Officially blooming part 2

[blue76]

Thought I'd start a new thread as there were only 3 posts left!

babylady, i was squatting hanging onto the bathroom sink. that's just where i got to at the time. i had just gotten out of the bath. i would never even consider giving birth on my back unless it was really medically necessary for a bloody good reason. you will probably find in labour that it feels better to move around, squat or be on all fours. buy loads of cheap pillows and things to make lovely supportive mountains with. i have some of those yoga bolsters which i ended up using at the time.

although yeah if i'd been in labour for 70 hours, i'd probably want to lie down too!

Fingers crossed for your consultant appointment Ladylush x x hope you can keep out of hospital - 5 weeks is a long time.

Nitnat - re BH, now I know what is going on I've had these since about 17 weeks, and am 29+2 atm, they are quite strong and do take my breath away sometimes, and freak me out big time! SIL never had any, neither did my mum or my cousin and looked at me when I mentioned it. I could never miss when I have one, though I guess they do come in different 'strengths' as well!

Think I've got a wee infection , went to Docs this morning and waited an hour and a half in the heat, with two 2 year olds fighting and screaming and stepping on my feet until I was feeling totally insane! Then some smart ass who had been watching my reaction says 'ohh you've got all this to look forward to'!! Now I'm generally very polite, but the look I gave her was enough to sour milk!

I couldn't bear to be on my back, it made the pain a million times worse. Mw found it very difficult to examine me as a consequence. I was kneeling on the bed, hanging onto the head board iyswim. My second (pushing) stage was only 18 mins, not sure if it was the position that helped or not though! And I had really bad arse and thigh ache afterwards! I would agree with audrey, only medical necessity or exhaustion would get me on my back this time, I want all the help I can get from gravity.

Lying on your back gives the midwives and doctors the best view of what is going on, which is prob why some mws encourage it. It is unfortunate that it puts the pelvis in one of the worst positions for helping the baby out. I reckon just get into whatever position feels most comfortable and not worry too much if it is the 'right' one or not. Most mws now recommend active labour and upright positions if circumstances allow, its just luck of the draw which kind of mw you get I think.

Ladylush, thinking of you.

Daffodilli, I hate that too, a little sympathy wouldn't go a miss. Your reaction is normal anyway, my own toddler is annoying enough in doctors surgeries, I have even less patience with someone else's!

Oooo Ladylush - when will they section you then?? Couldn't imagine going into hospital for 5 weeks when you've already got a LO to look after at home - would be physically impossible for me! Glad bubs is still ok tho - surely even tho its breech its still got plenty room to turn around in???

re: BH, on your 1st pg I think its just really easy to not know your having them - my mw pointed them out to me when I was 36 weeks last time and I'd been having them for ages - just thought it was the baby sticking its bum out!!

pebble & minshu - I'm with you on the 2nd baby but still can't believe it!! It doesn't make sense - I'm already a Mum but I can't get my head round the fact that I'm going to be a Mum to 2!!?!

Babylady - I laboured in different positions up until i was about 5cm - then I spent the rest of the time on my back on the bed cos I was sooooo tired and off my tits on drugs (no epidural tho) - finally had ventouse delivery so had to be on my back for that anyway!
This time I plan on not having as much pethidine and being more in control so I can try delivery in a different position - squatting is meant to be very productive??

Daffodolli -
for the annoying kids and smart ass!!
poor you with the wee infection! Is it easily sorted??

OK - so anyone else planning a physiological 3rd stage??? - just asked my midwife for one on monday and she nearly hugged me!

fairy, yes will plan physiological third stage. the weirdest thing happened with ds, i sat on teh toilet holding ds straight after the birth and we all heard a huge plopping sound. that would be the placenta arriving in under 5 mins

so i'll be really annoyed if i actually have to do something to get it out this time!

Wow - 5 minutes is alright!

The reason i want a physiolocgical is cos I don't want them to cut the cord straight away - so the blood from the cord goes into the baby (as mother nature intended!)

agree, are you writing a birth plan? you can put in there that you don't want to clamp and cut until the cord stops pulsating/ placenta delivered.

