Due November 2009 - we just can't stop chatting!

[BeckyBendyLegs]

A new thread!

Ninja-Know it's not exactly next door, but if you decide you want to do hypnobirthing I can highly recommend someone who lives in Newport (is that really really far?) her website

It's my last day of work today! I can't wait as am so tired and need a break! Have lots to do when on maternity leave so looking forward to actually being able to do it - well as much as my pelvis will allow!!

I'm all for a bit of hippy bulls myself, after all you need to find the best and most appropriate stuff to help you through. And it is you that will be feeling all the pain, not DP.
My hope is to do the whole deal as close to nature as possible. Not for a medal, but I just think that the whole process is the most natural thing in the whole world. I hope to be led by instinct and - I know it sounds weird - am actually not scared. I don't lie to myself that it will be easy and painless but I think, armed with information and positive attitude, we can do it, ladies.
Can you tell it's my first?

southern I am jealous. I'm not due till the 29th so way behind everybody else... Still seven weeks of work left.

Skorpion - I still have the same attitude and it's my 3rd. A really believe a positive attitude does work (obviously there are times when intervention is necessary, but on the whole it is a natural prcess). I actualy look forward to the births (bizarre I know!!), but although they hurt, it's not like broken bone pain and I always feel on such a high when it's over. I've been lucky in that I've had 2 really positive experiences (fingers crossed for a 3rd!!)

Just been looking at getting my tens machine hired (if I'd have known we wre def going to have 3 I'd have bought one!). It got me through both my labours so far then with 1st had some G&A for pushing stage as 'land birth' but 2nd was in water so did that one without.

BeepBeep and Skorpion I am exactly the same - although not ruling out pain relief but would ideally like to be in the pool (Hospital pool not at home!) and have gas and air. Have just bought a book called Childbirth without Fear which comes v highly recommended - I think, if armed with information and a positive attitude, it should be possible, right MW said a positive attitude can help no end, so I really want to get rid of the fear aspect, as I am still scared. Have looked into hypnobirthing, would absolutely love to do it, but it does look quite expenisve. The one I saw near to us was almost £300 and I am not sure we can afford that on top of all the other expenses which seem to be accumulating. Sure it's not the same thing AT ALL but will try and get a CD/download something closer to the time which might be more relaxation exercises. For all you experienced mummies - be prepared to laugh at me - but is it ever possible to have music playing, like if you took an iPod and speakers? Or is that ridiculous? It's just I find I can relax much more to music... OK expect you are all laughing at my ridiculously naive post now!!

Got my 28 week blood tests and GTT at the hospital this afternoon...

katster - no experience but I definitely heard that music is allowed. Don't see why not. It's a great idea if it helps relaxing you. Mention it at your appointment.

beepbeep didn't want to go as far as saying that I'm looking forward to it - don't want to sound cocky, as I've never done it - but it is exactly how I feel. Thanks. Actually, I am just really looking forward to meeting LO.
When I think of being scared... it's the bit that comes after really Can't take'm back, a whole little person depending on us two for care and guidance through life. Has she seen her parents???

Hi everyone,
I can't believe it's Friday again! After today I only have five more weeks at work (am finishing at 35 weeks).
wook sorry to hear about the panic attack and your stress over maternity leave. I hope you get your maternity leave sorted soon. It is horrible to have a bullying boss and you can't let it drag you down too much.
Ninjacat it looks to me that in childbirth, whatever gets you through it is totally fine! If you like the idea of it, go for it. Personally I'm not really bothered about making a big plan for labour, because I don't want to make it into some sort of 'pass/fail' type test (stick to plan = pass, deviate = fail). My view is that there are enough ways we women can disappoint ourselves and beat ourselves up and hopefully this is not going to be one of them!

when I was birthing partner for my mate there was a stereo in the room and we were listening to the radio. She made me change the channel at the last min as she was adamant her son wouldn't be born to Celine Dion! That was in a birthing centre 11 years ago so I imagine music will be fine.

Sadly it's not looking like that's the kind of birth I'll be having what with the strep b and what looks like gestational diabetes. Has anyone here had GD in a previous pregnancy? Don't think I'm going to bother with NCT classes. Will be too jealous if it's all birthing pool, homebirths etc. The hospital do a couple of mornings on preparation for birth which I reckon will be ok. Will have to find another way to meet new local mums!

On a positive nore I got some fab stuff for my hospital bag from Primark. Two button down nighties, a pair of pyjamas, 2 packs of giant knickers (no paper pants for me thankyou!)and some memory foam slippers for £20!

Gonna paint baby room this weekend and hopefully go to buy a pram.

