August 2008: Ante-Natal/Post-Natal Club - The Final Days

[TwilightSurfer]

DUE AUGUST 2008 STATS
[TSupdate23AUG08#3]

GROUP TOTAL: 68 [BIRTHS: 32]

DELIVERIES [BOYS (16) vs. GIRLS (16 )]
17JUL WhippyVoodoo formerly Voodoococonut delivered DC#2, a BOY named JJ (7lb 4.5oz), via CS [EDD 23JUL].
21JUL IlanaK delivered DC#3, a BOY named Saul, via CS [EDD 28JUL].
24JUL Alittlebitshy delivered DC#2, a BOY named Henry (8lb 11.5oz), via CS [EDD 03AUG].
29JUL Jennylee delivered DC#2 , a GIRL named ? (6lb 2oz), via VB+IN [EDD 17AUG]
30JUL Miamla delivered DC#1, a BOY named Theodore (8lb 4oz), via VB [EDD 29JUL].
31JUL Dizzydixies delivered DC#3, a GIRL named Cordelia Dylan Ismay (9lb 14oz & 54cm), via CS [EDD 30JUL].
31JUL ChaCha delivered DC#3, a BOY named ?, via CS [EDD 10AUG].
01AUG Gigglegirl delivered DC#4, a GIRL named Imogen Louise (6lb 6oz), via CS [EDD 14AUG].
01AUG CaptainCaveman delivered DC#2, a BOY named Oliver Benjamin (6lbs 14oz), via CS [EDD 14AUG].
02AUG Daisy26 delivered DC#1, a GIRL named Sophia (5lb 1oz), via eCS [EDD 19AUG].
03AUG Buckets delivered DC#3, a BOY named Kurt Benedict (8lb 5oz), via VBAC [EDD 02AUG].
04AUG MrsMagooo delivered DC#2, a BOY named Elijah Jacob Patrick Aguda (7lb 10oz), via eCS [EDD 12AUG].
04AUG Vintagegardenia delivered DC#2, a BOY named Edward (10lb 12oz), via VB [EDD 04AUG].
04AUG Skytvaddict delivered DC#4, a BOY named Lewis David (8lb 3oz), via CS [EDD 08AUG].
05AUG Sassylou delivered DC#3, a GIRL named Annie Louise (8lb 8oz), via VB [EDD 31JUL].
06AUG Pregnancy1 delivered DC#1, a GIRL named Emmeline Greta (7lb 13oz), via VB [EDD 16AUG].
08AUG Expectant delivered DC#1, a BOY named Samuel Ashley (8lb 11oz & 51cm), via VB+IN [EDD 18AUG].
08AUG Pertelote delivered DC#1, a GIRL named Marianne Alice, via VB [EDD 01AUG].
08AUG Poppysocks delivered DC#2, a GIRL named Emily Alice Elizabeth (7lb 6oz), via CS [EDD 17AUG].
09AUG Babieseverywhere delivered DC#2, a BOY named Edward Luke (10lb 1oz), via CS [EDD 08AUG].
??AUG Bigboydiditandranaway delivered DC#2, a BOY named ? (??), via ? [EDD 29AUG].
10AUG Bealcain delivered DC#3, a GIRL named Delilah (8lb 1.5oz), via VB+IN [EDD 08AUG].
12AUG SazzlesA delivered DC#2, a GIRL named Emma Louise (6lb 11oz), via CS [EDD 14AUG].
12AUG Sarahnh delivered DC#2, a GIRL named Tess Alexandra (6lb 10oz), via VB [EDD 11AUG].
13AUG Shazza2002 delivered DC#2, a GIRL named Lexie May (9lb 9oz), via VB [EDD 02AUG].
13AUG Sibh delivered DC#3, a GIRL named Eibhlin Grace (7lb .5oz), via VB [EDD 11AUG].
13AUG Longwayfromhome delivered DC#1, a BOY named Tomás Agustín (10lb 8oz), via VB [EDD 16AUG].
15AUG Foghornleghorn delivered DC#3, a GIRL named Lara (9lb 11oz), via VB [EDD 11AUG].
15AUG SausageAndMash delivered DC#2, a BOY named ?, via CS [EDD 24AUG].
18AUG TwilightSurfer delivered DC#2, a GIRL named Reese Eleanor, via emCS [EDD 16AUG].
21AUG LadyofWaffle aka KnockoffNorbert delivered DC#2, a BOY named ? (10lb 5oz), via VB [EDD 08AUG].
21AUG Mummypud delivered DC#2, a GIRL named Olivia Rose (8lb 3oz), via VBAC [EDD 08AUG].

