Fab Feb 2009: No really, THIS thread we'll birth more than 1 baby, we promise.

[onwardandupward]

et voila!

bribery,even.

and evil,not eveil.

I do know how to spell. Really I do.

My two DS's are both getting presents from the baby. But at 3 and almost 6, they are too wise to think the baby actually brought them so I planned to say that we helped the baby choose them for his/her big brothers. We also went shopping as a family and bought a bear for the baby - now waiting in it's crib - and spoken about as the bear which DS1&2 chose for their baby. It definitely helps. DS1 got a brio train set when DS2 was born and was far more enthralled in that then the baby, and it was something 'big boyish' for us to do with him..

Pempe - I feel for you. Sounds like a nightmare. I guess the only thing is that as the cord is actually round the neck, you do need someone there, ie. a midwife, at the time of birth who can actually take the proper action and fast. Sounds like none of your greek lot would have ever done it before.

Ha ha PT i'm always when I hear that bit in Peppa pig. Luckily DS doesnt watch it but still likes muddy puddles nonetheless!

Mslucy - what a fab idea getting rellies to buy for DS not baby! DS is due to move to 2-3yrs clothes soon and those would be way more helpful than yet another bin bag of cuddly toys in the loft

Baby is bringing DS a Thomas the tank DVD (we have no childrens DVD's and have a feeling we might need one occassionally!) at the hospital and also a large TTT storage box that fits under his bed for when s/he comes home. Haven't bought Stepson anything as he is 9 and is like, grown up now, durrr ()

brio rocks
our house is a shrine to it.

Oh yes, our brio collection has been regularly added to at many birthdays and Christmases.

PT Sounds like you need to calm yourself down a bit! I'm worn out just reading your post

I've got ds a big truck with a helicopter thing on it that I thought he'd like. Not sure why I did that, he's not going to understand anything about the baby and present, but it was on discount at £2.50.
Tightenings are back but not any worse than yesterday.

Dp got clippers out on ds, he looks better but still stupid.

Having dinner now, sweet and sour chicken with rice, it's quite tasty and I didn't burn it

Get you lbb! Delia eat your heart out!

Well, scan confirms that madam is actually an elephant. She's currently guesstimated to by 7lb 9oz (at 36 +3), and the consultant said no way to an induction but if I were his wife he would recommend an elective c-section.

a) she's huge,
b) odds of shoulder dystocia are about 1 in 100 based on her size, my size and the fact her head is small but her tummy is very much not!
c) she is back to back, so I would have a long painful early labour...possibly followed by an emergency section.

My thoughts are that I would give anything to avoid a c-section, but given the choice of an emergency or an elective, it would obviously be the elective.

We have two weeks to think about things before our next growth scan, and a lot will depend on the measurements/weight then, when I'll be 38 +3, however, in the meantime, my blood pressure/protein in urine is the more pressing issue, so that may end effecting things anyway. So, more 'wait and see' - excellent!

Sorry for the "me me me" post - and apologies if I've been really self-obsessed. I'm not really like that, but I find it hard to talk to friends and family about this, especially as they all sailed through pregnancy and labour, so they find it hard to understand things. You've all been really great, and I really appreciate the support and advice from you all. xxx

MrsY I think you've to every reason to have a moan and here is the best place. I am so sorry that your pregnancy has not been the carefree, enjoyable experience it ought to have been and that at this stage it is causing you even more stress.

It sounds like it would do you good to get some other advice on what the consultant has told you today. As you know I was all set for a section based on what the perineal consultant advised but I knew in my heart of hearts depsite the (unquantifiable) risks that the idea of asection was making me really unhappy. Luckily the Ob Consultant was much more supportive and unusally for me I've decided to look on the bright side, and armed with as much knowledge as possible trust that my body will do what it needs to do. Consultants are likely to be pretty risk averse so he will err on the side of caution. But if there is 1% risk of shoulder dystocia then there is a 99% chance all will be well... If you haven't managed to get hold of it yet I really, really recommend reading the Ina May Gaskin book for giving you confidence in how many "difficult" deliveries can be managed without major intervention.

Must be something in the Kent waters that grows 'em big round here MrsY! Perhaps you'll be joining me in the "elective" c section route. Your posts aren't at all "me me me" - this is what MN is for - saying things that in RL are hard to share

Oh MrsY - I'm so sorry, that all sounds like a million miles away from the chilled homebirth you were hoping for a couple of weeks ago. On the plus side, you've got some time to decide what you want to do - and as you know, there are lots of ladies on the thread who ended up having emergency c-secs before who have decided to go for elective c-secs this time (like Herb, Swampy, LMN etc) and there are also some VBACs here (like Spotty) so you really do have the whole range of experiences here to talk to.

