Due Sept 05 - Thread 8

[franch]

Here it is.

Bubbles- how do you think i ended up like this in the first place! lol

Mummyhill- Lots of people touching it, but asking before hand so i don't really mind, i like to show it off. The dig also seems to like cuddling up to it and then gettig head butted! Quite amusing to watch.
I know i'm only young and not really at one with the world yet!! But in terms of c-section isn't it better to have an elective rather than an emergency MH? If you're worried about your back carrying extra weight (baby) for longer than necessary wont do it any good. At least you elect for one you know when it;s coming and can 'plan' a little more rather than sit round and wait for ages (plus no pain)!

STM: am guessing you meant the dog? My wee doggie likes coming onto my lap for a cuddle - and then finds himself getting kicked / punched by the peanut. I'm not sure if peanut kicks in that direction because it can sense the weight pressing down, or because it can hear the dog's heartbeat. The dog doesn't seem to notice, anyway.

Mine snuggles up the purring cat when she lays next to my belly. I guess it's snuggling, definitely moves over in that direction.

Yea sorry pregnant typing! I don't why she does it, i know she can hear Noah's heartbeat though, it's very strange, cute but still strange.

How far along are you RZ?

26+ weeks. And waiting for the blooming to start...

Hey everyone, just popping in to say 'hi'... back from holiday in Kosovo, just had glucose tolerance test so the risk of chewing my own arm off is quite high right now!

Have been given some info about writing a 'birth plan' by the midwife, has anyone thought about this? I know I want an 'active' birth with dim lights, etc, still undecided about using water pool, guess I should read up a bit more about that...

See those who are lunching it tomorrow

RZ i'm 25+1 still not blooming much myself, don;t mind though i can inly just fit behind my desk now!

STM - No pain at the time but plenty afterwards, not being able to drive for 6 weeks, no picking up the kids for 6 weeks sounds like hell on earth to me!! Had a laproscopy last year wich is minor compared to a section and i was in agony for only three days afterwards. If there is only a minor risk to my spine will do it all my little old self if however the consultant says there is a major risk that i will be in considerably more pain than i am used to afterwards i will seriousley consider the section however i really don't like the idea of surgery it is never pleasant!

MH - i'd say i can imagine the pain, but i really can't! i'm sure whatever you decided it will be right and you'll be pleased you made. wish i had a choice!

Regarding the birth plan, I would be tempted to specify exactly what you mean by an 'active' birth (with the NICE guidelines up your sleeve, if necessary). By this, I mean that you don't expect constant foetal monitoring and so on. Also, if it's what you want, that you wish to give informed consent (or refusal) before they rupture your membranes, regardless of hospital policy. That if you end up wanting pethidine, you'll ask for it - and not be offered it by a midwife already holding a big needle next to your thigh. I'd also cover the eventuality of not having an active birth, but ending up with a Caesarean: dim lights, no noise, over officious staff wiping off the baby before giving it to you, whether your partner can be present (particularly if you have a general anaesthetic) - whatever works for you.

I know some of this sounds confrontational, but I always believe it's good to hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. And I personally wouldn't want to be in labour having an argument with some jobsworth about hospital policy. I also appreciate that one has to be flexible when actually in the field, as it were. I don't know where you're planning to pop, or if you have any pre-existing sproglets.

STM: does that not make typing rather problematic?? I find it rather an effort to turn over in bed (it's a bit like turning a battleship...)

Hi all. Just to say, all this talk of backs, I'm off to the osteopath in a minute - have to say he's worked wonders for me. A good friend used him and the midwives were convinced that was why she had such an easy (first) delivery as her pelvis was in perfect alignment. I know it's expensive but I think it will be worth it in the long run.
As for weight gain, I have stopped weighing myself completely! I was getting oversensitive about people telling me how big I am - i never got very big in previous pgs. I think in their minds,Sept is a long way off (ie after Summer if it ever comes...) even though I only have 13 weeks left. I think I've still put on less than 2 stone which sounds fairly normal. my only worry is getting rid of it afterwards!! Only exercise is dog walking - the nearest I get to swimming is in the bath

RZ - one would think so but i sit away from the screen and rest the kyboard on my bump. I knew it would come in handy for something!!lol

When are you supposed to start writing your birth plan. And has anyone else no had info given them regarding ante-natal classes. I have no idea what i supposed to be doing

I've given up baths. With blood pressure like mine (95/45 is a particular favourite on one day when I was finding it difficult to do anything but lie down), even tepid baths made me feel ill. And with my bump sticking out of the water, I couldn't help imagining I heard someone cry 'There she blows, Capt'n Ahab!' as they harpooned me...

I guess it's probably a good idea to have a birth plan ready at the same point as you have your bag packed - bearing in mind that you're supposed to be fully baked from 37 weeks onwards.

Re: antenatal classes, I booked some with the NCT in February, on the basis that they get booked up very quickly and with the understanding that they did evening classes. When they sent me the bumpf, however, they were only doing two Saturdays in July, which we couldn't make. Other NCT classes in the area are now booked up, so I rang the NHS number (given to me at the booking appointment). They're doing three classes for women only - then a further class on a Saturday for partners. To be honest, I can't really be bothered to go, but my husband seems quite keen. The midwife organising them also told me that there is a special 'active' birth class for those planning to sprog at home or in a birth centre. If you haven't got the contact number for your NHS ante-natal classes, I imagine you could ring the ante-natal clinic (or wherever you've been seeing the midwife).

