Due september thread 9

[pooka]

Blimey already at No.9

LadyL - I hope to have a birth experience that me & little one both get through ok. For my first I had an epidural & gave birth in a birthchair with no probs. Next time I had a cesarian as dd2 was a footling breech and for my third had a quick labour (90 mins from start to finish 2 weeks early) with no medication & spent my labour upright & also sitting on a birth stool. Had a large heamorrage straight afterwards due to retained placenta and this took awhile to recover from. So everytime is different just hope everything will be ok.

For dd1 & dd3 I had a bag packed for labour that I didn't need! For dd1 the only thing I wanted was a small sponge to sort of chew on & for dd3 the bag never made it to the delivery room - only used my hairclip from my handbag - wanted nothing else. Had lots of water to drink as I felt really thirsty throughout labour.

Thanks Milward.

As for birthing plans, well if this one follows the pattern of the others there's really not much that I need to do!
With ds1 I liked the idea of a water birth, but it was quick and the pool was in use so it didn't happen, and with ds2 we didn't make it to the hospital anyway.
As this one will be a home birth I plan to phone the midwife and my Mum on my first contraction, run a bath and hope they get here in time! My Mum is 2 hours away so hasn't made it in time for either of the other 2 so I doubt she will this time, but the midwife should only be a few minutes away so should be here! My midwife is away the week I'm due so is hoping that I go over, but will leave strict instructions that as soon as I call someone needs to get here.
I hired a TENS machine with the other 2 but never got round to using it so not sure if I'll bother this time - althogh sods law says that this is the one I'll need something for!

YAY - have just booked our last holiday before we have to become responsible parents . We're off to Perpignan in France for 4 nights in what looks like a really nice B&B. Going the 2nd week in July and will be there for my birthday. Can't wait!

RedHelen - agree with Milward re talking about your difficult labour experience. Might help you to talk about it, and it's good for us first timers to know all the possibilities...

hi everyone. yes jaxpax, my dh seems to find giving me a little satisfaction a turn off at the minute. i suppose it doesn't help that i need to wear brown support tights. not exactly sexy lol, i look like my nanna!!!

Thanks Kiwifruit & Milward

My first labour started well - getting to 7cm dilated - and then stopped! The babys heart beat was slowing and then really speeding up each time a contraction started and ended. Many people were buzzing around doing unexplained things and flitting off! When they broke my waters they realized that baby had poohed in distress - so I was made ready for a section. All went well and my son was born crying and well - however my lasting memory of the leadup and the section was how unimportant I was - every one was speaking to dh and I was vertially ingored. Baby was taken with DH into a corner the second he was born for the tests they need to do and I was left trying to strain to see him! After he was returned to me I felt very confused and not even sure if he was mine!

I am determined to be kept better informed & keep much better control when my second child is delivered in September. I've been spending a lot of time speaking to my mw and she is great. I think a difficult birth should be talked through at the time - or when you go to have a second/subsequent child the fears / memories come back to bite you!!!
I hope this scares no one - I have a fantastic son - who was worth it all. I also think a c-section are nothing to worry about - but do make sure you are kept informed - it's your body and your birth expereience!!! if you feel detached from it - it can delay your bonding with your fantastic prize (for all your effort) a beautiful baby! Helenxxxx

I hope it all goes smoothly for you this time Helen. It is so important to tell professionals you want to be involved - I am putting that in my birth plan in big letters now! Its good to know all these things and doesnt freak me out.

Thanks for all advise re chairs. Will get bf pillow - any good brands?

hi redhelen
thanks for sharing your story, its good to hear you've got a supportive midwife this time to prepare with - I'm a first-timer and am much happier to hear about these sort of things so I can be prepared for what might happen if things don't go to plan.

I'm glad you shared your story Redhelen. I'm also a first timer but I think it's good to hear all these stories so I can be prepared for any eventuality. I am a bit nervous about going into labour but I can't wait for the end result so I know whatever happens, it will be worth it. I hope your second labour is better for you, but by the sounds of things your making sure of that. I'm thinking about having a water birth in the maternity hospital but will just see what happens. As we've all heard, Sep is a busy baby month and a birth pool may not be available. That happened to my friend, the hospital was so busy she couldnt even get a bath. I'm just hopefully going to go with the flow and try not to panic, if I end up needing an epidural then I'll have one. I'm not going to be against any pain relief but will see how long I can go on just gas & air. It will be funny to see what happens in the end as some people say your birth plan just goes out the window.
I got a v shaped pillow out of Rosebys for about £6, much cheaper than Mothercare or some of the other baby shops. Is good for supporting my back just now.
Hope everyone has a good weekend. We're hopefully having a BBQ tomorrow for my family and DH's. On holiday for a few days now. Not going on many day trips though due to G8.

Argos do a v pillow for about £7 as well - mine's getting a bit grotty now but am planning on getting a nice new clean one for feeding.

All went well at the scan today, baby is breech but growing well and everything is healthy. I've got another scan at 36 weeks (not sure why) and...we're having a GIRL!! Which was a bit of a shock as I was absolutely convinced it was a boy and have been calling her 'him' for months. Oopss. Now we just need to think of a name.

