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

[Kiwifruit]

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

Glad to hear there's nothing wrong then. Must just be St. Mary's policy as UCH only send you to the consultant for a specific reason.

I am quite happy with student midwives - often they are sweet and innocent as you say KF and more attentive, can run off and call mw etc in busy period. Medical students are a bit more of a mixed bag - especially the boys (not trying to be rude about my own profession but they can be rather arrogant!) Think I will also draw line at male (and maybe female) students doing internals. I know you dont care about stuff like that in labour but will prob put in my plan. And I am in IM Vit K camp too.

Repeated tests today and will hopefully hear results tomorrow. Baby has also turned and is Cephalic - guess could always turn again! Had U/S too and all seems well. Saw face - amazingly clear - really cute!! Has very long legs but all other measurements are in normal range. As long as the head isnt too big....

Boompi agree! The student midwife was actually really nice and more upset about the blood than me. Just don't want too many people around. Anyway, hopefully i'll have mine at home and that won't be a concern.

Glad to hear the baby's turned!

Must say Katts - thought of having a specific mw or two, with you throughout labour at home sounds lovely. Hope you get what you want!

KF - I am sure Franch was up for pedi - guess she wont log on from USA.

Thanks. I never thought I'd be the home birthing "type" when I first got pregnant. I just REALLY do not want to be in the hospital. I think the hospital scares me more than the labour. Still, you never know what may happen and I'm happy to transfer in if there's a real reason for it. I guess it's important not to build up your expectations too much - just in case.

Boompi - great news about baby turning . Good point about students doing internals - happy for them to be observing, but not sure about the'doing' bit.

London MNers - have booked the pedicure, details are here

midwife appt went well, seems to think i may have slight SPD which i'm surprised didn't surface earlier as i have a hip problem anyway. and baby is ceph and mw is pretty sure i'm fully engaged at the moment, mostly because i am so small there is no-where else to put this baby!!

as for having students present.......our maternity unit is a main teaching centre and my midwife has advised me to say yes to having a student present. she says in a ward which doesn't have enough staff to have a fully qualified midwife with you at all times during labour it is a godsend to have a student present as they never leave the room (unless of course you want them to) and they can alert the midwife if you need attention, instead of relying on your dp to judge the situation.

i also asked about her views on perineal massage and she said she'll bring it up at next antenatal class...........i deliberately didn't mention it there because i seem to have a lot of erm.....prudes...in my class and thought they might not appreciate it.

LOL at your 'prudes' Moschops - how on earth are they going to manage to give birth? Do you think they'll insist on having the lights out??

Although as I said about a week ago - the whole perenial massage thing is a lot more involved than I ever imagined!!

noooooooooooooooo................i just got excited over a parcel that i've had delivered.............it's only nappies.

i really have to get out more

Boompi - glad baby is in the right position.

My bump has moved with the babys bum/back really showing on the right which is good as it means it is head down and no longer back to back - hope it stays like it!

Students are all fine with me as long as they are supervised and definetly not internals!

Really wish I was getting a holiday over the next few weeks - starting to dread sons summer holidays from Monday!

Kiwifuit..........honestly i don't know how some of them even managed to be in the position to need a midwife!! at least two of them find the idea of even attempting breast feeding abhorrent, while i understand its not for everyone i can't understand such a strong negative reaction to it.

perineal massage is a lot more involved than i thought it would be, and i've read some things on the childbirth threads that have made my eyes water, but i'm not really shocked or prudish about it. some of the ladies in my class even grimaced when the midwife pointed out it's not uncommon to have a bout of diarhoea in the days before labour starts........ok so it's not nice but i can think of much worse (you should have seen the reaction when she mentioned enemas!!)

To be honest, I don't particularly like the idea of breast feeding - I can't stand touching or having my breasts touched at the best of times - but I'm going to have a damn good stab at it.

Have they realised yet that their bowels might spring into life during labour - in the presence of their partners, midwives, students or whoever else might be passing...? Maybe the enema won't seem such a bad idea...