Afternoon all - I am melting... but I have ice poles {grin]

I didn't have a choice how I gave birth.... up to 3-4cm I was on ball, leaning against wall, walking, on toilet, etc but when they moved me to Labour room I was strapped to monitoring and couldn't leave the bed, grrrr. I lay on my side as this was much better than back, I did sneakily try all fours when midwife left but found it unbearable. At the end (after begging for epidural, but too late, hmm that would be transition then) they pretty much man-handled me into stirrups flat on back, I did resist for a bit and said I want to be on my side, but they just moved me anyway . Having said that I did it all with just breathing/visualising, had no pain relief and pushing was only around 15mins, I did tear a bit though - but I believe that was because they coached me to push hard.... which is why this time I am hoping for home/water birth with an independant midwife, letting my body do the pushing (it did it last time which is how they knew I was 10cm and it was too late for epi) and a physio 3rd stage.

BTW - I am in France and that's how it's done, you generally have an epidural (there is no other pain relief options, I miss out on gas&air ) so staff have no idea how to handle (gently!) a women without an epidural.

Ladylush - hope you don't have to stay in for 5 weeks, but glad baby is still in there, take care

wow that is astounding pebblebeach. i've heard childbirth is rather medicalised in france.

Pebblebeach you poor thing! It sounds as though most of their emphasis is on the Drs etc getting the best view of proceedings, which is fine, but in moderation!

Bigbang - I do feel bad now! Alot of it was 'she's right, I am going to have this to look forward to' and had no idea of what I would do in the circumstances, which of course made me think I'm going to be a crap mummy...plus I was sore, hot, tired and getting crosser and more hormonal by the second! Treated myself to a Magnum on the way home though which helped

Wish I'd never bought any preg/birth books now! Reading experiences on here is far better than the 'crowning may sting a little..'() that you get in books!

Thanks for all the advice ladies - seem like for the msot part, despite what might work best for the delivery the reality is that most people are either too knackered or have an epidural/intervention so deliver on their backs. DH is keen to explore options other than being on my back, so I will ask my doctor but as I am sort of planning on an epidural I am guessing delivery will be on my back.

Interesting on the stage 3, at my class last night we also had quite a lot of discission on that. Seems like that if you have intervention (i.e epidural or forceps etc) they are keen to whip the placenta out straight aftwerwards due to higher risk of beleeding, but we actually talked about something in the middle, i.e leave cord to pulsate for 10-15 mins and then have injection/cut cord. Anyone had experience of that? I am going to ask my doctor about it next week so I will let you know what he says.

Also getting a little annoyed at DH who seems to be forming "views" about certain aspects of labour and how I should go through it. He is fine with the epidural choice but is not keen on cutting cord until after 10-15mins (which I am not sure about but fine in principal with). I want to tell him to butt out and that it is my body having to do this, but then I guess this is his child too. Bit of a tricky one really.

babylady I'm on my third now. On my back for DD1 and on my side for DD2. Had foetal monitoring for DD2 but still managed to give birth on my side. I was advised to lie that way due to suffering from SPD. I will DEFINITELY be giving birth on my side again this time. I felt much more in control and didn't slide down the bed [like you do when you're on your back]. Also, I spent the majority of labour sitting upright in a chair- had to lie down when they decided to put a clip on baby's head. Ex H had to hold my leg up when baby came out...

Completely off the subject, but I've just been sitting in a traffic jam on the A5 for 3 HOURS in this heat, no air con, no food and an irritable 2 year old!!! Am now downing water like there is no tomorrow and stuffing food in my face as I hadn't eaten since 8.30am!!!

The one time I don't take any snacks out...!!

Babylady I think that when your DH sees what you are going through and how amazing us women are for being able to make and deliver a baby, he will pretty much let you do as you see fit during labour and delivery. We all go into it with certain ideas about what we want, but as things progress, sometimes things turn out differently. The main thing is that a healthy baby is delivered and the Mum is happy and feels in control. Hope it all goes well and discuss your concerns with the midwife. She may have some furhter advice that may make you feel a bit better about it all!

Audrey - yeah I am planning to do a birth plan this time - i'm delivering in a midwifery led / birth centre anyway so they're pretty cool with anything hippy

Pebble - bless your cottons!! France sounds brutal! Can't you plan a little trip to the UK around due date?!?!

Babylady - agree with Ladyem - once dp see's just exactly what you have to go through on the big day, it'll be quite obviously what you say goes (any partner willing to question the choices of a woman in labour is a brave man indeed!!)
Until then - just humour him! They don't feel like they have much input bless'em so a bit of decision making makes them feel a bit more involved

We waited till the cord stopped pulsing before it was cut, and had a physiological 3rd stage as per the birth plan. TBH I was just gazing at ds by then and totally unfussed about either of those things! Pulsed for about 4/5 mins and then took about 20 mins for placenta to come out I think, but can't really remember it clearly.