Ooo Lemontop your primark shop sounds good! I popped in last week and couldn't see the button down nighties - although I wasn't v persistent - being in there puts me on th verge of a panic attack! I got a couple of £1.50 black baggy vest top things that I figured could get covered in blood/sick/whatever and I wouldn't care! Also some pj bottoms in a bigger size for afterwards. Sorry you are feeling about GD. I have heard of someone from a conception thread I was on who had it - she had to be careful to monitor her insulin levels but it didn't affect the birth as she had managed her levels so well - I think that is the key - unless you are having regular hypos you should be able to go in the pool I think? But remember it is manageable with diet so in a way, you have a bit more control than with something else.

Hope you don't mind me butting in, but Turtle mentioned you were talking about HypnoBirthing Ninjacat..most definitely not hippy bollox & it's the only thing that kept me from complete panic during pregnancy. In fact, it's one of the reasons I went ahead and started TTC since I knew there was something I could do about the fear. Kept my blood pressure under control throughout from 25wks or so when I started the course. Due to other circumstances I didn't get the home water birth I was looking forward to, but I knew that I was taking advice and making decisions for myself and my baby based on that, not having other people tell me what was best for us just because they had deadlines to meet etc. HB gives you control over the birth process, it's not just about having a comfortable birth though that's a big part of it. And it's all about techniques you can do yourself, you just need to practice them...which is why some people can read the book & listen to the CD and have a brilliant birth and others don't, some need the extra encouragement that they're doing things right & extra confidence in themselves to motivate them to have the birth they want.

And yes it's expensive, but about 1/3 of the price of private hypnotherapy sessions and you do get the govt grant now which you can put towards a lot of the cost.
Ok, back to the post natal thread now, if any of you want to know any more, give me a shout and have a fabulous birth-day ladies, whatever method you choose!

I brought in music last time, but it never quite felt right to put it on, I was happiest labouring in peace and quiet. In fact ive only just found the cd's out of my bag i took from ds's birth (three years ago.)

Lemontop thats my plan to go pick up stuff from Primark, hopefully i'll get that done next week. I want to be really prepared as have a feeling this one will be early even tho ds was 10 days late.

my mum has kindly picked up our spare pram that came with car-seat yesterday for us, someone she works with was selling it for £35 but I havent seen it yet so it could be really nice or horrible yet. im sure its perfect as spare tho.

katster I've already been told I'll prob be in the labour ward to get IV antibiotics for strep b. I know GD can be controlled by diet but it's likely to mean testing my blood sugar several times a day (I hate, hate needles), and numerous blood tests, possibly insulin...... I'm more worried about it causing baby to become too big and need delivering early. I'll be 31 weeks when I see the consultant which also seems a bit late.
Will start a new thread as this prob isn't best place to be whinging on about this.

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Thanks for the reassurance about renal dilation ninja. TBH, I'm not feeling TOO worried - if there had to be a problem, this is fairly small, in the grand scheme of things, but I feel the same about little one being on antibiotics for so long from birth. well, fingers crossed things have improved by the scan, the dilation is borderline problem anyway.

Smiling at all your labour posts, skorpion, katster, beepbeep. I could have written them! Wonder if we'll all be singing to the same tune when we get onto the postnatal thread Especially us 1st-timers! Reassuring that you are saying the same thing though beepbeep.

Right off to do a (wee) bit of housework before my Dr's appointment where hopefully I'll get my referral to Oxford hospital sorted out

Nice to hear the first time mums have a "we can do it" attitude to birth. I'm feeling the same but think that lack of experience may account for the confidence! But am enjoying the feeling while it lasts...

I've been thinking about the birth a lot and have just bought Ina May's book about natural childbirth so feel all fired up.

No doubt by the end of it I'll realise how naive I was but it's nice to feel confident for now.

BTW Ina May's book is hilarious - one mother talks about her "channels of love" meaning her birth canal. Cracked me up.

mumsie the book is hilarious, you're right, even reading abour 'rushes' and not 'contractions' made me wince a bit at the start.
But I think it sends a great message - the female body is made to give birth. All that talk about how a baby is born being some twisted nature's joke is bull, the body is not an obstacle to fear but a tool to use. I'd never thought like that but Ina May's admiration for women is really contagious and really builds up your confidence.

Of course, raggie, I am really hopeful that we will be of the same opinion on the postnatal thread. Watch this space. Good luck with the appointment.

So many "really"s in that last post... I am really sorry about that

raggie good luck at the Dr's, I hope your referral gets sorted out easily.

Mumsiebumsie and skorpion I have been lent the Ina May book - not started it yet though... I am scared now!! Not sure about 'channels of love' Crikey, do you think come December we'll all be laughing at these posts?! Actually I hope I'm laughing at something in December, and not up to my eyeballs in cr*p and sick and balling my eyes out at my old nice life of wine, holidays and sleep!

katster don't be scared. You will unnecessarily spend energy on fretting about stuff that is inevitable and you cannot stop or reverse. Take it as it comes, prepare yourself as best as you can so that you can control things that can be controlled. But just let go of the things you cannot.

