Due March 2009? Grab your duvet & sick bucket!!

[auntyspan]

Brand new thread ladies!

LM - yes, my ds was 9.3 - hoping this one isn't bigger as had shoulder dystocia with him

I was trying to get help for an active birth when baby got stuck last time (planned home birth in pool) and transferred to hospital. They stuck monitors on me and made it really hard to get out of bed.

Thing is, I had to fight with the consultant to get 'approval' for a home birth and when he asked why I didn't want to be in hospital I told him it was because I didn't want to end up strapped to machines lying on a bed and said that wasn't what happened.

It is what happens and its exactly what happened to me .

Am very determined not to have the same experience again but have no idea if that's possible. Will wait till I've met the MW before I start worrying / planning too much though .

I know I've posted it on multiple occasions, but its my booking in appt. on Monday morning, I'm pleased coz its another milestone and nervous coz I want her to be a nice, good MW that I get on with....

I was induced with ds1 at 38 weeks and he was 6lb 1 oz, and ds2 came naturally at 39+4 and he weighed 7 lb 10 oz.

Although I gain a lot of weight, I give birth to little babies.

Calsworld that is my biggest fear -- that I go all out to plan a home water birth where I am completely in control and moving around etc, to only be told by the MW that I'm not progressing fast enough and need to be transferred to hospital and made to stay in one place. Did you end up having an assisted delivery as a result?

I am thinking of hiring an independent midwife who specialises in homebirths to increase my chances of sticking to my birth plan, but am not sure we can afford it.

Good luck on Monday with your appointment -- is it the same hospital as last time? I hope they are a bit more welcoming about the idea of a HB than your DR was last time.

Hello, please can I join? Think I am due in March - haven't had scan yet, but m/w estimates me around 8 weeks ish! Reason I can't tell is cos I've not long had a baby - dd is 21 weeks...whoops! Didn't know I had even ovulated, no periods as bfing on demand. Also have older dd - 5 yrs - so slightly mad selection of age gaps! There will probably be about 12 months between babies, yikes! Anyone else experienced this? hope everyone is doing well, coping with m/s and being tired. cheers all

Welcome mumple! Congratulations! I know someone who went to their 6 week post partum checkup and was pregnant already. She said it was very hard in the beginning, but in the end she potty trained them at the same time, and they ended up being very close.

crikey!! there's hope then?! my dh is all 'well it gets it all out the way at once'!! it's a perspective that can only come from escaping to work every morning and arriving back to sleeping children!! actually tho, I'm pretty up for it - like you said about your friend, at least they are at fairly similar points at a fairly similar time.
What's going on with you, how's things?

Me I'm boring I have two boys my oldest turned 3 last week and my youngest will be 15 months this month. I work full time in a children's clothing store, although I probably won't after this baby is born (Yay!!). I'm about 10 weeks and usually feel pretty good, except this past week has been pretty tiresome.

I got pregnant (which ended in MC) when ds2 was 7 months old in January '08 and I was still breastfeeding. Since I hadn't had a period I didn't how far along I could be. When I went to the office and they asked when my last period was I said "August 17, 2006" The looks were hysterical. I said, "really that was the last time I had a period". The midwife said, maybe you're 6 weeks, but maybe not.

Very interesting debate. Cap'n Karvol, I too am a geriatric 38.I really admire those of you in your twenties who are having / have had kids. I wish I'd been ready younger, but I wasn't, and while I don't regret my fun-filled twenties, I do regret feeling so bloody awful now, and am sure I'd feel less sick and exhausted with this pregnancy if I was ten - nay, fifteen - years younger. I had my firt DC at 36 - same age my mum had me. Anyone else think they've followed the same childbearing pattern as their mums, or is it wishful thinking?
Lily - I know you asked ages ago but I also had a cyst visible in my 8 week scan. Apparently they're harmless and should burst on their own as the baby gets bigger. DO NOT GOOGLE "CYSTS", OR YOU'LL THINK YOU HAVE OVARIAN CANCER WHEN YOU DON'T!

hi all,

I haven't post as i don't have much to report. Still feeling totally rotten, no energy whatsoever. Not sick but feeling totally wobbly all the time.

