Due October 2009 - To nest is best....

[smallone]

My first thread!

I had a happy induction experience with ds at 40+14. Went in had 1 dose of prostin gel, he arrived 4hrs later after a 2hr50min labour, just tens and G&A for pain, no stitches and he was 10lb6oz , had a bath, went home...was just sooo relieved to finally get him out

TG that's a fab induction story! Thank-you.

Well, the sun is going down on another day, am 41+1 today and have a consultant appointment tomorrow to 'discuss options', which translates as 'schedule a c-section'.

Am going to be asking about induction though, but I'm sure she said no at the last appt. due to my previous section.

Have been in tears this afternoon about it, DH has instant messaging, and asked why I don't want a section, I replied as follows:

because I don't want to be sliced open again
because I want to be able to hold my baby after its been born, not have him/her passed around all the midwifes in the op theatre first
because I want to be able to go to the loo without staggering
because I want to be able to cuddle DS when DC2 arrives, not tell him to be careful
because I want to be independent, not reliant on others for help
because I don't want to be stuck in the house for days / weeks
because I don't want to be in hospital for three (or more) days
because I want to be able to reach over and pick my baby up without having to ask people for help
because I don't want mrsa again
because I don't want to be on the 'high dependency' ward, coz it was horrible

I know its stupid to feel like that, and that I have to do whatever is right to keep me and the baby safe, but it doesn't mean that I 'want' it or am 'happy' about it, I just feel so immensely let down by my body.

Sorry.

aw sparkly can understand you not wanting a c-section again, don't feel let down by your body - it's made your lovely ds and dc2, given them a home for 9 months. that's the most important bit.

re: the sids article. with ds i worried myself sick about it. bought a breathing monitor etc. this time round i do feel more relaxed but find it best to avoid reading or watching things about it. try to stick to 'the rules' as much as possible. however, i do occasionally sleep with charlie in the bed, dh in spare room tho. i also swaddle him when he's in the basket which is not recommended by my hv (not sure what the guidelines are tho). the thing with parenting, ime, is that you always feel guilty about the decisions you make and worry that you're doing the wrong thing. however, that's just the way it is. there are no right or wrong answers and worrying yourself sick (as i did) doesn't help anyone. you have to do what is right for you, what fits in with your baby. sometimes that means not following the rules 100%. hope you find some peace in your thoughts HT and enjoy your anniversery, babies can really put a strain on the relationship in the beginning.

HC ignore anyone who belittles your problems.

bellacullen sorry to hear about N's eye i hope that it is something that can be sorted out fully. i have a condition in my eyes from birth which are blank spots which never formed when in utero. in one of my eyes it covers my optic nerve and so i am blind in that eye. luckily the other eye has them in other places which doesn't affect my vision. all i wanted to say is that if it is the absolute worst case scenario, having no vision in one eye has NEVER affected my quality of life. i remember as a child being really proud of it and my friends thinking i was really cool

charlie has put on a pound since he was weighed last week

now 10 lb 1 oz...

The midwife didn't turn up today. I waited all morning and then called them at lunchtime to see where they'd got to. Turned out that the only midwife doing visits had been called to an emergency home birth, so all visits had been cancelled. Apparently, they'd called to see us on Sunday but we were out. Well I'd have stayed in if I'd known they were coming! I shall be drafting my letter of complaint as soon as I've finished this post........

I'm not too badly off though. My health visitor came to visit last week and is coming again tomorrow. They're from a different - better organised - health authority and I'm getting great care from them, so I haven't been abandoned.

Sparkly - sorry to read your post. I hope you manage to have the delivery that you want, but don't forget that the priority is a healthy baby and a healthy mum. Don't put yourself at risk or get too stressed if it doesn't work out how you want. Thinking of you....

Re: the SIDS thing. We've found that bringing our baby into bed with us is the only way to settle her to sleep, although we transfer her to her own cot as soon as she's properly asleep. We were paranoid about it originally but we read up on all the safety advice about it and are following all the guidelines. There's nothing new - that I can see - in today's reports, but I have to say that I think it's worth reiterating the advice about not falling asleep on the sofa with your baby. I vaguely knew all the other advice, but this was new to me and I only found it out when I made a point of looking up what the advice was, so there could be lots of people who are unaware of this.

I'll post more later but I just read your post Sparkly and wanted to say I completely understand how you feel. I'm going for a VBAC too this time and there is the whole issue of "if I don't labour spontaneously all bets are off". My hospital won't induce either as it increases the risk of rupture, but I just wanted to remind you that...