Oooh, don't know what's happened to me, not usually in a philosophical mood on early Fridays

Southern HAPPY LAST DAY AT WORK!!!!!!!!!

Skorpion, Raggie and Mumsie I've been reading Ina May too! Also, there's a few videos of her speaking on youtube, she seems like such a calm, sweet, wise old lady! I was just telling DH last night that in a way, I'm looking forward to the birth - I'd imagine in a similar way to someone preparing for a marathon, you know it'll be hard work and you DON'T know how you'll cope with the pain, but there's a big prize (and sense of achievement) at the end.

Having said that, I'm also with Eeyore on not wanting it to be a pass/fail thing. I'd love to be able to do it in the pool, with no drugs (well, maybe gas and air) but I don't want to talk myself into it to the extent that I feel like I've failed if it doesn't happen. There's also only one pool at Bath which is where I'll be, so if it's busy, that plan's out the window.

Lemon Thanks for the Primark tip, will try and get myself there in the next week or so. Need some comfy around the house clothes and PJs! Sorry to hear about the GD. I'm hoping that you'll manage it with diet alone. At least the home monitoring tests for bloodsugar are more like pin pricks than proper tests with needles, if that makes you feel any better?

Katster a friend of mine (who's 29 weeks) has just ordered a hypnobirthing book and CD. Will ask her if it was any good and let you know. It was only about £15 so pretty cheap if you compare it to the courses!
I think different hospitals have different policies re: music. In Bath you can have music, but you've got to bring your own radio/cd player and it's got to be battery operated as they don't like you to plug anything in. I guess these days most people have an MP3 player anyway so it's easy enough to just get some speakers.

beepbeep How lovely and encouraging that you've had such nice births, and that you're still looking forward to this one too! I hope we all manage to get through to the "other side" and still feel the same!

I've just had a big box delivered, my mum's sent me a load of babyclothes. I actually got all teary holding the little outfits and the cutest snowsuit in the world, a fluffy brown one that has ears in the hood and pawprints under the feet so he'll look like a little teddybear!

Crossed posts there...
Katster you can skip the first part of the book if you like, which is the birthstories. All the "technical" stuff is at the back in its own section. I like what Skorpion said above too... there is only so much that we can control, we'll just have to try to accept that and go with the flow. Or something like that...

Quick question - my MW doesn't ever weigh me, but I've got scales at home... I've not put on any weight at all for three weeks now (NOT due lack of eating, let me assure you) and was wondering if that's happened to anyone else? I did pile on the pounds to begin with as I had to keep eating every couple of hours, so have actually pretty much gained the weight "allowed" (26 pounds so far... ) anyway. Any thoughts?

Thanks Broodzilla and Skorpion - great advice - you are so right about not wasting energy worrying about things so out of our control. I am so good at worrying though And yes, Broodzilla let me know what you friend thinks of the CD/book. I have heard you have to really practise a lot, and train your mind at getting into the right 'place'.

Yuck, have just eaten a piece of frozen breaded fish and it tasted horrid... Please don't let me have food poisoning again...

Brood re weight - I have heard lots of people say they have a 'spurt' and then plateau, particularly in the third trimester. Unfortunately I seem to be having one long spurt! I wouldn't worry. Mention it to MW next time you see her but mine is never remotely interested in weight things, she just says everyone's different... I think that's why regular weigh-ins have been taken out of routine antenatal care.

broodzilla I'm the opposite. I managed to pile on as much weight in the last six weeks as in the whole time before then. Honestly, I swear I get bigger every day! Feel like I've swollowed a beach ball today.
I think as long as the little bear is fine, wriggling and growing then you should be OK, too? Love the idea of the little outfits btw.

X-posted. Yep, deffinitely going through a spurt here. More like an explosion!

Hi all,

Feeling really tired today, had a busy day yesterday and didn't get much sleep last night as dh was out until 2am and I never really sleep well until i know he is home. So because of that I feel absolutely shattered, thank god it's Friday! Actually, thats just reminded me of the time I said to a friend that I was pleased it was Friday and she said 'but helips, you don't even work so whats the difference?" like bringing up a baby isn't hard work! She'll learn one day

We are off to Devon tomorrow for a week, hope the weather holds out but will pack the wellies just in case!

I did Hypnobirthing when pregnant with ds and it definately helped to relax me and gave me confidence. I will be doing a refresher course this time round as because i ended up having a cs I still feel a bit nervous about the whole pushing baby out stage, I know I can deal with the contractions though, gas and air is marvellous!