Is it really necessary to go?

i will be starting my antenatal classes on 4th of july.......will be good to meet some other (real life!) sept mums.....i'm feeling lonely again!

my favourite midwife is taking our september group so i am quite looking forward to them and it will be good to get some practical advice about birth plan/hospital bag etc to compare to my friends experiences of how it REALLY was when they got to labour ward.

dp kind of feels a bit out of the loop i think as it is all 'happening' to me......but i couldn't wish for a better birthing partner....he is quite laid back in a 'if i can't do anything to change it, why worry' kind of way. when i went to A+E a couple of weeks back i was amazed how calm he was (thought he would really panic) but he said it wouldn't do me any good if he panicked......however inside he said his heart was racing etc.

i still need loads of stuff and just can't get motivated to buy it!! and still haven't put in my application for MA because i haven't been sent my backdated National Insurance bill and i can't claim my allowance until i have the relevant dates to put on my form!!

Moschops, i know how you feel regarding MA, i'm not sure if i'm going to have to claim yet. I've been here long enough to get SMP but they don;t seem to realise that. It;s a nightmare, i know when i'm leaving though....6weeks today....yay!

I pick up the cot tonight and then that's me sorted, apart from a bouncy chair and a monitor. My mum thinks i'm too organised for my own good.

I loaned out my moses basket, cold water steriliser, baby monitor and carrier about 18months ago and the girl i lent them to has moved - no forwarding address and yes youv'e guessed it all my stuff ARGHHHHH now i need to go and spend money!!!

That doesn't sound very good, but at aleast you get to shopping, that can't be bad!

We've only just started tentatively buying things. Something about tempting fate. With what's laughingly called my 'poor obstetric history' I didn't want to get too involved, too soon. Even now, it feels a bit early.

Speaking of which, I went to the surgery yesterday to read through the medical reports written about myself and my husband for some insurance we're trying to take out. Mine consisted of pages and pages of 'spontaneous abortion', 'threatened abortion', made by every EPU, A&E etc I've visited. Apart from the fact that it seemed to go on for ages, considering there have only been three miscarriages, I couldn't help but note the language. Surely, in this day and age, nearly forty years after the Abortion Act, the word 'abortion' has become synonymous with medical or surgical termination - and most women probably don't want their miscarriages referred to in this way. Only my current GP had entered the word 'miscarriage'. It doesn't upset me, particularly, I just find it irritating - but I can imagine some women being quite distressed by it.

STM: I don't imagine it's really necessary to go to antenatal classes and you could probably learn as much by doing research, online or otherwise. But maybe that's just my being arrogant. The other thing I wonder about NHS classes is how much they will 'toe the party line'. For example, the midwife who organises them told me that it was a good idea to visit the maternity ward even when planning a home birth because if I went past dates, I would 'have to' be induced. Which is not correct - it's a choice - and there's quite a lot of interesting research on the overstated risks of a longer gestation.

I found the NHS classes useful with ds1. I didn't bother reading much about it all as every labour / birth is different and I didn't want to scare myself so while many of the people there seemed to know all the answers, I actually learnt some thing.
Re: birth plans, I'd try to be realistically flexible with them as you don't want to be disappointed if it doesn't work out to your plan. Make sure whoever will be with you knows what you have strong feelings about so that they can speak up for you if you can't.
My birth plan this time consists of 'get the midwife here'! but then with 2 previous births of 2 hours and under from first realising that I'm in labour to delivering the baby - I seem to have 'silent' contractions - I am under instruction to phone the mid-wife on the first twinge that I have

hi everyone, so stm, you're ex was a minger? LMAO i'm sure we've all been there and done it, i know i have!!! how old are you stm? what area you in?

ps, i seem to have everyone wanting to touch my bump at the minute, even dp, who up until now seemed totally repulsed by my growing belly lol, i have a woman at work who keeps calling me fatty, she's like the back end of a bus and easily weighs at least double what i do, when she says "hiya fatty, how are you" i now reply "not so bad slim thanks how's you?" she seems to of got bored saying it now lmao

RZ - I specifically asked that they put miscarriage rather than spontaneous abortion on my notes as i think that the a word is synonimous (hope i spelt that right) with a concious decision to terminate rather than the painful experience of miscarriage.

Hi all, re. antenatal classes: I'd say not essential, but I found it incredibly helpful last time from the 'social' side - did the NCT ones where they really encourage you to keep in touch with each other and you exchange phone no's etc on Day 1 - couldn't have done without my classmates going through what I was going through in the early days after the birth. We met weekly for almost the entire first year, which was a complete lifeline, and had a joint 1st birthday party for all the babies in Jan. Most people are back to work now but 3 of us are now pregnant again and we still all keep in touch and meet when we can. The whole thing is definitely a bonding experience!

Hi all, just been catching up. I'm 27 weeks today.
RZ - thanks for that Newmusic link, it looks really good, hopefully if I get a CD I will be all calm, chilled out and won't feel any pain, ha, ha! I'll give it a try anyway.
I've got my first antenatal class on Aug 2, my midwife just told me what the dates were at my last check up. First one is on labour & pain relief.
Done a car boot sale today and made £150 from a load of junk we cleared out the house. I'm now shattered as left the house at 6am. Suppose I'll have to get used to these early starts.
Luckily my Mum works in a baby shop. Got all the big things ordered and got money off all of it. Just found out though that the fabric we chose for our pram is being discontinued by M&P and we may have to pick another - great.
Don't mind family/close friends touching my bump but it bugs the be-jesus out of me when people I hardly know think they can have a good feel!!! And why can I not eat a mars bar at work with a cup of tea (a crunchie dipped in your tea is good on a friday) without someone saying, "that's going straight to your thighs, it'll take you longer to lose once the baby is here" - go away and let me enjoy my chocolate in peace!