Hello all!
Glad to hear that babies have moved in to more favourable positions RH and Boompi Hope they stay that way - was in a good position all the way through until she decided to turn back to back at 7 cm dilation. Thought that once the head was engaged there was nowhere they could go but she proved me wrong!
On the student thing, I have to agree with Moschops. I had a student mw last time and all she did was sit and make observation notes all the way through her shift. She must have been so bored but it was kind of reassuring to have someone there constantly who ran to fetch a mw whenever needed. Not sure I'd be so accommodating if they started to take more of an intimate interest, though!
Re: the vit K thing, I remember the midwife giving me a couple of leaflets last time but I can't remember at what stage. Even though DH and I read up about it and discussed it I really can't remember much about it so have just dug out the leaflet. Surprised pg brain could remember where I put it! I know we opted for the oral administration and vaguely remember it being given the day after birth and again by the community mw at home in the first week. As I was breastfeeding I had to give another dose myself (which the midwife left with me) about a month later. The injection, however gets it all over with in one go.

Moschops - I take it your antenatal class colleagues won't be making a video of the event for posterity?!!

moschops - your antinatal class sound very different to mine - today one lady wanted to compare c-section scars with me!

I came over all prudish - which is quite rare!

How useful have any non first timers found ante natal classes? Last time I only went to the NHS ones and got nothing out of them so this time I've signed up to some NCT ones - a bit surprised to find out it's three all day sessions which sound pretty intense. Have to admit that if I don't enjoy the first i think I will think of the fee as a donation to the NCT and not bother with the rest!

Well, finished work today until after next Easter - very weird and very not real! Got a fab Oi Oi changing bag from the girls at work which is the first thing this baby has had bought yet.

Had check-up today. Blood test I had done on tuesday shows that I have low thyroid.I will get more results on this in the next week or so. Anyone else have this?
Asked about group b strep - doc said that it might be that I don't have it again. She'll test at 36 weeks. I'll probably still have it of course!!

I've been going to local nhs ante natal classes - as my son is now 5.5 -the classes I went to before I had him were rubbish. This current set (just attended the 2nd of 8) seem to be good and well organized - did baby baths and baby massage this week - which was worthwhile. I wanted to do the nct - but local rep never came cack with any details!

Milward - is the low thyroid a pregnancy thing - or will it need drugs after to manage?

sarahhal - glad to hear your now on mat leave - I havn't quite got used to idea either and I've been finished nearly 3 weeks!!!!!!!!

Hi all. Had midwife check up today and everything is fine. Baby is lying with head down and blood pressure normal. Only prob is they have messed up my ante natal class dates. They realised today that they gave me the wrong dates and now can't get me into a class until 3 weeks before my due date! I'm a first timer so really wanted to have classes before then. If baby is early I will have to keep my legs crossed until I have the class on labour & pain relief!
sarahal - very jealous you're on mat leave!

Hello everyone. In the midst of building works here so have been rather busy. Was supposed to have my home birth booking visit yesterday, but the group practice very short staffed and lots of labouring women so waited in all day for nothing with no gas, builders and plaster dust everywhere and dd with stomach bug.
I've also been finding it very difficult sleeping, but miracle of miracles after lots of huffing and puffing last night managed to settle by turning the other way up in bed. Must be psychological!
Feel like baby trying to headbut its way out - usually when I'm driving!

Hi everyone,

Glad to hear mus and bumps are ok. Mines not. Mw said i'm not going to get much bigger and he's breech. Apparently he's not got much room to turn...i'm sure he still mananges to do somersaults quite regularly though. O well least it saves the debate over c-section or vaginal...lol....always the optimist!

I knew there was a problem with being so small, i thought i was lucky, not so sure now. Stretchmarks have increased now to. Really envy all those people with DH's/Dp's at least you've already got your man! lol

I;ll brighten up for the rest of the day

Last day at work today .

So had better do some work. But will be back later .

ych - my ante-natal classes don't start until 4th August, when I'll be about 35 weeks, so I know how you feel (I'm a first-timer as well).

RH + Boompi - great news about your babies turning!

STM - the baby still might turn yet, so don't panic too much. I know what you mean about the stretch marks - I thought I was doing well with not getting any until about 2 or 3 weeks ago, and now the bottom bit of my bump is covered!