• you don't have to have a scheduled section, you can ask for expectant management and go over 42 weeks if everything is ok with the baby and you.

• I know a section is not what you've had in mind all of these weeks, but you can make a plan so that if you have one you make it clear that you want, for example, skin to skin right away, the screen lowered so you can see your baby born etc. It might make it easier to deal with if it comes to it.

At 41+1 there is still lots of time to go into labour on your own. Things I have read that can help include:

-lavender oil in the bath
-evening primrose oil capsule next to your cervix (or taken orally)

• hand expressing/nipple stim

-sex (if you can bear it - my DH thinks I might bite his head off preying-mantis style when we're finished so there's not much hope for us... ).

Anyway, a big hug for you. I don't know if you had an emcs or elcs the first time, but I am told that a planned section is much better than an emcs, so if it comes to it hopefully it will be ok.

Anyway, I'm sure you knew all of that but I wanted you to know you are not alone with how you feel. I'm only 39 weeks, but I am sure that in 2 more weeks I will be chewing off my nails.

Late pregnancy sympathies going out to all those playing the waiting game. Today I have tried..

Going for a walk.
DH assisted relations.
Reflexology
Yoga

Had a few twinges and a bit of back ache but nothing else.

Come on babies...

Add your labour starting tips ladies.

Sparkly Print that list out and take it to the consultant-sometimes they understand better when they can read rather than listen to concerns (something one of the doctor authors I was comissioning once admitted to). Please don't feel let down by your body, its doing an amazing job of creating a safe place for your dcs to grow.

Bella Sorry to hear about Nathaniel's eye, its good that it was picked up so early but you've obviously had a helluva week. Hopefully it will sort itself out but if it doesn't, he will adapt and the other eye will probably overcompensate. Similarly to devils, I also have a problem from birth, in my case it involves my hearing, I am partially deaf in one ear. Its never caused me any problems, I just naturally adapted and have exceptional hearing in the other ear. GOOD LUCK for tomorrow.

Heylottie fingers crossed that the sweep gets things moving, it worked for me (2 days later)

Devils, Sparkly KK and Sugarkane - thanks for your comments on the BBC article. I was beginning to relax until I saw it this morning. Normally I can evaluate things more critially but this is so emotive, partic the interview with the woman that had lost her son. This is all so new and I want to do it all right and safe but Joe didn't come with a manual and it's hard muddling through on little sleep especially when he won't sleep unless he's in my arms and not on his back.

saraheb I hope you get a break re the tradesmen soon, you so deserve it. Have emailed some relatives in Yorkshire to see if they can recommend a joiner.

Treats I am gobsmacked at your lack of midwife care, I really am. Hope you have better luck withe the health visitor

Joseph is a bit better this evening, he's winding a little better and has let
up some huge burps.Lots of wet and soiled nappies which has helped my confidence. I need to get my birth and postnatal story out - will do so tomorrow once midwife has been and hopefully I can close the door on it.

Treats thanks for the SIDS info. I told my mw the other day that I was following the guidelines and position in the UNICEF leaflet and she was really encouraging but the BBC thing threw me completely.

I've done a lot of reading today on windy, huccupy babies who won't sleep on their backs and have decided to give cranial osteopathy a go

HalfMumHalfBiscuit-am adding painting, cleaning windows and consuming the hottest curry you can stomach. I managed 9 mouthfuls of my first ever vindaloo late on the Sat night and went into labour the next night.

Hi, I am out of touch with this thread...because I did go into labour on Sunday night and baby Benjamin was born at 7.48am on Monday morning (12 Oct)!

The labour was much quicker than my first (5 hours not 16) and low tech, just g&a and tens. The midwife was a friend of ours (our pastor's wife), which I guess could have been weird, but was fantastic, a real blessing.

I can't believe how different my second labour was from my first, I was really apprehensive about it all this time, but in the end I felt more in control and less panicked by what was going on and the pain. It was intense but quicker and definitely less scarey.

Hope all of you waiting don't have much longer to go...thinking of you.

Evening ladies

Andrea-congratulations on the birth of baby Benjamin. Sounds just like my 2nd birth, really positive.

Sparkly-grrrhhh at your dilemma, hope you get what you want.

Treats-your MW service is very poor. Glad the HV is much better,

My HV came today and it was fine. Told her I was having pains down below and the bleeding was smelling so she made a GP appointment for me and it turns out I have an infection so now on antibiotics. Side effects include runny poos for Matthew and me-nice!

Am thinking it is better not to mention Matthew's sleep habits in the playground.

Sending labour vibes to those still waiting.

