Due August 2009 - It's the end of the world as we know it, and I feel fine!

[becksydee]

thought i'd better start the new thread off before we completely filled up the old one!

link back to the previous thread here

Asda free delivery code on checkout for all orders over £50.00. HTH

Oh goodness, poor kitkat. Do you really think it was the pineapple that set off the contractions? Or the temperature? Have you got a good friend who can come to help you today?

Hope you're all on the mend very soon.

Well, midwife just came and did a stretch and sweep. Verdict- baby's head engaged but cervix still firm and closed, so she didn't persevere. I'll have another S & S on Friday. Not hopeful that it's going to do anything at all tbh. I'm in for the long haul.

Kitkat, what a nightmare, really feel for all of you. I hope you can hold on for a couple of days until you all get better. A friend of mine has a dd that convulses every time she gets a temperature, but she's growing out of it and recently had a temp of 39 without any attacks. I hope your ds grows out of it soon too.

Duchesse, boo sucks to firm and closed cervix's, hopefully you'll have started by Friday.

Well today I got down on my hands and knees and scrubbed the wool rug in my sitting room. Then I walked just over a mile (downhill) to the supermarket. Ate some pineapple. Then I had a bath with clary sage and jasmine, I also diluted some with olive oil and rubbed it on my bottom and bump. To be honest the smell is making me feel a tiny bit drunk. I know I'm meant to be relaxing in these last few days but dd is at nursery today and I'm frankly bored out my brain.

Hi duchesse, I did the pineapple core with dd2 and tbh I think if i'd been at home bouncing on my ball / walking like mad i would have tipped over into labour.

DS Is really not good, he gave me a fright a little while ago - his temp spiked in a matter of minutes from 38.4 which was as low as the calpol could get it to 40.4 re dosed with calpol it went up to 40.7 (and started twitching) and then took 40mins to get to 39.9. Its taken 2hrs from giving the calpol to get below 38.

So I now do have someone here to help because if he spikes again he may have to go back in...

kitkat- are you sponging him with tepid water as well? I remember all too well how frightening it was when daughter number 1 aged 2 suddenly developed a temperature of 106F (a tad over 41C) when we were on holiday in the US. She was absolutely delirious, but thankfully no convulsions... I sat up all night sponging her in the motel sink until we could find a doctor in the morning. It turned out to be "strep throat" that she'd picked up on the plane and the doctor treated her with penicillin. Do they know what is causing your little one's temperature?

kitkatqueen i hope you are ok

are you giving him 5ml junior ibuprofen the same time as 5ml calpol it seems like an immense amount to give but as you prob know they work differently.
you poor thing what a frightening time for you and ds its pretty much the opposite of what should be happening at the moment i.e a relaxing time. big hugs to you and family xx

Thanks for your messages. Has been a very stressful day

I am alternating the calpol and nurofen. Apparantly the "new" guideline is try with max dose of calpol and if that doesn't work then go for nurofen - repeat as necessary up to max doses of each for the day ie 4 doses of each.

Tepid towels on the groin as a way of reducing core temp, but if he starts to shiver then you have to stop because it will actualy increase the core temp. Trouble is even the N.I.C.E Guidelines are a tad ambiguous on what should and shouldn't be done to drop temps. Still don't know whats causing temp in 1st place. Don't think i'm in for a very good night.

Think i'd better get myself to be really.

night all.

Good Night Kitkat, hope your ds sleeps well, you too.

KitKat- Hope you and the dc's are feeling better, not the best timing to be having all that at all. take care.

Cairns - BIG congratulations to you. i had dd weighed today and she's 5 weeks almost and only 4.67 kg. I can't imagine how you carried him, your poor back. You must be feeling much lighter.

my baby is now out of 0000 clothing too, they grow so quick.

I had a show! Hoping this is the start of something, rather than the sort of thing you get weeks before...

DH at home today so we are going for a day out- down to Totnes and to Agatha Christie's house. About an hour's drive away. Also taking two of the girls' friends with us. If that doesn't tempt fate I don't know what will...

Oh Kitkat, I hope you had a better night last night!

Duchesse, good news on the show!

