Due in September 2009 - Calling all the Christmas and New Year BFPs! thread 2

[silentlywondering]

The other thread was too long and wouldn't let me add a new message.

I am 8+3 and as my previous m/c's have been at 9 weeks.

Happy mothers day everyone. I'll be ready with my full story if anyone has to have an elective, is anyone else a possible VBAC??

Ooo I love birth stories! Here is mine.

I planned a homebirth with ds, and everything seemed to be on plan. Contractions started sunday morning, was examined at home by m/w and was 1cm and the cervix wasn't 'ripe'. Contractions got stronger throughout the day, went for a walk later afternoon to hurry them along and it had the opposite effect! On the way back to the car I thought I felt my waters go, but no rush of fluid appeared so ignored it. M/w assured me it wasn't waters as they would rush out everywhere. Then had contractions on and off all day mon, tues and weds but nothing regular, coped with pain on paracetamol. Weds evening we had a scan as I was overdue, I mentioned that I had been feeling very 'wet' down there for a few days and the doctor sent us up to labour ward to be checked out. M/w on duty informed me that my waters were leaking, most probably since sunday after all, and they wanted me to stay in that evening to be induced. We refused, by this time it was 9pm and we wanted to be at home for our h/b! They said we could give it one last evening to come on naturally and to go in first thing. Eventually went in on thursday at around 11, both our mothers there, feeling very upset at the idea of hospital/drips etc. Got a delivery room at 2pm, had iv antibiotics due to leaking waters. Doctor finally came round and broke the bottom on the water sack (it was the hind waters leaking or some such) and gave me a very vigorous and painful sweep at 3pm. I was told I needed to dilate (was 3cm already) some more by 5pm or I would need the drip to bring on contractions.

Well, the pain really started then and within 1/2 an hour I was screaming the place down lol! Refused gas and air as it made me go funny and soildered on till 5. M/w said I was 5cm and wouldn't not need the drip, baby could be here before midnight. All I heard was baby-midnight and demanded an epidural, I couldn't go on for much longer! Anesthetist turned up and started procedure, then got paged away to an emergency, I was livid! Tried gas and air again and it helped LOADS. Loved it. Suddenly I needed to push, m/w said hold on its just a poo- but I couldn't wait and just started pushing. She checked me then ran off yelling to dp that the baby was almost here! DP very shocked as she went to get all the birth stuff ready, she wasn't expecting it so soon. Started pushing at 6pm and he was born 18 minutes later. 3 hours 18 mins from start of induction, quick but VERY intense and painful, my throat was horse from screaming. Though totally worth it and you do sort of 'forget' the pain and concentrate on the baby bit IYSWIM. Looking back it was wonderful and as good as it could have been in hospital. After I had had a bath, dressed ds and was getting ready to go to down to postnatal the anesthetist came back ready to do the epidural. I showed him the baby lol.

The worse bit about being in hospital (I had had my lovely community midwife with me for labour) was the stay in the ward. They needed to keep us in because of the infection risk from the leaking waters. We ended up being in for two days, I hated every minute, dp couldn't stay past 10pm and I felt so lonely and isolated. Will being having a h/b this time unless something serious goes wrong. I can't wait- does that make me weird

Wow I have never written all that down before, its quite therapeutic!

wow bigbang - you dilated very quickly. lol at the anaesthetist coming back rather too late to do the epidural

LJ - have to say if this one is much bigger than ds I don't know how I'm going to get it out. Quite impressed that you have faith in your body to do what it's supposed to do. I'm a bit more especially after watching a programme on big babies and how they often have neck problems due to difficulty coming out. Mind you, my aunt's 3rd baby was 11 1b 7 and that was a vaginal delivery.

I've got the day off work today - bliss

Hope all mums had a lovely day yesterday. Ds got me some lovely bath stuff (obviously selected by his dad) and flowers. Mums-to-be have all this to look forward to next year

Hi all,
Does anyone else want their pregnancy to have finished and have given birth. I Feel like a whale and can't enjoy eating or dong anything because it is so uncomfortable. I am only 14 weeks and 5 days I'm not sure I can manage another 26 weeks of this without going insane.

Regarding deliveries, I think they are all so different but the one thing is for sure that it will hurt more than anything else that you might experience (apart from being disemboweled God forbid!)but remember we are designed to do the process so it won't be any more than we can bear and will be over quite quickly ( I think most first babies take about 14 hours from start to finish). I am a complete baby with pain and I only had gas and air with my last one- it isn't that bad really in this day and age- my granny bent the metal bedposts having my uncle who was over 10lbs and had no pain relief! We should think ourselves very lucky.