Eating lots of pasta, pizza, cookies, rice cakes and cannot face any fruit, veg, seeds, meat or fish - Think that all those carbs are making me lethargic but cannot stomach anything else.

Do any of you take any supplements, vitamins..? Last time I got anaemic and with very low calcium and worried I migth go there again.

Hope you are all ok and have a lovely weekend!

Boobz - I did hypnobirthing for my DD's birth and it was actually pretty good. Helped me relax in the last month. My labour was pretty quick (only 6 hours) and I didn't realise for 3 hours that I actually was in labour (have chronic IBS, so thought it was that) so didn't really use the self-hypnosis for contractions. However, I did use it when I was being stitched up afterwards and it really helped.

Hi everyone struggling to keep my eyes open so will try and keep this short and sweet!

Had booking in appointment yest, asked if i had any pref for home birth or hospital, think i will opt for hospital as i found it a really good and positive experience last time. My waters broke at 37 weeks and i went in and got sent home twice to progress at home when i'd had enough went back in and was 6cm yay! The midwifes really encouraged the whole active thing got me to try loads of positions to see what worked and what i liked! The best thing i found was bouncing on the birthing ball! had a shot of pethadin as was struggling with pain but then things went really fast and had DD 3 hrs later. Stayed in a day longer than needed as i was enjoying the yummy food (really!) and being looked after!

Our maternity hospital does have a really good rep and i know they all vary greatly but im really happy bout going back again!

I'm a bit behind. Did someone say symptoms may start to calm down at 10 weeks? I am now 10 weeks and am not feeling as sick or tired. Hope this is a good thing.

I don't really mind about having this baby in hospital, but I really don't want to stay in once the baby arrives. Last time the birth wasn't great (I had an active birth but DD was back to back so very very hard to push out) so I was glad of Dr being on hand, but I hated staying in hospital. No privacy, not getting any sleep due to lots of crying babies, and so lonely without DH. I couldn't wait to leave. Am going to ask at Booking in visit if I can elect to go home as soon as possible. Think 6 hours is the minimum you have to stay.

Boobz, I ended up with an emergency c-section after 12 hours of what felt like one long contraction but I never got past 3cms as DS' head never engaged down onto my cervix - which apparently needs to happen in order to get dilation.

When DS was born he spent about the first three weeks holding his head at a really funny angle (imagine turning a dolls head to look over its shoulder, then turning 90 degrees so the mouth is pointing straight up and you've about got it!) so am convinced he was never coming out!!!

I guess what I've learnt from it all is that you can make as many plans as you like but in the end nature will determine its own course. That's not to say I won't be making plans again this time though! I will also never know if I'd had the kind of support livismum has mentioned, WRT active birthing methods, then maybe DS' head would have engaged and my experience could have been more positive.

After reading some of the posts on here the other night I sat down and wrote my birth story, which I found really helpful. Every now and then I remember something else and just go in and update it. Maybe, if I get on with my MW, I'll print it off and talk it through with her to see how it can be planned next time. I think its something I need to get closure on in order to stay positive about the birth of this one.

Still feeling slightly sceptical about the fact that I'm still not really suffering with MS, trips to the toilet are now noticeably more frequent so I guess that's a good sign. Tummy seems to be expanding and my waist line does seem to be fading....I'm going to be huuuuuge!

(I was hardly svelte with a pert bump last time )

Wow Cals - quite a turn of events from what you planned then! I wonder whether it will go the same way for me...

What I do know is that I should stop watching people giving birth on you tube. Is putting me right off the whole idea altogether -- hospital or home!

Aha! Have found a birth that I like on you tube -- am going to show it to the MW at the booking in appointment and request the same.