Am 39+1 today, saw the consultant and now have to do a 24 hour urine collection. BP still fine, as are blood results. She examined me and said my cervix is soft and shortening, but not dilating yet--and she essentially gave me a sweep, so hoping that will get things moving.

I thought something was happening on Monday as I was projectile vomiting and suddenly lost 3lbs of water weight (and rediscovered my ankles!). Had seen both of those mentioned as prelabour signs, but nothing happened afterward.

Last night and today having loads of Braxton Hicks close together. Last night tried timing them and they were coming about 7 minutes apart for a minute each---that went on for about 40 minutes and stopped. Getting about the same again this morning. More irritating than anything!

Muchos sympathy, kitkatqueen- what a nightmare. Hope your little boy feels better really really soon.

Good luck to you and duchesse and confuzzled and becksy and LTJ and yank with the waiting and births too.

Millions of congratulations to everyone who's delivered recently.Ok- here goes attempt to update our babies here list- am in something of a (mostly v happy) post-natal haze so please forgive me if I leave anyone off or make loads of mistakes and typos.

MichaelaS EDD 20 Aug 1st May @24 +1
Oonaghbhuna EDD 3rd Aug 14th July
Uki EDD 29th July 16th July @38 +0
BumpVLump EDD 1st Aug July 22nd @37 +4
Noodle12 EDD 6th Aug 23rd July @38wks, 7lbs 13oz
traceybath EDD 1st Aug 23rd July @37 +5, 6lb12oz
Nandos EDD 30th July 27th July @39 +4, 2.9kg
LeninGrad EDD 4th Aug 28th July @39+0
Mayl EDD 7th August 28th July
martinemorris EDD 7th Aug(?) 28th July @38+4
Haribosmummy EDD 7th Aug 29th July
Queenoftheharpies 29th July @36 +6
2HotCrossBunsAnd1InTheOven/3HotCrossBuns EDD 28th July 1st Aug 40 +2
MakkaPakkasWilly EDD 21st Aug 2nd Aug 37 +2, 8lb 3oz
valz EDD 18th Aug 3rd Aug, 6lb6 & 5lb4
fairygirl3 EDD 12th Aug 4th Aug @39wks +2, 8lb 13oz
readyfornumber2and3 EDD 27th Aug 5th Aug @36 +6, 6lb1/2 & 7lb2 1/2
Mellin EDD 3rd Aug 6th Aug @40 +3 8lb 4oz
nellyup EDD 2nd Aug 7th Aug @40 + 5, 10lb 14!!!
mama2leah EDD 10th Aug 8th Aug @39 +5, 5lbs15
MrsThePoint EDD 11th Aug 8th Aug @39+4
CraftyandClothy EDD 4th Aug 8th Aug @40 +4
Pussface EDD 29th July 10th Aug 7lb8oz
Babycat EDD 14th AUG 11th Aug, 8lb
fruitymum EDD 13th Aug 11th Aug, 8lb10oz
TrixyMalixy EDD 2nd Aug 11th Aug, 7lb8oz
fairylights EDD 7th Aug 12th Aug
mamamila EDD 12th Aug 12th Aug, 7.1lb
HeinzSight EDD 13th Aug 13th Aug, 9lb6oz
ScummyMummy EDD 6th Aug 13th Aug @41 wks, 8lb1oz
Quixotic EDD 20th Aug 14th Aug, 7lb 2oz
Rachel1963 EDD 3rd Aug 14th Aug @41 +4, 9lb7oz
BabyBump2B EDD 9th Aug 15th Aug 8lb11oz, 21inches long
CoonRapids EDD 6th Aug 15th Aug @40 +9, 7lb12.5oz
Cairns EDD 4th Aug 16th Aug @40 +12, 10lb15oz!!!

i'm so pissed off and upset, i need to have a little rant

so, went to see the consultant midwife at the birthing centre this morning with my doula. i hand over my notes for MW to look at and the first thing she says is 'oh, your BMI is 35 ... women with a BMI over 30 are excluded from the birth centre'

