Due April 2009 - Chapter 24: Pulling the Plug on the April babies!!!

[BabyBolat]

Here we go again....

You haven't seen The Incredibles, or you would be aware of the dangers of capes!

Oooh MM you minx you!!! Have fun!!!

Hi just checking in with you ladies rather than lurking.

I am 37 weeks on Monday, so hopefully not long now.

I found the best drink in labour with my other 2 was to have about half an inch of coke in the bottom of a glass, then top up with water. Takes the edge off nausea, gives a little sugar boost, but the water stops the fizz and sugar overload.

No I haven't see the incredibles!

Good tip lou!

How you feeling? Any signs from your side???

For any potential Supers, the danger of capes

i would quite like this as my costume here

Wow impressive sword Smutts

Am very intrigued by all this talk of snacks and drinks. They are utterly forbidden here, I think in case you need to be rushed for emergency surgery or something. The list of items the hospital suggests for your bag includes " a snack for Monsieur", but the labouring mother is only allowed a sodding aerosol thingy of mineral water with which to refresh her face and lips. Nowt to drink, nowt to eat.

It was fun when I gave birth in the middle of tropical summer .

Think I'll go all Fanjo Warriors this time and smuggle in some illicit apple juice...

why thank you BB

oooh Auld, maybe you could disguise it in some way!

Mathsmummy - have fun

Auld - go on, sneak in some juice

BB: what, as a urine sample?

I honestly don't think anyone would be brave enough to tell me I can't do something when i am pushing that LO out of my fanjo!

That could provide some interesting test results!!!

LOL @ disguising it as a urine sample. Would love to see the MW face when you then drink it "Mon dieu! Ils sont fous ces Britanniques" .

"A snack for Monsieur"?? That is brilliant!

I've got apple juice, little pots of jelly for shovelling in between contractions, muesli bars for easy energy, tinned peaches because I love them.

Imagine not eating anything for 24 hours or more! I'd be exhausted - you need to keep that pushing energy up!

Stop the food talk - DH was supposed to be at home 20 minutes ago with dinner and he is still at the gym and not answering his phone!

Have just checked out some French forums/fora.
Seems it is indeed in case (a) you vomit during labour (because obviously it's much more pleasant to vomit up gastric acids than food ) and (b) you have to have a general anaesthetic.
This is apparently not borne out by WHO guidelines, which say that birthing mothers shouldn't be banned from drinking/eating a snack. But the French, who love to medicalise life's simplest functions, shove many women on a glucose drip to keep them hydrated, rather than allowing them a sip of water.
Seems lots of women smuggle in contraband Evian and dried fruit, and sneakily indulge in these illicit goods when there are no staff present.
I love this country!!!

wouldn't dried fruit get your bowels moving a bit too much???

The proportion of labours which end up in needing a GA must be miniscule?

Right I best go - Smutts keep me updated on the baby movements! Will try and catch up before I sleep xx Have a good night everyone

Hello all

Cinema was ace, they took one look at me and asked if we would like the special big leather seats for no extra charge - hooray! Cinema was almost completely empty so I guess it was easy for them to do, plus they gave me an aisle seat so I could go to the loo.....Was really comfortable despite long long film - 2 1/2 hours.

Really enjoyed it, but I think adrenaline possibly interferes with labour hormones as bump went very quiet in there - it was a VERY exciting (and quite spectacularly violent) film. If you like comic books then I can heartily recommend it - Watchmen. DP is in seventh heaven, he LOVES that kind of thing.

Surprise, why haven't you had a baby yet ? You're our great hope for today!

I'm still having tightenings and pushings downwards from this little pickle, they came on really strong when I tried some nipple action in the bath this morning, might do some more of that this evening. Apparently you have to do it for an hour or so though - I think my nipples might fall off! Even DP might get bored of boobs before then.....

DS has rather loose bowels because Mummy accidentally fed him some hot sauce in last night's tea (it was leftovers, didn't realise Daddy had put hot sauce on his!) - poor little monster was wailing about his hot mouth, now he's wailing about his hot bottom......

Exactly, Ju.
I have to say the forum I looked on (which is where I saw people say they nibbled on dried fruit - maybe because it's small and easy to hide?) ended up remarkably like lots of threads on MN, with a few people saying how daft the rules were and others huffily responding, "well, I didn't make the rules, I'm only reporting what my MW said, if you want to be a rebel, feel free, but I tend to follow medical advice, personally".
Am going to raise the question with my MW on Thursday, as this is one of the country's most open-minded maternity hospitals. Will see if that stretches to imbibing beverages during labour...

BB - not a sausage. I had reduced movements last week, and was scanned last Friday. Thought my waters had broken on Saturday night, and tightenings with show, so went to hosp Sunday. Kept in and scan on Monday showed fluid had dropped. Sent home, as contractions weren't doing anything.

Rescanned yesterday, and fluid has gone back up so they will wait till Monday (37+0) and rescan.

I am seriously ready for this baby to come. Head is engaged, really low, apparently, but no other indications of impending labour. Last 2 were induced at 39+6 and 35+3 so have no idea when I would naturally labour.