WAITING ROOM

~~~~<span class="italic">02AUG</span> <strong>Mum2b1</strong> is expecting DC#1.
~~~~<span class="italic">07AUG</span> <strong>PunksNotDead</strong> has 2DDs, 13 & 9. Expecting DC#3 via <strong>CS</strong> [EDD 15AUG], a <strong>GIRL</strong>.
~~~~<span class="italic">07AUG</span> <strong>BraveNewWorld</strong> is 31 and lives in London. Expecting DC#1, a <strong>GIRL</strong>.
~~~~<span class="italic">09AUG</span> <strong>BirthdayBaby</strong> is expecting DC#1.
>>>><span class="italic">10AUG</span> <strong>Lcy</strong> is 30 and lives in Wales. Expecting DC#1, guesses it's a boy.
~~~~<span class="italic">13AUG</span> <strong>Mal00</strong> is 33 and lives in South London. She is expecting DC#1, a <strong>BOY</strong> to be name Leonardo or Lorenzo. 
~~~~<span class="italic">13AUG</span> <strong>Murf</strong> is expecting DC#1, a <strong>GIRL</strong>.
~~~~<span class="italic">14AUG</span> <strong>Hardygirl</strong> is 36 and lives in SW London. Expecting DC#1, a <strong>SURPRISE</strong>.
>>>><span class="italic">14AUG</span> <strong>HazieDazieandBaby</strong> is 26 and lives in Aberdeen. Expecting DC#1, a <strong>GIRL</strong> to be named Gabriella.
>>>><span class="italic">17AUG</span> <strong>Iliketosleep</strong> is 24 and lives in Wolverhampton. She has 2DDs, 7y & 6y and a DS, 4y. Expecting DC#4, a <strong>GIRL</strong> to be named Brooke Olivia.
>>>><span class="italic">17AUG</span> <strong>Warthog</strong> has a DD, 2y. Expecting DC#2, a <strong>GIRL</strong>.
>>>><span class="italic">17AUG</span> <strong>Bohemianbint</strong> has DS, 23m. Expecting DC#2.
>>>><span class="italic">18AUG</span> <strong>Kezza7779</strong> is expecting DC#1, a <strong>GIRL</strong>.
>>>><span class="italic">18AUG</span> <strong>Cheerfulvicky</strong> is 24 and lives in Cornwall. Expecting DC#1, a <strong>BOY</strong>.
>>>><span class="italic">19AUG</span> <strong>Karney</strong> is 39 and lives in Glasgow.
~~~~<span class="italic">19AUG</span> <strong>Briwish</strong> lives in Solihull. She has a DD, 19m and is expecting DC#2, a <strong>GIRL</strong>.
~~~~<span class="italic">20AUG</span> <strong>Ejesmum</strong> is 38 and lives in Exeter. She has a DS, 4y. Expecting DC#2.
>>>><span class="italic">20AUG</span> <strong>Stillhere</strong> is 36 and lives in Yorkshire. She has a DS, 2.5y. Expecting DC#2, a <strong>SURPRISE</strong>.
>>>><span class="italic">20AUG</span> <strong>Skybluebelle</strong> lives in Birmingham and is expecting DC#1.
>>>><span class="italic">21AUG</span> <strong>Pinchypants</strong> is 34 and lives in Guildford. She has a DD, 20m. Expecting DC#2.
~~~~<span class="italic">21AUG</span> <strong>Musm2go</strong> is 35 and lives in B'ham Solihull. She has a DD, 6y. Expecting DC#2, a <strong>BOY</strong>.
>>>><span class="italic">23AUG</span> <strong>Stickybean</strong> is 27 and lives in North London. Expecting DC#1, guesses it's a girl.
<span class="italic">24AUG</span> <strong>Libbyssister</strong> is 34 and lives in Oxfordshire. She has a DS, 2.11y. Expecting DC#2, a <strong>BOY</strong>.
<span class="italic">24AUG</span> <strong>Cyteen</strong> is 32 and lives in Leicester. Expecting DC#1, a <strong>BOY</strong> to be named Joseph Simon.
<span class="italic">24AUG</span> <strong>Oopsacoconut</strong> is 32 and lives in Wiltshire. Expecting DC#1, a <strong>GIRL</strong> to be named Poppaea Anna.
<span class="italic">25AUG</span> <strong>Petitfilou</strong> is 36 and lives in S Oxfordshire. She has a DS, 4.4y, & a DD, 2.10y. Expecting DC#3, a <strong>BOY</strong>.
<span class="italic">26AUG</span> <strong>Ellasmum1</strong> is 30 and lives in North Staffs-Newcastle under Lyme. She has a DD, 5y. Expecting DC#2, a <strong>BOY</strong>.
<span class="italic">26AUG</span> <strong>Dancerandprancer</strong> is 31 and lives in Devon. She has a DD, 28m. Expecting DC#2, a <strong>BOY</strong>.
<span class="italic">26AUG</span> <strong>Micromum</strong> is expecting DC#4,
<span class="italic">27AUG</span> <strong>Goodie2shoes</strong> is 38. She has a DS, 2y and is expecting DC#2, a <strong>BOY</strong>.
<span class="italic">27AUG</span> <strong>Sambo303</strong> is is expecting DC#1.
<span class="italic">28AUG</span> <strong>Ataraxis</strong> <span class="italic">formerly</span> <span class="italic">Readyforbed</span> has 2 DSs, 5y & 3y, and is expecting DC#3, a <strong>GIRL</strong>.
<span class="italic">28AUG</span> <strong>Nezzi</strong> is 37 and lives in Manchester. She is expecting DC#1.
<span class="italic">29AUG</span> <strong>Waytoomuchchocolate</strong> is expecting DC#1, guesses it's a girl.
<span class="italic">30AUG</span> <strong>AnnVan</strong> lives in Kent and is expecting DC#1, guesses it's a boy.
<span class="italic">30AUG</span> <strong>No1putsbabyinthecorner</strong> is 30 and lives in South Yorkshire. She has a DD, 1y. Expecting DC#2, a <strong>SURPRISE</strong>.