WTF??! i have discussed my birth plan with at least three separate MWs at antenatal appointments and none of them mentioned this. the GD thing was negotiable apparently, but not the BMI issue. i felt completely blindsided and sat there in tears whilst my doula did the talking - thank goodness she was with me else i would have been a complete mess. i was prepared to argue about the GD issue but this came completely out of the blue and i feel so let down by how i've been treated. consultant MW was very nice & apologetic etc, and has written up a labour plan for a natural birth on the labour ward - it's an ok compromise, but ultimately not what i want.

the new, rather hastily decided-upon plan (although one i've been mulling over in my head for a few weeks now anyway) is to buy a birth pool asap (if i order by 1pm tomorrow can get it delivered on friday) and labour at home for as long as poss, but DP isn't being very supportive which has upset me even more we've only been able to talk about it over the phone cos he's at work, but he keeps coming up with problems that, as far as i can see, are pretty easy to work around, such as

but our flat is really small (we'll need to declutter the lounge a bit, true, but it's doable)
how will we fill it? (with a hose??!)
how will we empty it? (with a pump ..........)
what if it leaks? (fairly unlikely)
but i thought the whole point of them is that you give birth in them (last time i checked they don't come equipped with handcuffs to keep me in there until the baby is out)

he's asked me to ring the NCT advice line (& is failing to see the irony in this) and talk to them about it, but it's him who needs to hear their bloody advice, not me!!! aaarrrrggghhhh!!!!!

and breathe ...

off to get my hair cut later, hopefully that'll make me feel a bit better.

Thanks for updating the list ScummyMummy well we have now come up with a name Benedict James which seems to suit, althouh I did have to avoid reading the baby names thread for a while!. Uki yes I did feel really big and heavy towards the end, struggled walking... now I know why. Although the bonus is I lost 2 stone just from the birth

Good Luck duchesse hope this is the start, at the very least at least your cervix is moving in the right direction

Becksydee Labouring at home as long as possible is absolutely ideal, with DS1 I had quite a long early labour so spent most of it at home in/out of the bath, we only ended up being at hospital for 3 or 4 hours or so. I originally wanted the midwife led care but can honestly say the hospital I was at the labour ward was actually great, the single delivery rooms where huge, clean and very calming (with lovely pictures over the walls), they had birthing balls and a hige bath (no pool though) and it did feel like a home from home environment. I know it is not ideal, but I suppose it just depends on what your hospital labour ward is actually like.

Hi everyone!

Becksy - that they didn't tell you that earlier. FWIW I found my birth pool great at home, it really really helped me and even though I transferred in I had a great experience (despite the birth being so far from what I wanted)

birth story in brief!

Contractions started Fri night 9pm (07/08) every 10 mins. Called mw out, filled birth pool. Spent a while rocking on birth ball. dd woke up and mw arriving disrupted contractions but mw dimmed lights & dh settled dd to bed again by 1am and contractions picked up again. contractions swung between small backache type and full on ones (I never get in-between ones!!!). Mw said she expected the next thing would be for my waters to break but it didn't happen. Eventually I was saying I couldn't do it, too tired (puking, couldn't keep anything down) so she offered a ve. Was only 1-2 cm everything not looking great - mw thought back to back baby. Decided to keep trying at home cos didn't want pethidine type pain relief. Managed 3 more hours (puking and peeing myself with each big contraction ). Still only 3cm. Decided to transfer in for an epidural...but wasn't allowed one when I first got there cos not 4cm. So managed 3 hours on gas & air, then asked for epi and they agreed. 30mins later I get it put in, 45 mins later it's working but I can still feel the peak of each contraction so still sucking on the g&a. Had a show about 2pm. At 3.30 I ask for epi to be topped up, get a ve so I can decide if I def want a top up. Now 8cm, baby halfway turned. I still want top up but get 2 huge contractions that prevent me telling mw and she says she thinks it's maybe a bit late. (cue me thinking OMG I NEED a top up!). Next thing I want to push, mw & indie mw shouting at me not to push cos baby is gonna push herself out, me sucking away on g&a thinking don't push (it was an amazing feeling though just having my body takeover). Baby born 15.59 (less than 30 mins after ve where she was only halfway turned ). Placenta delivered 50-odd minutes later - felt v wierd pushing it out, with dd it just seemed to slide out of me.