HC
x

Hello all

HC glad you seem perkier

andrea horray for baby Benjamin!! Birth sounds great

HT ds wouldn't settle in his moses basket either and dh and I had to put it in the bed between us. We then had to both sleep with one arm each on ds's tummy so he could feel us. Our arms went dead and it was ridiculous!!
We found a sheepskin ( a baby approved one) helped and we also played a womb sounds cd which he liked. We gradually removed arms and put basket on base next to us...

Bella sorry to hear you have had some worrying news. GOSH are amazing and I'm sure Nathaniel will be looked at by the best people.

treats cannot believe a mw hasn't seen you yet. AWFUL!!!

STT sorry you feel sad. I hope things can be worked out in a way that makes you happy.

Good luck with any sweeps

No updates for me. Just BH, lots of tightenings and more jelly stringy stuff.
Feel very heavy and slow and tired after a bad nights sleep last night. Had a few legs cramps and baby was sooooooo wriggly , so low down, I couldn't get to sleep for ages, then did about 3 wees between midnight and 5am.

Had a nice day today though. 2 friends came over with their dc's (5 children here) and that was nice, plus my dc's have been good all day and we all (dh too! ) had a bath together!!!

Have put pictures on if anyone wants to have a look.

I seem to have the baby blues today, feel little low and crying for no reason but im sure it will pass. All I seem to be thinking is that Aiden could be my last pg and im not sure how I feel about that. How messed up am I, not even over this birth and thinking about another

Going to attempt my birth story, think may help the blues if I get it down, will post it later I hope.

Sparkly and heylottie Good luck for tomorrow will be thinking of you both.

Congrats Andrea75 and well done

Lovely pics SK

So sweet I am photo mad and can't wait for all the photo opps!!

Sorry you're low, is anybody at home with you tomorrow? maybe you could all do something nice or buy yourself something..that always cheers me up

I am with you on the 'is it the last dc thing'. If we have a 4th we'd need an extension and can't afford that...

Well - Maia Jo arrived early last night - weighing in at 6lb 5oz after a very quick straightforward labour. She's breastfeeding really well - but taking her time getting used to her moses basket!

After early signs early Monday morning and a false alarm visit to the midwife unit just after lunchtime on Tuesday, things started getting going at around 6pm. We'd had a tour of the Unit, and I was looking forward to a water birth and making use of all the labour "toys" they have. We went into the Unit just after 7, and were in the assessment triage area until just before 8 when the mw assessing us was due to go off shift. Before she went off she wanted to check how far on I was and was surprised when she saw I was 8 cm! Things moved really quickly from then on, with me just managing to get to the birthing room, in time to remind the mw I wanted gas and air and deliver her after only 10 minutes.

No tearing or stitches or anything like that and I am amazed at how well I feel.

Couldn't have had a better experience - apart from dp getting a parking ticket which we'll be appealing!!!

Beware very long post may hurt your eyes.

Around 3am on Thursday morning I got my first contraction, nothing at all like first labour, as pain was mainly in my pelvis with a strange opening sensation in my cervix, defiantly not the radiating around my back or stomach pain id had previously. No sooner had that one stopped I felt another, so thought nothing of it until I felt a pop, rushed through to the toilet and had a slight waters gush.

Called DP to time contractions and we both sat there a bit shell shocked when they were coming every 1 minute 30 lasting 1 minute straight away. DP hastily called hospital as I felt the need to push, advised ambulance couldn?t be here for 1 hour (DP can?t drive), explained the situation and they sent one right away.

DP stayed at home waiting for DD sitter to come and I went ahead in the ambulance. Got to the hospital pretty quick, they examined me and I was 6cm. unfortunately they then found that Aiden?s heart rate was slowing with my involuntary pushing which I tried hard to stop doing but easier said than done. Consultant called and examined me and found that I was fully dilated within 5 minutes. Not sure when but at some point during all the chaos DP arrived and I did ask for pain relief but was told was too late and couldn?t have G&A as needed oxygen for the heart rate dips.

Started to push and really couldn?t feel any movement with each push, consultant said he was back to back (like first labour) but he was stuck, advised there was no time to get to theatre for help but they would get him out by forceps and an episiotomy. Baby Aiden was born at 6.14am just over three hours from first contraction weighing 9lb3oz; he was taken away once born for a blast of oxygen or something not sure what they did as he was taken outside.

