Due September thread 10 - On the downhill slope...

[Kiwifruit]

Here's the new thread ladies - may it be as chatty as the last 9!!

Wow - lots of posts in the past few hours. Will read them and then try and have something interesting to say .

Again on the subject of hospital cleanliness, I'd forgotten about my PPH (DH said they were collecting the blood in a bucket which I'm glad I didn't know about at the time). I wonder which poor person had to clear it up. As DH and DS were in the delivery room together while I was in theatre being sewn up for the couple of hours after DS was born, maybe DH knows who dealt with it.

I had the injection for the third stage and really don't remember anything about it happening at all (I was fairly spaced out by the time DS emerged).

Not sure what I'm going to do about a birth plan - last time I didn't really bother. Suppose I ought to think about it a bit.

I've done some ironing having discovered I can sit on the sofa and do it. DS now has clothes which don't look like someone slept in them. The clothes of DH and me are un-ironed. I will do them some time (maybe tomorrow )

PiccadillyCircus - I like your attitude to the ironing!

Think I've overdone the house work today - going to bed now - once I've removed all the sorted stuff from the bed and changed the bed linen! Night night! Antinatal class tomorrow - do hope the mw will stop forcing a knited doll through a plastic pelvis - most disturbing!

I'd really like a natural third stage this time. Wasn't bothered first time, and second time the placenta was stuck so midwife thought the injection would help, but having had no need for any pain relief for either birth I always felt that it seemed strange to then have something for the third stage. Its not a big deal so if the midwife thinks I need it then I'll go along with her - and I might need some pain relief this time anyway you never know (fingers crossed though - although friends have been advising that I at least try gas and air!)

Wow - loads of chat been going on recently !
Just been catching up as have got the week off this week as our childminder is on holiday, then only one more week at work before maternity leave starts - can't wait !
Absolutley shattered so far this week - but think that might have something to do with having 50+ people round for a BBQ at the weekend & the subsequent clear up !
Everyone else sounds really orgainsed about getting ready for baby - must get up to the attic do some sorting out. Have so far found the moses basket, but can't seem to find where we put the newborn clothes.
Re changing bags - this is the one thng I have splashed out on so far. Got the OiOi Hobo, as it will double up as a funky handbag.
Haven't even thought about birth plans etc yet - just hoping to go with the flow.

Tallbird - 50 people at your house for a BBQ . Do you live in a castle?! I think if we had more than 4 people round to our flat it'd be chocka . I don't envy you having to clear all that up afterwards!

Re: the vitamin K and the third stage... I feel that we are being "left to our own devices" regarding these matters, no one (medical / midwife) has given us any info about this. I appreciate there's plenty of info on the internet, but it's all quite confusing! Perhaps the obstetrician will discuss it with us when we go in a couple of weeks...

Morning morning.

Saw the midwife last night, who has established that the peanut is cephalic, LOA. Right where it should be . I appreciate that it still has time to do something naughty - like turn over - but I suspect it was in this position last time I had an appointment (although at that point I wasn't sure which way the head was pointing), so hopefully it's comfy.

Tallbird, just to confirm - I am in no way ready for this baby to arrive yet.

I do have some new born nappies. And some disposable pants, maternity towels and breast pads. And all DS's clothes (totally unsorted) in a cupboard.

Also a new born grobag. And a mobile for the cot.

But that is really about it. I need to nest a little, I think .

Btw - my blood pressure was 95/60 last night - and it wasn't suggested that it's low.

i am sooooooo uncomfortable today......even getting dressed is becoming very hard. i'm going to have to get out of bed before dp leaves in the morning so he can help me. not that he leaves early but with the insomnia i'm falling asleep again about 7.30 am so from now on i'll have to go back to sleep dressed.

postman delivered a parcel this morning and got me in my full glory.....tatty nighty, dp's old dressing gown and my hair looked like i'd been dragged through a hedge backwards!!

i'm pretty sure the dreaded thrush has come back, so i have a long list of things to discuss with the midwife at my appt this afternoon.........blimey, it's sad the highlight of my social calender is discussing my body with the midwife!

mothercare delivery arrived yesterday so i now have lots of washing to do..........and some practising with the terry nappies, although they look far too big to ever fit round a tiny newborn!!

Tallbird - I'm with PiccadillyCircus. We've got something for the baby to sleep in, and a few clothes. Also a kitchen sink for it to have a bath in... but that's pretty much it (apart from a change bag courtesy of SIL, but don't actually have that yet).

I still have 5 weeks left of work after this week. It's getting more and more difficult to reach my keyboard - in 5 weeks I'll probably be resting it on my bump!!