Might it be worth posting on the childbirth thread to get some input from doulas/midwives who lurk on there to give you some more opinions?

Hope you manage to put your worries out of your mind tonight and get a good nights rest.

P.s. Brio? Knew DS was a deprived child; he has none Now I know what to tell the doting grandparents to get him...

PS no 2 - Pink - my DS likes Peppa Pig too and has a penchant for jumping in muddy puddles too (we've tried unsuccessfully to restrict him to when he has his wellies and raincoat on) but my main gripe with kids tv is with Charlie (who I like and think is a good influence) and Bloody Lola (who I think DS has a crush on). Thanks to Bloody Lola DS will now not ever never eat a tomato (whereas he used to love them before), is obsessed with getting a tooth out so he can get a visit from the tooth fairy and get a giraffe (as you do!) Grr

Thanks guys.

I really have loved being pregnant (have felt very feminine and attractive since I started showing) and still can't get over how lucky I am to be pregnant and be a few weeks away from holding my precious daughter. However, I've never liked being ill, or hospitals and medical procedures and avoid medication and things like the plague, so I've found that part of it very difficult, and not strictly necessary.

I'm trying to think positively, and TBH, feel that the idea of a less than straightforward vaginal birth is worse than a straightforward c-section, but maybe that's me being a bit selfish?

Get yourself regularly polar bear-ing, Mrs Y - lots of hands and knees stuff to get that baby spinning.

Posterior labour with a first baby is doable (BTDT), but you would need to rest rest rest rest rest between contractions for as long as you possibly could. I wish I'd done that more.

MAybe ask about having midwives with experience of shifting shoudler distocia - it doesn't have to end up in a C section at all AFAIK.

And as for weight of baby - they could be long and podgy with a small head, and that'd be fine, or they could be tiny with a hiuge head and that'd be much barder work - it's head circumference which is the vital thing.

Might be worth getting hold of Let Birth Be Born Again - I found that really inspiring on optimising position of baby and you.

MrsY, obviously you need to make the right decision for you and that may be an elective section, but as onward has said - head size is more relevant than body size when delivering big babies. My DS2 was posterior and big (10lb4) and I had a home birth with him which resulted in shoulder dystocia. They did something called the McRoberts manouevre, which involved a small amount of swift gymnastics on my part, but he was out safely without me even knowing about it, until afterwards.

Pempe I feel like I almost shouldn't say anything, as I don't want to cause upset, and this is obviously a massively emotive issue for you - and it is for me too, to the extent I'd feel I was being dishonest if I don't share my experience of this...

Here goes... my DD2 was born with the cord round her neck, and the consultant I saw at 28 weeks with this pregnancy thinks this is what caused her to have a brain haemorrhage around birth. I know this is a rare occurrence, and most babies tangled in the cord are FINE, but my DD wasn't, hence my eagerness for a CS this time. She was very poorly at birth, and we thought we might lose her. Although all's now well on the whole, she does have a permanent weakness on her left side, and so a limp and constant physio, etc.

I trusted my body to know what it was doing, and it let my DD down really badly.

Mrs Y, I would never, ever tell anyone what to do, but have chosen an elective after trying and failing to push out a huge baby (back to back) last time.

After 2 days of minimal dilation I ended up having an emergency c-section - the main problem for me was a jumbo head that just got stuck.

I think sometimes we can grow babies that are just too big for our bodies (I think I've got another one of a similar size in there at the moment) and this can make natural birth harder for us that it might do for some people.

That's not to say it would be impossible for you, but you also must not feel bad if you opt for a c-section.

dinky - brio is ace and there's tons of it on ebay as well.

It is almost totally indestructable and it doesn't matter if the odd piece disappears under the sofa - when this happens with crap plastic train sets the whole thing is broken.

All kids seem to love it and it's also quite nice to look at - solid and wooden rather than tacky and plastic.

Hi, it's Mr idontbelieveit - Freya Rose was born at 3.17pm on monday, 6lb8oz, doing fine. I'm sure the Mrs will be back on here tomorrow to fill you in on the gory details when she's back from hospital...

cheers

CONGRATS IDBI!!!

Yay! I do believe it! Congratulations!

Freya is a lovely name.