Like you, Cals, I also wrote down my birth experience and it really helped, although it made me cry a lot. I thought I was at peace with it but now that I'm pregnant again I'm not so sure. Even doing a tour of the hospital (a different one this time) made me fight back tears. Feel ashamed of myself - my experience wasn't even that bad. Induced because 10 days overdue (doctor wouldn't hear of any other option), 36 hour labour, dilated to 9cm then emergency C as baby was in distress. Managed without epidural for 21 hours as well. Births will take their own course, however much you wish for a certain experience, but I have complete respect for those who flght for a home birth - good on you. Second time around, I'm gonna beg for an elective C. I don't trust my body, and fate, not to repeat the same experience as last time and I don't think I could go through it again. Anyone else going for elective C for similar reasons?

Morning Girls .

Well im not really wanting to temp fate so i will whisper

Hoping- My ds was born on christmas day at 2.48 am, and at lunch time they were practically pushing me out the door to have xmas dinner with the family (after the news paper took my pic looking like death wrmed up!)
It was lovely as got home and settled but the next day I wished I had stayed in, was so tired and overwhelmed! Having said that I will prob leave as early as poss this time 2!
L xx

twocutedarlings - I am so - I am only 8 weeks and the full on nausea has really settled in! The rubbish part is that last time round I was on holiday in NZ so could do nothing and have lots of duvet time. This time I'm at work and can't tell anyone what is wrong with me and it is exhausting!

Anyone else dreaming loads?

Cals - great idea about writing down your last birth experience. I had a big chat with dh about it and it is amazing the things I can't remember but he does (55 hours of contractions - OP - emergency section - dd with head at an angle like your ds. Was a tad tired so no wonder I can't remember - I actually went to sleep on the operating table while they stitched me up )!

However, after my chat with dh we are thinking of an elective c-section this time round. I know it's a bit controversial on here but I feel like you Sunnydale. I will listen to all the advise from midwives and consultants and try to make an informed decision.

(((hugs))) Meep tis shite isnt it!!, Im now 12+3wks so fingers crossed you wont have much more of it. I had sickness with my other 2 but it was nothing like this time round, this was literally 24/7.

Hi guys I am feeling less sick this week then last week and am now 11weeks so am hoping the worst of it is over too. Still need to be careful tho as any excessive coughing results in retching and rushing to the bathroom!!! Any one else find this?

Also I am dreading going into hospital again. I was wired up and not allowed to move from start to finish. The ward was horrible and the mw thought it was fine to leave ds to cry while I had a shower, despite saying they would look after him. Treated me like a stupid teenager and told me off at every opportunity for doing things wrong. first baby ffs how do I know what to do! So not looking forward this time but hoping I can be out same day. (fingers crossed)

bayinbelly you will be fine this time round - you know so much more this time so can ignore any stupid midwife's and know what to ask for and when to ask for it.

No retching for me - just constant nausea! But with dd only 13mo I just have to push through it!

The worst thing is getting the bus home from work - other people in a close space smell horrible! Ugh!

babyinbelly, I feel the same way! I try hard to be positive about DS's birth, after all, I got DS out of it, but it was horrible in hospital from beginning to end. Midwives varied from uninterested to hostile, with just one exception of a nice one, so I'm hoping to be in and out in a flash.

Sometimes I wonder if the problem is that we have this idea that when we give birth we have done this amazing thing (which we have), but to hospital staff we're "just a person in a bed" because it's not amazing to them.

After giving birth to ds1 the midwife sat with me telling me how wonderful I did, and told everyone that came to visit it me what a wonderful birth it was. I left that birth feeling really pleased, and had an overall positive experience of the hospital because for 2 days someone was telling me how wonderful I was.

After ds2 the OB said, "Everything's fine" and walked away never to be seen again. There was no validation for what I had done, no congratulations . . .nothing. Needless to say that really skewed my perception of the whole experience.

I don't care how many times midwives, doctors, and nurses see births they need to understand that every single one is amazing and make the mothers understand that. They need to understand that every birth and every baby really is a miracle.