Due March 2010 - I'm a baby get me out of here!

[annamama]

New ante-natal thread... the post-natal thread is here

mawbroon up at this hour has been the general story since monday night go to bed 11 12 wake 1.30 to 2.30 am . going over the birthing dilema cry on and off rest of night and then as had no rest get up at 5am .absolutely knackered not helping the decision making progress ,general mood or feelings of well being but it may be good practice once baby arrives all those sleepless nights to look forward too but maybe after all the worry shes causing at the moment she'll come out and sleep through the night from day 1 to age 18 mum of seven who should know better now slips into delusional mode as she remembers the other 7 seemed to think sleep was for wimps

Congratulations, Summer!

TLC - def sounds promising. Hopefully both you and Mawbroon will see real action soon.

Thank you for all your condolences re my rubbish job situation. Pixie, yes the sahm option is not totally off the table (although I want to combine it with a masters- not law-related). I just want it to be my decision, though, not a fallback due to lack of employment.

Bad night here thanks to a vomiting toddler. He seems pretty perky this am but I am done for and have no nursery respite to look forward to. Am now really hoping that I avoid the bug. Anyone have idea about what hospitals do if you go into labour while suffering from a stomach bug?

Congrats Summer!

Good luck TLC and Mawbroon, you go girls!

Sariska - I was hoping to be made redundant from my job (in banking so it was redundancy times...) with a nice little pay-off, then find another job as and when I wanted to... but I'm still a SAHM at the moment (I resigned cuz of too long commute but we're hoping to move). Anyway, I hope things work out for you, I'm sure they will in the end!

Anyone think end of pregnancy fedupness is so that you actually look forward to the birth and want the baby to come out, rather than just being scared...?

Oooh Summer big congratulations! So glad to hear of Ethan's safe arrival!

TLC wow, sounds like things are really happening for you . Can't wait to hear how things go for you and to hear of babyTLC's arrival

DrSkid & Smac hope the practice labour is moving into something more for you both.

Mawbroon & Twofalls and also hope the two of you get to meet your babies soon too!

So I'm so of those in labour/nearly in labour. After another restless night (I'm off for a nap before yoga at 11.30) I just feel so ready for this baby to be born...39+3 and counting...

congratulations summer you lucky thing was the c section elective . when you feel ready could you let me know if it was good bad or indifferent as getting ready elcs aweek day . Oh God it can't really be that soon i'm just not ready but it will be nice nice to cuddle up to a new baby and smell once again that new baby aroma that is so wonderful

mumof7 - I had an elective for ds in 2005. He was breech.

Turns out I have a bicornuate uterus and he was completely stuck and had been since 32 weeks.

I had been freaking out about maybe needing an elective and was hoping he was going to turn. I was in a bit of denial about it tbh. But, it wasn't as bad as I imagined. It really wasn't.

But I completely understand why it's keeping you awake at night. I was the same.

DS is away to nursery. MIL is picking him up, so I am back in bed for a nap.

I should be moving about to get labour going, but that's pretty difficult with broken ankle!!

Hello all,

Turns out I also now need advice on dealing with a C-section. Was told yesterday (at 38+1) that baby is breech. Had scan to prove it and then had to make a fairly swift decision with consultant on when it would be born - they were really anxious to do it sooner rather than later to minimise chances of going into labour naturally. So we're now booked in for an elective on Tuesday 2nd March.

Was all very emotional as we do feel slightly robbed of our wonderful (naive?!) vision of a natural birth that as first timers we've clearly been hoping for (also quite liked the idea of the waterbirth from this week's OBEM), but we're now reconciled to it although still a little freaked out that we will be parents a bit earlier than expected and on a timetable instead of working to more of a 'fly by the seat of your pants' rhythm of mother nature!

I now need to re-pack mine and the baby's bags for a longer than anticipated stay in hospital - any tips on what to prepare for and what is good to wear / bad to wear after a c-section? Worried about some clothes being really uncomfortable and bending to put shoes on etc being even more impossible than it's become in pregnancy!

Any tips welcome - I feel like I am at the start of the learning curve again as didn't think c-section would apply to me when I started reading books, and clearly NCT classes spend about 30secs discussing it as they want everyone to breathe their babies out to the tune of panpipes... Grrr - am not bitter, honest!

thanks for that mawbroon sorry about your ankle i should be scrubbing floors to try encourage babe to turn but too tierd after last few nights .
trying to be more positive about breech look at this way she likes having her head closer to my heart which although abit pollyannaish is at least better than being miserable
your from edinburgh arent or am i mixing you up with someone else you hoping to deliver babe in westlothian which i think you said you had no1 again or edinburgh if so if my littleone does decide to jump the gun and yours arrives in the next 24 -48 hours i might see you there. if im being too nosy sorry. if you did have number no 1 in west lothian were the post natal ward staff helpful etc and was it an ok place to be ive never been up there always had 6 hour disharge and i really think the postnatal bit is worrying me more than the section itself
ps hope things get going for you sooner rather than later and that all goes as planned and you get the vbac you really want/deserve

Mawbroon I am def thinking about the head closer to heart in a Pollyanna-ish fashion; think that we're entitles to think like that!