Babylady it is his child, but its your body going through the labour and birth, so really its what you say goes!

Ladyem how awful, that is one of my nightmare scenarios! Happened to my mum recently too though she didn't have a small child with her. Hope you rehydrate and cool down soon.

poor thing Ladyem - I could barely stand to be in the car at all today. Nope, by the way, this is my second, and I have plenty of evidence that I am pregnant but really, an ACTUAL baby ?

Anyway, last time I gave birth (1997) on my back due to constant monitoring and will absolutely NOT do that this time. It's the most difficult way to do it. My placenta was tugged by the MW too, which (in my view) contributed to a post-partum haemorrage (sp?). I had asked in my birth plan for a natural third stage, but was still given the pitocin injection apparently. That must have been when I was busy because I only found this out when I saw my previous birth notes this year!

(BTW, don't panic about the bleed I had first-time-ladies! I just took lots of iron for a while afterwards, and wasn't in danger.)

So, I will be birthing as upright as possible and will be asking for no interference with the placenta this time. I have to say that these days, there is much less pressure to take the interventions .

Aw thanks for the sympathy ladies - it was a bit of a self-indulgent, poor-me wallow, lol!

It's just the way things are here - honestly I had to throw the french pg book away, it said... in France women give birth on their back, period.

It is possible to have babies in a more natural way, you just have to "fight" for it a bit more, hence DC1 born in clinic, DC2 to be born at home or in much more natural promoting hospital, and either way with my midwife .

And Ladyem that sounds awful for you and DC, hope you're rehydrated now.

Blue, your birth experiences sound almos identical to mine. I had to have monitorin g with both of mine but second time round i insisted on being in a rocking chair which was fab as there was n o way I could have stayed on my feet, my legs just went from under me, and it kept me off my back. When I wanted some ,pethidine they wanted to examine me so I got on the bed but then stayed on my side with DH holding leg in the air.

Afternoon ladies! Looking forward to the cooler weather coming but wish it would stay sunny just without so much heat!!

I'm off for my 31 week growth scan tomorrow, my 1st with the consultant. Bit about it as I get nervous before all scans and they didnt make it too clear why i was being sent for this one (my 5th overall), just saying the baby looked small. I hope that's all it is!

Also my DP has invited my twin sister along which I was a big annoyed about coz as much as I want her involved this is probably the one scan I'd rather have had with just me & DP incase theres any problems (which i have no reason to belive there will be its just me being paranoid).

Also had my 1st Antenatal class last night, it was about pain relief which was useful, next week is labour and birth eek! Also i have a much smaller bump then some of the ladies there which I was a bit about, but then i am small and this is my first!

Come to Swansea if you want to cool off! Temp is down, the sky is grey and it's been tipping down most of the day! Proper Welsh weather

Best of luck for tomorrow Mum2be x

mum2be - hope all goes well with your scan tomorrow. They should have told you what the rationale is for the scan. It really annoys me when they don't give you crucial information. Makes people worry (and often unnecessarily). It will be nice for you to see baby again, so try to think of it in that way if you can.

I now have a proper management plan for my PPROM. I will be seen at the hospital bi-weekly for clinical and chemical monitoring inc. weekly scan with dopplers. Happy with that. If I experience any changes I have to go to delivery suite. Otherwise they will deliver at 34 weeks which means in less than 5 weeks bubs will be here
So glad I did not need to stay in hospital for then next 5 weeks

Ladylush thats good news - must be a relief for you. Everything crossed

Had 28 week mw appt today. Came away hoping I don't get that particular mw when I'm in labour. She was young but very hard to get along with - devoid of personality is probably the best way to describe her. I need someone bubbly who will distract me as much as possible! Forgot to get my HIP grant form too. Bugger.

Ooh must share this one...
www.amazon.co.uk/Angelcare-AC2000-Nappy-Disposal-System/dp/B000UODTXG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=baby&qid= 1246556305&sr=8-1

BE SURE TO SCROLL DOWN - IT'S ON OFFER - £7.49 INSTEAD OF £19.99
Ooh must tell you - [[

Oops x