Actually thinking about it a bit more, this baby does have DS's old car seat. And a baby bath (although I don't think we'll use it as (a) it is a pain and (b) DS hated baths until he was about 5 months anyway). It also has a Silver Cross pram from ebay.

But nothing is organised. But at the moment it's not bothering me so I won't worry .

Oh, it has nowhere to sleep. I must get round to finding something (Moses basket from DS has given up the ghost).

Right, working from home does not actually mean doing Mumsnet does it? .

If anyone sees me posting on here before about 12 then you have my permission to tell me to stop .

I think I'm do for some nesting too. I have a baby sling, 2 gowns, 1 pair socks, and 2 outfits which were presents from my mom.

We're moving into our new house on Monday so just haven't had room to put any baby stuff. No idea where to even buy a cot - wasn't overly impressed with the John Lewis selection.

LadyLazarus, my midwife hasn't given my information about anything either. I'm kind of happy with that though as I'd rather do the reading and come to my own conclusions without her opinions getting in the way. But you have a point, it'd be nice for them to mention that you do have options. Why are you seeing an obstetrician anyway?

Just did a quick google on Vitamin K and infants. this link has a summary of some studies into Vitamin K, with links to other sites.

This link is an Australian govt one with high level information.

Happy reading...

Feel like I've had a full mot this morning! Antenatal with GP - all OK BP 114/68 (bizarre numbers, thought they normally came in 10s!!) baby head down.. Prescription for gaviscon and canestan as normal...Then off to homeopath for a couple of hours which was interesting and relaxing. May have changed my mind re Vit K as she said connection with childhood eczema (must research this) - as ds2 had this bad as a baby, would prefer not to go through that again. She gave me a remedy which she said should sort out heartburn, cramps, busy legs and thrush..is it a miracle!!??? Will wait and see. Also gave me 'birth pack' and advised what dh should take from it too!!

RZ- when I said no no-nos, I meant things you can foresee to put in a birthplan. If a birthplan covered every eventuality it would go on for pages, and then presumably be ignored by busy midwives!! I would definitely put 'to be kept informed' and 'no intervention without my/dh's permission' which would presumably cover most things. In an emergency I can't see them consulting a birthplan anyway. I was just trying to stress the need for flexibility as you can't possibly know how you will feel at the time!!

Sarahal - did you read my post yesterday about birth outside your area? We're off to Cornwall and it worries me too - a bit of a lottery, dependent on funding as far as I can see

Afternoon everyone,

hope all mums and bumos are fine. Had a pre-antenatal class today, bit scary - talking about cot death, not what i really wanted to hear. Just got back from mw appointment so have had whole day off work, it's been bliss still only 6 more working days and i'll be in bed til 8 every day!

What are peoples thoughts on having students present at the birth/labour? Anyone had bad experiences? good experiences?

STM - that you are nearly finished work. Have just spotted a place in the office where I could lie down and have an afternoon snooze without anyone seeing me. Only problem is,(if DH isn't lying to me...) my snoring will probably alert everyone to my whereabouts !!

R.E. students - think I will say in my birth plan that will allow no more than 2 students. Have memories of being in hospital age 6 with a tracheostomy, and what seemed like the entire medical school gathered around my bed. Really don't want an entire class of students, but think 1 or 2 would be fine - they have to learn somehow, and I have a vague hope that they may be nicer/more helpful because it's all new and they're not jaded by the system. That's my theory, anyway .

Am suffering from killer heartburn this afternoon - most unpleasant!

Good links KF- on balance, have found nothing about Vit K and eczema so think will have it as more risks if not. That's today's thought, anyway!!

Re students - I don't think they ever give you more than one in labour. I think I had one with ds1, but there could have been an entire marching band in the room and I don't think I would have noticed!!

Think I'm leaning towards Vit K via injection - sounds like it is the most effective method. There was something about the pain factor, but I figure that it can't be anyworse than having your head squeezed through a not so big hole when you're coming down the birth canal. Think I might look into delaying the injection until after first feed though, as the one hour time limit seems a bit random. A bit like you Andif - that's my thought for today!!

No students for me please. Not after my last antenatal appointment when she let the student midwife take my bloods. Ended up with my blood squirting everywhere for several minutes afterwards.

Also had a gum-smacking student peering down between my legs while having an internal exam after having bleeding at 7 1/2 weeks.

Katts - same thing happened to me at my last MW appointment (blood squirting, HUGE bruise), but she wasn't a student - would have been happier if she was, at least she would have had an excuse for her poor technique !! Gum smacking student does not sound pleasant though...

Katts - I am only seeing obstetrician as a matter of "routine"... apparently at St Marys (assumed it was the same everywhere) for 'normal' births, everyone sees the obstetrician once during their pregnancy. I asked the midwife if the docs do anything different when you see them, but she said no it's the same stuff the midives do.