Hi everyone
lol at miserable people telling you how bad life is going to be when pg/with a child. I agree with whoever said about sitting on the sofa and talking about how wonderful your LO is (and also trying to do impressions of the looks on his face when tiny - but don't tell anyone that ) In a couple of months time you will spend ages just feeling your bump move and shouting "THERE...did you feel that one? ... You must have felt that one!"

Neddie, sorry you're finding it tough I am finding this one much easier than last time, expect I keep getting non-pg related illness . When not ill though, I'm fine. I can even drink wine which I couldn't face last time until after 20 weeks. The only thing that makes me feel ill is coffee. My bump has popped up over the weekend though! Might have to go shopping for a pair of maternity trousers and some tops but I'm stingy and trying to make do

Morning all - hope you all got a chance to enjoy the sunny weekend.

Thanks for all the birth stories. As a first timer it is fair to see I am more than a little worried about the pain. I am planning to get an epidural at some point (if I can't manage) as I have heard that it makes the birth a much more pleasant experience.

Has anyone had any experience with a TENS machine? I would like to think it might help in the early stages? How long does the paracetemol help for?

Hi all, I'm on the October thread even though I'm due at the end of September (have been overdue with both my previous children)I'm still keeping an eye on things over here though!
Just popped in to say to babylady I have used Tens with both my labours, have managed both with just that and G&A. I love using the Tens, find it really helps me and it gives me something to focus on pressing the 'boost' button with every contraction, Also have used it all the way through not just at the beginning although I would say that it's important to get it on as soon as you know you're in labour. Some people find it doesn't help them at all... you really won't know until you get there and try it. Also for me paracetamol wouldn't even touch the pain even at the beginning but as I said everyone has a different experience.

Re tens, I doubt it will help if you are induced on a drip (from personal experience and the experience of people I know) but these labours are quite different because they don't build up as such - they are full on from the word go.

haha, I found a thread discussing mw horror stories...I have a couple but have posted them on the other thread as I didn't want to frighten anyone here!

babylady i tried the TENS machine with DD1 but it didn't work. Was more a case of 'wtf, gimme the drugs!' I also wanted an epidural but couldn't have one as I suffer from scoliosis (slightly curved spine). I had diamorphine which made me sleepy but with DD2 I had pethidine which let me have more control...

I LOVE HAVING A HUGE BUMP!! Don't you all think it's better that we'll be heavily pg in the summer rather than through the winter? It's much easier to wear airy baggy clothes than having to fork out on new winter coats etc...feel uncomfortable now but I'm suffering from terrible wind (sorry TMI)

Don't want to contradict anyone, but I was induced 2nd time (and had the hormone drip first time after contractions stopped half way through). Had a 1hr50min labour, it was very intense but still found Tens useful, used it all the way through.

Twinkle - you're not contradicting anyone at all. That's your personal experience so equally valid. Did your contractions start off naturally? Just wondered because mine didn't. I was only induced because of meconium in my waters.

Ladylush - I had a friend who went private and before she was induced/waters broken was asked if she wanted an epidural. She said it was great but only thing was that it hurt a lot more at the "coming out" bit because epidural had worn off - sounds like a good option to me.

As induced contractions plenty fast enough such that epidural did not slow things down too much.

BabyLady, I had a TENS machine and had a fantastic labour and birth. By the time I got to hospital and examined I was 9cm so it was off with the TENS and on with the G&A for a minute or two, then pushing!
The only thing I didn't like about the TENS was that I felt a bit restricted when I wanted to use the loo or have a shower - I had to have a few practice runs of contractions before I dared take it off!
I did take paracetamol, but unlike TENS it's difficult to know how it would have been if you hadn't iyswim. Walking round through contractions and hanging off the banisters (don't ask!) helped as well.
If you do get a TENS machine they'll probably send you extra batteries - you'll need them, and more!

Babylady, I think the best approach to the labour is to be accepting. Yes, there will be pain, it IS going to hurt a lot, and you will wonder what on earth possessed you to want a baby. But you can do it, it does end, there is pain relief available and it means not long till you get to hold your baby. Look how many of us are back here having another! Remember that though epidurals can be a godsend and make things much calmer and more enjoyable- they also have side effects that could lead to needing more intervention as they can slow down labour. All this information went out the window when I thought that pain was going to last for hours though! Always a for and against and you never know how well you will cope until you're in the zone! Paracetamol does help with the build up stages but its not much use when you really get going IME.

I didn't try tens at all. I was a bit about it tbh. However loads of stuff I was about before having kids I am now very about! I mean, toddlers only have tantrums because you aren't parenting effectively right? May well give it a go this time, every little helps after all!

Neddie, I am sorry to hear you feeling rubbish. I hope the 'blooming' kicks in soon. Welcome twinklegreen!