Yeah! another baby love to you and the family xxx

Congratulations IDBI & Family. Lovely name and weight

Mrsy, it's not mememe at all! I didn't find MN until DS was born and wish I had found it during pg. As like you, everyone I knew had sailed through and I was up and down to hospital and had several issues on the go at once. Felt embarassed to talk about it IR as realised when people asked "how are you feeling" I was constantly replying with " well....". This is the place to let it out! and equally likely to find someone who's been/going through similar

In both pg I have found that consultants really labour the negatives and the risks to you and I have usually seen MW's at a next appt who have been at some of the things they say. They are also very pro-CS and most would push for this option in the face of a less that "perfectly normal" birth. DH bollocked me tonight for deciding on a VBAC as there is a 1:1000 risk of scar rupture - the cons defo managed to put the wind up him!!! BUT look at the other positive side to risks, there are very high chances everything could be fine. There are tons of people (fact and researched based statement here you notice) who have posterior labours without CS's! Someone on here (LBB maybe?) had a posterior labour and didn't even know until afterwards!
I was told to sit facing backwards on a chair leaning against it's back, so tilting your body forward to help baby move to anterior position. Put a cushion against the back and it's really quite comfy!Sitting forward opens your pelvis to the max so baby can rotate, the back is it's heaviest part so will turn to adopt your position.

Must admit the size is what would decide it for me which is why I asked at this scan.Had l.o been 7.9 today rather than 6lbs I think I may have been more tempted by the CS . But I have been told to estimate a 7-7 1/2 lber which could put your l.o at 8 1/2 - 9 lber! Still very do-able! I second what Dinky says about posting a thread to get some of the MW/doula experiences on here to help you come to a decision. Also talk to your community MW and research your local hospital figures re CS/Shoulder disp etc as they usually quote you national stats when in reality your hosp may have better results/more experience/successful VB's etc.

I'll stop waffling now!

Does anyone know what day AMy was born - I seem to have missed it!

NEW ARRIVALS

TinkerBellesMumandFifi2 - DD Sîan Anne Denise, 4lbs 8.5oz, 02.01.09 (due 01.02.09)
Dinkymum - DS Isaac Christopher, 5lbs 8oz, 19.01.09
Ooogs - DS Luke Daniel, 8lbs 6oz, 20.01.09
Herbgarden - DD Amy Hannah, 5lbs 14oz
idontbelieveit - DD Freya Rose, 6lbs 8oz, 26.01.09

WHO'S NEXT.....

Laidbackinengland - DC4, due: 23.01.09 (age 34, North Devon)
Nkweto - DC2, due: 30.01.09 (age 35, West London)
Mamagoose - DC3, due: 31.01.09 (age 32, Spain)

LittleMissNorty - DC2, CS: 02.02.09 (age 40, Kent)
MsLucy - DC2 (a boy), CS: 2/2/09 (age 38, North London)
Swampster - DC3 (a boy), CS: 02.02.09 (age 40 , London)
Questionkid - DC1, due: 03.02.09 (age 33, Wallington, Surrey)
PinkTulips - DC3, due: 04.02.09 (age 24, Roscommon, Ireland)
Rosieposey - DC4 (a boy), CS: 06.02.09 (age 37,Swindon,Wiltshire)
MarkStretch - DC2 (a boy), due: 07.02.09 (age 29, Norwich)
onwardandupward - DC2, due: 07.02.09 (age 35 South West)
mumoverseas - DC4 (a boy), due: CS 08.02.09 (age 41 Arabia/Crawley West Sussex)
stacysmom - DC1, due: 08.02.09 (age 36, Kent)
KT1983 - DC1, due: 09.02.09 (age 25, London)
KazzaL - DC2 (suprise flavour), due: 10.02.09 (age 35, Cirencester, Gloucs)
littleboyblue - DC2, (another boy) due: 10.02.09 (age 27, Middlesex)
Sorkycake - DC4 (a girl), due: 10.02.09, (34, NorthEast)
McDreamy - DC3, CS booked 10.02.2009 (age 37 Bucks)
jenniferturkington- DC2 (a girl), due: 11.02.09