So what am I runnig on now then?
Batteries

Why now its morning is he sleeping blissfully

no1 I feel your pain. Well with regard to lack of sleep anyway. I've had about three hours sleep in the last 40 hours. Which my body has obviously decided is the right amount of sleep for a person to have seeing as at the moment I don't feel even vaguely sleepy.

As for baby's sleeping pattern. Well obvioulsy I have no experience to base this on, but I have a theory: when you're prgnant, baby gets lulled into exactly the opposite sleep pattern to you because when you're walking about etc he gets put to sleep. So when you sleep he wakes up. When he's born he just continues the same pattern of course all that is probably a complete load o cobblers.

For the breastfeeders amongst us, just a few points I wish I had known first time around.

Please don't worry about the amount/time your LO are feeding for, it honestly doesn't matter if your baby is feeding for comfort or a real hunger. As adults we will have a cup of tea or a slice of cake for social/pleasurable reasons and it is no different for babies.

It is not advisable to try and keep awake a sleepy baby with wet cloths etc, they don't feed well if forced awake. The exception to this rule is if the baby is not feeding well and you have been medically advised to wake the baby at regular intervals. For the rest of us, skin to skin contact is the best way of encouraging a baby to stay awake and feed.

Breastfeeding is tough at first but go with the flow and things get a lot easier after a month and after a couple of months you won't even think about breastfeeding at all, it will be part of your daily life.

When babies are on the breast all evening/night, you do have enough milk. It is a growth spurt, the baby is nursing more to tell your breasts to make more milk. When this happens it is important not to interfer with this natural process by topping up with bottles (formula or expressed breast milk) Just feed, feed, feed.