Hi ladylush firstime started naturally then stopped when I reached 10cm dialated so had the drip to start them again. Second time was induced at 14 days overdue as ds had not intention on coming out of his own accord!

Hi all I finally had my scan today and everything was fine, baby moving and heart beating.
My dates were comfirmed for the 29th sept.

I also had my 20 week scan booked and the appointment with the consultant at 32 weeks to discuss delivery.

Hope everyone is feeling OK today.

Good news peachygirl - must have felt as if you were waiting for ages

I am in two minds about labour - either hippy dippy at home, or with all the drugs known to man both seem like fine options from this distance tbh. MW said that they try to get us to labour at home as much as possible and decide on the day what seems right, so I guess that's why I'm open to both.

God - forgot it was TPT! hang on...8.5, same as last week. But it is different - me and DH found a fun new game last night with me standing sideways and him saying 'go on, pull your belly in', which I duly did, but nothing changed Guess it's only outwards from now on eh?

TPT result - 9 sheets exactly. So 1/4 sheet rise from last week. Phew.

I've got my first NCT meet up tonight! Scary.
With no bump and no baby I feel a bit of a fraud.

hi ladies

just a quickie as im shattered from working nights.

had my scan yesterday baby was very active!! bang on for dates so 13+2 today and the consultant has discharged me so homebirth here i come!

its lovely to know that a few of us on here are going for homebirths!

ok so here is my birth story with ds

DS was back to back from 34 weeks...

My waters went at 40+7 at 8:30pm whilst i was sitting down and i suddenly went into panic mode and started hoovering and mopping the floor before the mw arrived so 10:30pm mw arrived and checked me over i had no contractions at this point.
3:45am period pain kicked in and couldnt sleep at 5am i was examined at 3cms but still feeling very comfortable. at 9am pain had really kicked in so got in the birthing pool which helped loads, (sorry forgot this was all at home)tried gas and air but could not get the hang of it so gave up. by 11:30am mw examined me and i was only 6cms but fully dilated on 1 side of my cervix and i was finding it very hard not to push. in the end i caved in and asked to go to hospital for an epidural.
when we arrived the anaethetist came after about 30 minutes but i was waaayyy to busy stomping around the delivery room, i found this very good for the pain. they gave me the epidural and after 30 mins i could still feel everything so they topped me up but that didnt have much of an effect. after a few moments i was ready to push and ds was born at 13:41pm weighing 8 pound 13!

i had a second degree tear which took ages to stitch however all of the horror stories i had heard about stitches etc didnt apply in my case, they did not bother me in the slightest. i felt a little swolen and tender but perfectly manageable.

i had a lot of hassle with the hospital and trouble with the mws and the ward nurses but i wont go into detail on that one. this time i am really hoping i can be strong enough and stay at home.

i didnt feel that instant bond either with ds and was very worried for weeks about pnd. however after recovering myself and feeling normal the bond got stronger by the day.

i am hoping this time i get to experience that rush of love everyone raves about.

x

Evening ladies,

8 sheets today - up 1/4 sheet from last week. Went shopping to pumpkin patch at the weekend and got 2 pairs of trousers and 2 tops for £30! Was outlet prices but I'm chuffed to bits! (Cheshire Oaks)

TPT measurement is still 7 &3/4 sheets

Great news on the scans ladies

hi my lovelies, hope everyone is well. we are on holidays and i'm managing to eat reasonably well. still a couple of vomits a day, but it feels so much better to be eating!

regards birth stories, there is also the possibility things can go extraordinarily right! i had ds at home. i had planned a water birth, but ds was 2 weeks early, so we didn't have the pool liner yet. my waters broke while watching something stupid like law and order or ncis or soemthing around 10pm. i went and had a shower, had something to eat and got into bed on the advice of my doula "get some rest, you'll need it, call the hospital in the morning..." so i was in bed for about half an hour until i had to get up as i was getting contractions.

watched tv for a bit, then came on quite strong. called doula and she came over. once it got quite intense she ran a bath for me with loads of clary sage and i spent some good time in there. after a while, she had a look and told dh to call the midwife NOW and i got out of the bath, midwife ran up the stairs to bathroom and ds was born!
of course it was immensely painful and i didn't know if i could do it in the middle of it. but my body coped and it really was an excelelnt birth. no pain relief and i got to jump into bed with ds afterwards (after a few stitches though...)

if you feel inclined towards a homebirth, i can really really recommend it. it is so nice being in your own space to give birth.

oh ps. was a 4 hour labour from when contractions started, so i'm quite scared how quick this one is going to be!!

I'd like a homebirth but DH is really opposed to it. I'm kind of hoping that events take over, but then his blood pressure will be through the roof!