same fat babies! Out of interest, are they worrying about diabetes with you? I am a bit about it all because friends at different hospitals seem to have been given totally different treatment for "big" babies and I can't understand why really.

beans I loved bfing and surprised myself by how much I enjoyed it - also I don't think that your feelings about it beforehand will necessarily reflect how you feel about the real thing - I felt totally differently about my boobs after birth and they became very non-sexual - not explaining myself very well, but you just need to try it and see how you feel, and don't put too much pressure on yourself either way.
I second what someone else said about leaving it as long as possible - some women were having it on the antenatal ward and then you don't have anything "extra" to deal with the really painful contractions at the end.