I?d lost two pints of blood and consultant said that my haemoglobin levels were low before the loss so I would more than likely need a blood transfusion but they would check within a few hours to make sure.
I was then given a quick debrief with consultant and transferred to the ward. I couldn?t stop shaking and kept telling them I needed my bloods checked but the consultant had forgotten to write this in my notes so I felt nobody was taking me seriously. After a bad night?s sleep they took the bloods the next afternoon (I think it was more to shut me up than anything else) and my haemoglobin was down to 67 and should have been over 100. I just wanted to go home and rest so persuaded them to let me go home and return for blood after the weekend. In hindsight I had the worst two days ever as I couldn?t even stand up without feeling faint but I guess I got what I wanted.

I Returned to ward on Monday and levels had dropped further to 62, was given 3 pints of blood and levels are now around 90 so was allowed to go home again.

Sorry I know its long and well some may say nothing compared to their birth but it has really shaken me as so vastly different to first birth which I was in total control for. Ironically the consultant who delivered Aiden was the one id seen a week before and had told him how much I love giving birth to DD.

Thanks for reading if you got this far, sorry bout the one handed typing and typos.

Congrats and very well done to lal123

Sugarkane - wow sounds like you've been through it. Well done.

I'm up because I have been having strong back pains. They seemed fairly regular when I was in bed but not as bad now.

Have taken paracetamol and had some toast and a drink. Will go back to bed in a moment.

Morning. Managed to sleep til 7.30am

Still got back ache and tightenings. Not really distinct enough to measure. Hoping this is it.

SK Gosh that sounds very dramatic and quick! I bet it was worrying going in the ambulance without dh, I would have been paniking at that!!

Also that the cx started so sudden and you dilated so fast!

Well done you Sorry they left your blood levels so low for so long though, glad you feel better after your transfusion.

lal123 Congrats!! Birth sounds lovely

hmhb fingers crossed....

Just to do a quick update then will catch up with everyone's news.

Little baby girl Ella Rose, was born on 10th Oct, 6 days after due date. The labour went really well. Woke up at 5 in the morning to waters breaking, no great gush but deffo different to anything else that came out of there previously! Went to hospital to get checked and they said they were 99% sure it wasn't my waters, so went home again.

Contractions started on a regular basis at 7am and went into hospital when they were 3-5 mins apart at around 11am. When I got in I don't think the midwife was convinced that I was really in labour and said they are probably just practice contractions, which I really hoped not! After an examination she declared I was 4cm dilated and I was given a delivery room. Used a Tens machine up to this point, brought the Lloyd's one and found it really helped a lot. Tried the gas and air next and absolutely hated it, made me feel so spun out, so gave up on that and didn't like the idea of pethidine for the same reason, so went for the biggie and asked for an Epidural. It took an hour for the blokie to get there, but was a great relief. I could still completely feel the pain down one side which was weird as it was a different kind of pain and less than it was before. It was great as I could still completely feel my legs and move myself about on the bed.

Anyway 4.30pm midwife said I was completely dilated and ready to push, the epidural was wearing off so I could feel the contractions again, I was put on a drip to make the contractions stronger and 2 hours later a little baby girl popped out! I followed everything the midwife said and pushed when told and stopped when told and fantastically had no tears, which I was very impressed with. The midwife was excellent.

We're now adjusting to life with a little person in it, I think my nipples may fall off and boobs explode, don't think we'll ever get the opportunity to sleep again, washing nappies like mad and loving every minute of it.

Right off to put the washing on the line then time to catch up on the thread.

Will change our details on the list as soon as I find the latest list!

xxxx

Good luck HMHB SK So sorry you had a traumatic birth, I hope you're feeling better now you've got it written down. Just reading about having to get him out with forceps had my own panic levels rising. I don't know how you managed to function with such low HB levels!

lal123 and fluffycats - Congratulations!

HMHB fingers crossed this is it for you

Sugarkane-I'm sorry the birth was so traumatic, I think I'd have major trouble getting my head round it happening so quickly. Well done you.

Hi all

Congratulations andrea, lal and fluffy sk pics are lovely, sorry your labour didnt go to plan. Its good to talk about it.

Good luck hmhb

I dont think it'll be long princessmel

I have had period type pains since yesterday and felt quite ill. Still a bit achey today but think Im in for the long haul to be honest.

Will pop back later.

Dear All

Okay so I'm useless, I "dropped out" months ago when antenatal depression got to me too much.

But found myself wondering this morning how everyone got on...

I was just looking for a list of arrivals to see who had what and what names finally featured. Is there such a list?

For our part, Adam James arrived three days early on 3rd October at 04:06. Managed a VBAC albeit with a vonteuse (SP?) delivery requiring an episiotemy and rather a lot of ripping! Still can't sit down but it's getting better every day.

He's beautiful.

Hope all is going well with everyone else

Patmum