RedHelen - thanks for sharing your experience - I learnt from reading it and will ask that if I have a cs that the medical team communicate what's happening.
When I had a cs with my second she was taken away for checks, dh went with her. It was taking ages & I began to get very worried and just wanted to go & find out what was happening. The aneasthetist actually went to find out what was up. All was ok - she needed suctioning & oxygen. In the recovery room afterwards she couldn't be with me & I felt really tearful. Just wanted my baby. I was willing my legs to have some sensation back so that I could go to my room. Your story has promoted me to think about this again which is good as I will be able to tell my doc to keep me informed.

Piccallili - lovely to hear you're having a girl. Have fun choosing a name.

Hello me again!

Just had a letter from the hospital advising me I'm very anaemic. I'm suprized as I think I eat pretty well and take a suppliement.

However I have felt rough over the last month - and I've struggled to work out why - tired, down, difficulty breathing and loud laboring heart beat. A quick look at the internet suggests these are symptoms. Any one had experience, what did you do? and how long before they felt better? Love Helenxx

Milward - congratulations on having a girl! Seems there are so many people having girls (including myself!) on this thread!!

RedHelen - I found it useful to read about your experience, and as you say now you have to put it to use by making sure you get the information you need this time around.

Is anyone going to the Live8 concert? We have managed to get on the guest list for some "B Live" festival type thing on Clapham Common tomorrow, probably only go to see Jamiroquai... was just thinking, this will be my first 'proper' night out in months!!! Let's hope I can stay awake to be able to go

RedHelen - seems weird that you'd be anaemic if you are taking a supplement! I suppose the best way of upping your iron levels is by diet, and I seem to remember that having some vitamin C at the same time as eating something containing iron increases the absorption. I found an article here about which foods are good for iron. I try to have a big salad every day, with rocket (which has iron in) + have a big glass of fruit juice as well (but I'm vegetarian and a bit paranoid that cos I don't eat meat I might not get enough iron!!)

Thanks LadyLazarus thats really helpful.

I'm a vege too and every one has been lecturing me today on 'my unhealthy diet' which normally I'd agree with - but I have been eating well and carefully durring my pregnanacy!

It's also given my Dad a new opportunity to rant about vegetarians - or Spudulika as he calls me! What fun I'm knackered and need a little tlc - but do I get any- not on your nelly!

It would be nice to wrapped in cotton wool for a few minutes - maybe its my fault I'm normally very independent and no one expects me to be low and vunerable!

Rant over!!! take care Helenxxxxx

Hi everyone,

ladyl - loads of my friends got tickets for live8 in hyde oark and one had a spare one and asked if i wanted to go, but thought of the loos being miles away and being so tired i decided against. Just watching Robbie Williams and wishing i was there. Never mind.

Hope you've all had a good day

STM

I'd have loved to have gone to Live8, if only for Pete Doherty and Pink Floyd! But the thought of standing in a field for nine hours, and again the toilet thing, sort of stopped me applying for tickets! Let's hope my bladder behaves when I go to see Jamiroquai tonight!!

LadyLazarus have a great time tonight!

And if you need the toliet push you belly out and hopefully get straight to the front on the queue! (well there must be some perks in pregnancy!)

Feeling rather well today - hope it lasts!!!!!!!

Enjoy Jamiroquai LadyL, should be fab. Watched a lot of Live8 on tv last night, missed Madonna though, wished I'd seen her. Saw my favourite man Robbie though!
Well about half an hour ago I had my first leaky nipple episode - totally freaked me out!!! It's never happened before. It was just a small amount but enough to seep through my t-shirt. What if it happens when I'm at work?! Oh god, this is the start of me having to wear breast pads. I don't feel in control of my body!!!!!!! Going to read all the threads I can find now on leaky nipples.....
Glad everyone else is well. ych x

ych - there's a load about leaky nipples in thread no.8 i think. mine started a while ago, the nights are the worst!!

STM - I've just been reading up on it. I thought you'd started a leaky nipple thread! Oh the joys, will have to look at breast pads in Tesco later.

ych

Do you think seeing Robbie and the leaking nipple could be linked! You never know with our crazy hormones!
Your right it is distressing when your body takes on a whole life of its own - and we are no longer in any control!

Have just ordered my crib from mamas and papas and am feeling a bit more positive that i might actually get everything done in time. Was really organised last time and had everything ready by the time i was six months, this time however time seems to be slipping through my fingers and i am starting to panic. DH seems quite ammused by my behaviour apart from the fact that I have just spent lots of his lovely money. Have made a list of things I still need and am passing it round the family in the vague hope they might help us out and buy something for baba.

Redhelen - you could be right, Robbie is enough to make anyone's nipples go funny!!!

Mummyhill

I'm glad your getting all organized. I've got everything I think - but sadly its all lying in a great big mess in what will be the nursery. I must sort it all out!!!

Hope the family come up with some useful gifts too! Take care Helen