Anyway, bf didn't work out (my nipples are still sore) and am constipated (having to poo in the bath ) but other than that feeling good and much much happier than last time!

I am struggling to work out who is still waiting in the wings! Seems everyone had their babies by now .
I'm split between dreading what is to come and just wanting it to happen now so it can be over!

now feeling rather guilty about what i wrote about DP earlier, we've chatted on the phone a few times since and i have to concede he has a few good points about the practicalities. even the smallest birth pool in a box would be a bit of a squeeze, a la bassine pool would be better but, sod's law, they're out of stock everywhere at the moment. everyone (not MNers) keeps saying stupid, unhelpful things that are just making me feel worse, think i need to retreat to somewhere quiet for the evening & try & get my head round it all

Becksy - I have a La Bassine (no idea how much to ask for it). I used it during labour but not for the actual birth. Only thing is I go away on Friday so don't know if I could arrange a courier in time. Email is contact "at" craftynclothy "dot" com if you're interested.

oops, forgot I'd namechanged

Hi everyone,

congratulations to everyone who has had their babies so far.

Baby Wilson Michael was born on 8th August at 11 pm, weighing 8lb 9oz.

Birth story
Waters broke at 7 am on the Friday. 1st contraction not until 7pm that night, but progressed really well initially, going into active labour around 2.30am when we called the midwife out. Used my birthing pool and hypnobirthing techniques and felt really good and in control.

At around 5.30 am I thought that I was in transition as the contractions were really strong, although a bit erratic. However, despite trying until 2pm to birth the baby, he just wasn't coming. To cut a long story short, I abandoned my homebirth for some medical help.

I had an IV drip and an epidural to sort out my contractions and finally pushed Wilson out at 11 pm with the threat of a C section 10 mins away helping me along!

Not what I had planned, and I'm not sure what happened to us when it all seemed to be going so well, but Wilson is here, healthy and I'm not sure we can ask for more.

Good luck to everyone still waiting; won't be long now...

Off to find the post natal thread - see you there soon

I'm really sorry things are stressful, Becksy.

What a lovely offer re the pool, crafty. That would be great if you and dp decide home birth is the way to go, wouldn't it, Becksy?

Another thought- have you actually seen the labour ward? If not, could you maybe do one of their tours, if there's still time? I know they vary hugely but I really don't think the labour ward I was on could have been much bettered by a midwife led unit, tbh. Different if you had set your heart on a home birth, of course, but I honestly think that if what you want (ideally) is a nice big pool, support to achieve the birth you want if at all possible and good midwifery led care throughout you would be just fine in the hospital where I gave birth. I was lucky enough to be offered all those things (amazing plumbed in pool- would have been big enough for my partner, sister and the 2 midwives to join me in it had they wished to wallow in my mire- not likely!) and I think they are pretty much offered as standard there. It is a good hospital with a good reputation but I really get the impression that things have started to change in the world of hospital childbirth. Certainly my birth experience- including, most importantly the support from professionals- could not have been more different from when I was having my boys 10 years ago. Is it remotely possible that you might be pleasantly surprised?

Whatever you decide, I really hope you will be able to sort things out so you feel happier.

Sheena- many congrats. Nice birth story.

crafty - thank you so much for the offer, it's really kind of you. DP is really not happy though & i can't do it without his support so i guess i'll be going to the labour ward. feeling pretty upset with him right now

scummymummy - my doula and i asked to see one of the rooms on the labour ward but they "don't do tours" - and it's the only bit of the unit that they haven't got online as a virtual tour as well (although apparently it'll be up in about 2 week's time, not that that's any bloody good to me! ) think i just need to take a bit of time (not that i have much time!) to get my head round it all and try and work out a way to make it as good an experience as possible (and attempt not to resentfully throw heavy objects at DP in the meantime)

really appreciate all the support and advice i've been getting on here throughout this whole saga by the way, it would have been a lot more difficult to deal with without it.

kitkatqueen - how are you and your DS doing today? been thinking of you these past couple of days and hope things are improving