Oh and babies get better at nursing the older and bigger they are, so practically overnight feeds which use to take an hour will take 10 minutes !!! Don't panic, the baby has just got the hang of nursing (until the next growth spurt kicks in enjoy it)

Any problems ring the helplines here

Well BE you have answered my morning's questions, thank you very much! Little boy fed all of yesterday and basically every hour throughout the night, not at all his usual pattern of feed 45 mins, sleep 3 hours (more or less).

micromum sorry I can't help with section questions, have no experience, hope someone else will be able to help & good luck with it! Look forward to your announcment.

Good luck micromum.

micromum, Sorry can't help either my CS was an emergency one, so not sure on procedures for elective ones.

VintageGardenia, Glad I could help

morning ladies,

thanks for all your kind words yesterday... i am not sure what is wrong with dh but i think he is over whelmed about being a daddy of 2 and as a result is doing a bit of running away...

dd1 went to wake him at 8.30am after i had been up since 6.30 looking after dd2 and the dd1,he just doesn't understand that helping me is more important than sleep!!!! anyway enough of my moaning!!

Congratulations to the new arrivals, beautiful names and weights...

Hope all those bfing are doing ok,i continue to be so so impressed that you all manage to do it!!

Labour vibes to all those in the waiting room xxx

Hi sarah - Hmm, wander if I'm goign to have same prob with DP. he is notoriously difficult to wake up. he's been known to swear at people, give people the finger, and (once) even hit his mum. All in his sleep! I've even had conversations with him that he later has no memory of because he was pretty much asleep. So what will happen when there's a tiny tot to look after I really don't know.

Feeling a bit restless so I might go for a waddle up and down the road

hi all

still here sitting waiting!!! different doc this morning who iso of the lets wait ansee school of doctoring! so here for another 24 hours at least. Why can;t theymakeadecision andstick to it? maybe induction tomorrow if bleed continues or maybe not. they are driving menuts. not allowed home as is 45 min drive aaway and notsafe if i hemmorage.

congrats to all new mums.

sorry typing crap patientline keyboard tiny and not surprisingly somewhat broken.

Hellooo...

Well, no birthday babe for me, I'm 41 weeks today and spectacularly fed up of being pregnant. Midwife appt at home tomorrow to check BP and discuss induction. Come on baby, get moving!

Thanks BabiesEverywhere for the BF advice, I'm planning to feed my little one this way but it's one of the most daunting aspects of new motherhood as I know how much can go wrong, and some of the tales on here are a bit hair-raising. I'm quite stubborn and determined to bf, but worried that will make me really upset if I'm unable to for whatever reason Fingers crossed I have one who 'knows what to do' and he helps me out that way...

Massive congrats to all those who've had babies recently! Loving the names

Hi all, I slept from about 2am till 5am then lay awake till 7.30 am , then managed a bit more sleep till 9am when dd insisted I got up, despite the fact dh was downstairs and off today.
Feel like death really, and dd is bored now and understimulated, wish she could go back to school now!
micromum- I'm a hospital midwife so can answer your questions from a local perspective, although yours might be a bit different.
We don't give out premeds to "collect" but presuming these may be antacid type drugs to minimize risk of you being sick while in theatre,
at our hospital you have a catheter bag for full 24 hrs,and its not put in until your spinal is working just before the op so its numb down below.
The actual op usually is about 40-45 mins, depends on how fast the surgeon is, and obviously its longer if any complications. Getting your baby out will only take ten minutes or so, its the stitching up that takes longer. You will feel the doctors pulling/pressing/rummaging around your abdomen but no PAIN/Sharpness.
Not sure how long it'll be till you get up for first time, 24 hrs at our hospital but some are 12hrs. just don't be embarrassed to keep calling for staff when you want your pads changed etc, women always say it feels like they are being a pain/helpless etc after c section but with how busy hospitals are now if you don't ask you don't get.

you will need more clothes for you and baby as you will probably be in for 3 days or so, and big pants that go up over your scar are much better than bikini style ones!
I really hope it all goes well, you may well feel it takes you longer to recover this time as it is a major operation, so take it easy- not easy with 3 other children! xx

sazzles phew, glad our answers match up- that should be reassuring for micromum

Thanks ELLASMUM and SAZZLES that helps alot, sorry 1 more question promise.

Are you able to deal with stairs after the op, i'm in hospital for 3 days but when i get home my bedroom is up 2 flights of stairs, will i need to sleep on couch ?