Munteria - DC2, due: 11.02.09 (age 37, Putney)
TheHouseofMirth - DC2 (a boy), due: 11.02.09 (age 39, Wimbledon)
fgpl- DC2 (a girl), due: 12.02.09 planning cs 38 weeks. Age 38 North Yorks
Pluto - DC2 CS booked: 13.02.09 (aged 38, Kent)
Jellybaby - DC2 (a girl), due: 14.02.09 (age 30, Cheshire)
Justme84 - due 14.02.09
Pempe - DC1 (a boy), due: 14.02.09 (age 29, Greece)
Littlesez ? DC1 (a girl), due: 15.02.09 (age 28, Manchester)
America - DC2 (a boy), due: 16.02.09 (age 32, London)
Scubagroover - DC1 (a boy), due: 17.02.09 (age 31, London/ Kent)
Rachrox - DC4 (a boy), due: 18.02.09 (age 28, Cheltenham)
Catstar - DC2 (a boy), due: 18.02.09 (age 36, Chessington)
Mentalpup - DC2, due: 18.02.09 (age 31, Cheltenham)
Dinkystinky - DC2 (a boy), due: 19.02.09 (age 32, London)
DizzyBrummie - DC2, due: 20.02.09 (age 36, Berkshire)
Calico1 - DC2 due: 21.02.09 (age 40, West Herts)
mrsy - DC1 (a girl), due: 22.02.09 (age 24, Maidstone, Kent
Neeerly3 - DC3 (surprise) due 23.02.09 (age 32, Mansfield, Notts)
Winemakesmummyclever - DC2 (a boy), due: 23.02.09. (age 35, Manchester) expecting cs @ 39 weeks
Spottyshoes - DC2, due: 24.02.09 (age 28)
Lardybump - DC2, due: 24.02.09 (age 34)
eejaykay - DC1 (a boy), due: 24.02.09 (age 34, London)
katieblirdsnest - DC2 due 24.02.09 (age 39, London)
Chilledmama - DC2 (a girl), due: 25.02.09 (age 32, Southsea)
Pinkbabybump - DC2 (a girl), due: 25.02.09 (age 36, Cornwall) CS booked for 20.02.09
Cocodrillo - DC3, due: 26.02.09 (age 34 at the mo, London) expecting a CS at 38-39 weeks
ihavenewsockson - DS2, due: 26.02.09 (age 25, Surrey)

Evening all. Another rough night and day in bed, I?m loving these days in bed fortunately I?m rarely alone as when my parents are at work a friend comes to stay to help me out. I had my Bounty pics come today, have a look on FB as I?m about to stick it on there, it?s very sweet, so I lay in bed cutting them up and mounting them.

Dinkystinky, I know there are some from January but I think there are some that changed their due date to their section/ induction date too.

Cocodrillo, someone who was in hospital on one of my many stays was in labour and her baby kept flipping, each time he turned head down they sent her for a scan before breaking her waters and he was breech again! You have plenty of time for your baby to find the right way.

KazzaL, I hope you find feeding easier this time, I know I have found it completely different, I think you will find a lot of support here in our group and through the feeding forum if you have any problems. I hate that whole ?if it hurts? thing! I was saying to a doctor yesterday that if people understood what the pain was then it would help rather than saying all pain is bad. This was as I was feeding Sîan with pain in my nipple because she has a very strong latch and pain in the other breast as I was letting down on that side.

MOS I?ve done something similar a few times, so you have my sympathy!

Littlesez, great idea I?ll add mine, it?s on my profile already but I?ll add it to the group.

MrsY, sleeping?s not that bad. I sleep during and between feeds, nights are harder because I?m too tired to work out how to latch her which is hard because she has a cold and she prefers to be upright at the moment because of the cold. 1 in 100 is quite low really, but when it comes to maternity odds are looked at as being a lot higher for some reason. Whilst an elective is better than an emergency, emergency sections aren?t that bad really.

LMN, babies will go past their hunger point, Sîan went 24 hours at the weekend without asking, I had to force her on the breast (not easy and definitely painful!) and to take top ups instead. You shouldn?t let them go past 4 hours, I try to stick to 3 during the day because if it takes her awhile to wake up and latch she hasn?t gone over 4 hours without a feed.

McDreamy I used to go mad at TBD for that! He would say don?t cook, I?ll get something for us on the way home? (because of how bad my back is) he then wouldn?t get in till 11/12 o?clock, wouldn?t answer his phone and I?d be in bits! He manages to be out of contact with everyone when his Mum had been told to call the family to be with his Nan, she was dying and I was in labour and no one could get him!

MamaGoose it?s called Word! I type my post into Word as I read through then it doesn?t matter if I forget

Herb I was the same. MW at hospital said I?d be visited next day but she didn?t check who I was under. Because the community NN team visits me I don?t get weekend visits. I waited in all Saturday and Sunday for them to come out on Monday. I had a meeting on Tuesday, Wednesday I could go out but Dad was working so we didn?t have the car, Thursday the NN nurse came out and Friday I had to go to the breastfeeding group so because of the hospital MW I lost the whole week! Tink has been the same as your DS, I second the suggestion about making it about them. It?s Tink?s baby, she has to tap her back when she?s crying, she has to teach her how to have me-me etc.

KT, IUGR counts for a high proportion of stillbirths so I guess for some reason St G?s are touchy about it for some reason. But I?m glad they?ve decided your baby is ok

PT I?m just glad my little girl is so girly! She does the ?eerp? thing then says ?I?m a little piggy? or ?I?m Peppa Pig? but she wouldn?t dream of rolling in puddles!