I was in hospital after my EmCS for 2 days and home on day 3. I could manage the stairs to the bathroom/bedroom when I got home. Though at the start I found it easy to crawl up stairs than walk and I took it very slowly.

Good luck micromum, hope it all goes smoothly and you're home with your LO before you know it

The waiting room's getting a bit crowded, innit? Lucky we've got this mile-long super-comfy couch to recline on, with velvet footrests and chilled champagne on tap. To pass the time, let's list all the "has anything happened yet?" calls and messages we've had today. So far I've had my dad, my SIL, my other SIL and a friend - not a bad haul before midday. I don't really mind any of them calling though, I know they're excited/worried (delete as appropriate), plus DP fielded the two calls anyway, ha ha ha

I have had a lovely relaxing bath and somehow managed to shave my legs despite barely being able to reach them. Totally at a loss for what to do with myself now though, apart from eat, mooch and whinge about when this bloody baby is going to show up.

We are going out for a curry tonight...I'm putting my faith in the old wives, they'd better not disappoint me!

oops good to hear things are okay with you and the wee one. Keep us posted if you can, and stay cheery

hi again, we don't tell women to avoid stairs , just see how you feel. Take pain relief regularly to keep on top of it, its harder if you leave it too late. avoid heavy lifting or hoovering etc, and when you cough or sneeze or laugh it apparently helps to "support" the scar with your hand in the early days anyway.

Oops hope everything ok with you and LO!
Cyteen - have had my sister on the phone. No 'are you there yet' comments, but she just has the knack for winding me up. 20 minutes on the phone to her and I feel ready to blow steam out my ears!

Cyteen and AnnVan - have had my sister on the phone over the weekend who was most annoyed that I hadn't given birth yet as she'd purposefully kept the weekend free and was left with nothing to do.....

Cyteen - glad I'm not the only one who had the mildly insane idea of trying to shave my legs today! Not the easiest procedure in the world!

Desperately trying to think of things to do today to keep me occupied - am even thinking of cleaning out the fridge....

Micromom sounds like you got some good answers about the elecCS. Mine was emergencyCS (and done in the US) so all the "prep" was done in 20 minutes, then they wheeled me back, checked my numbness, operated[...5min baby out then 15 min cleaning up inside and stitches, then techs cleaned up outside which took about 10 minutes], then they wheeled me to another room to "hang" for 30 minutes THEN back to room. From all I've heard electives go MUCH better than emergencies and that includes the recovery.

HINT: a lot of the "pain"/"discomfort" in the beginning is GAS/AIR. You will feel it seep from every lower outlet you have. Remember they've opened you up thus letting it in. Rotate your position in bed and get up and move around as soon as possible to help move the air/gas out. I had two folded up towels that I wedged under each butt cheek so my lower area wasn't smushed closed so to better allow all the gassy stuff to seep (or trumpet out). It helped so much!!! You'll feel the gas pressure as far up as under your rib cage. Seriously, it sounds crazy. If they offer (or you can take with you) a de-gas med....use it.

As for recovery....good days and bad nights for me but I've done extremely well I must say....and that's with a 4 year old in the house.

Here's a CS recovery question or comment:
When ladies get boob jobs they recover with their boobs supported by ACE bandages (i hope they are called the same across the pond). But they didn't wrap my belly/stitch area with one....did any of you get nicely wrapped? I wrapped myself last night and it's made a world of difference in how I'm moving and feeling.

My sister has proclaimed that my baby will arrive on her birthday (28th) and is none too pleased with the idea. Thursday is DS1's day at nursery so I plan to lie in bed most of the day, not moving an inch until the danger has passed....

cyteen my mum has rung every day since Friday - today I did actually say to her 'I WILL ring you if anything happens mother' She laughed sheepishly. My dad has also texted me and mil keeps texting dh. Apart from them all quiet on the Western front. Did have some pain low on the bump last night for a lot of the night but nothing remoting resembling contractions. And ds2 is moving around a lot at times so I don't think he is ready yet...

libbysister 28th is dd's birthday. What is the betting ds2 decides to really balls things up by coming then

keep checking to see if anyone has popepd yet grin].

still v sore on the feeding front;( V sad about it

won;t moan though.....