I meant mumofsevenplusfour !! Am going mad.

*lisbapalea8 know where your at i had scan on on monday at 37+2 was pretty certain baby was breech scan confirmed it . i had also really hoped for nice natural calm unmedicated waterbirth and am now feeling really rubbish almost grieving for the natural birth id hoped for. I have to wait till next friday 5/3 before they'll do it ive begged them to do it sooner as im terrified of going into labour early and ending up with emcs never mind having 2 weeks to woory about the cs itself but they'll only give me an earlier date if someone else has theres early and cancels there section. so in some ways you lucky that you dont have too long to wait. keep hoping i'll turn up on the 5th and baby by some miracle will have seen sense and gymnastically turned for the exit unlikely i know but i can keep hoping. dh has been told to give her a stern talking to every night for the next week and as shes a girl she might just listen to her daddy.
8 years ago when dd3 was born she was arriving at about 5 to midnight on dd2 birthday .dh shouted to her if you hang on five minutes more youll hasve your own birthday. she duly obliged so he has form in the baby persuasion dept. my only memory was at the time i could have killed him only a man could go just hang on 5 minutes to a baby who was crowning while his wife was screaming i just want it out or words to that effect

Wow - have your children stayed as obedient while outside of the womb?!

this one definitely doesn't listen. Or maybe it listens and gets confused as we thought it was back to back a few weeks ago so we've been asking it to 'turn baby turn', which it may have taken too literally and hence is now breech instead of head down!!

lisbapalea it was probably the first and last time she's taken daddy's advice . i think she was lulling him into a false sense of security

Ha - a good female tactic I think!

lisbapalpea this one was similarl between 30 and 34 weeks we called her zebedee as she flipped every week at 35 weeks she put her head up and has stayed there since shes a lazy baby will move her head from left to centre but no further . dh has nned her margaret thatcher as the lady's not for turning i keep imagining her arriving holding a placcard saying no u turns

Maybe she'll come out wielding a power handbag!

Congratulations summer on the arrival of Ethan!

I can't wait to hear more from Mawbroon and TLC. This thread is getting more exciting by the minute.

Sariska sorry to hear about potential redundancy. I'm rather like annamamma in that I was made redundant when on mat leave 1, thought I'd find another job then came economic downturn etc so I didn't and so am now at home and pregnant with no.2. I miss work, but it has been great being home for DD as well. I've just finished doing my MA - it's definitely good to have something other than childcare to focus on but I completely understand what you mean about it being your choice. I think I resent being at home at times because it wasn't. I will go back to work though, it's just not going to be until the childcare costs become affordable (ie probably when DD1 starts school).

hecklephone I'm so glad you mentioned florentines. My friend's mum used to make them when we were little and I was thinking about them the other day in a food-obsessed way and it was driving me mad that I couldn't remember what they were called. They are delicious.

lisba and mumof7 good luck with the c-sections. I can't give any advice but I'm sure you won't mind about how your baby arrives once it has. I'm sure mumof7 knows that already though!

I've gone from wishing the baby out to praying for her to stay in here. DD1 has been exposed to chicken pox in the last couple of days - one of her friends went down with it yesterday after we'd been round to play the day before. There's an incubation period of up to 3 weeks so if she gets it, I'm highly likely to be giving birth while she's still contagious. I can cope with her being spotty but I can't bear the idea of a newborn with chicken pox, it seems so unfair. Outwardly I'm calm - inwardly I'm panicing like mad. NO NO NO - NOT CHICKEN POX - NOT NOW!!!! DH is being manly and practical and telling me not to worry till it happens. I know he is right but it doesn't help and now I feel itchy everywhere too... (feels the last remaining marbles rolling out of my brain).

Morning all
Crikey it's getting hard to keep up on here!!
lisba sorry to hear about your latest dvlpment, but you sound like you have the right attitude and, whilst i don't have any experience of CS I do know that once the baby is here you will just be so happy to have that baby in your arms. My friends who did have CS all recovered well and didn't find it too hard - it seems to even itself out, either way you are pretty uncomfortable for a few days/weeks, depending on how you heal!! I've had friends with awful episiotomy recovery times, and others dashing around like there's nothing wrong with them, weeks after a cs!

Last night I went over to a friends for a random sewing lesson. She's found this woman who does home tuition to help you learn how to cut cloth, follow a pattern. We decided to split the cost etc. Anyway, felt pretty flaky after a busy afternoon, so we put DD to bed, DH sent me to bed for a power nap and carefully ironed my newly washed material ready for me to take with me for cutting etc. That man should have his own angel emoticon, honestly.
So off I go to this sewing lesson. Walk into her lounge....and it's full of my friends throwing a surprise baby shower for me!!!! just amazing!!!! So now completely love them, love my DH for keeping such a good surprise, and love my lovely thoughtful gifts, and generally love the world. What was so nice was I didn't have a baby shower with DD, and because of the way my work finished, I didn't really get a goodbye there either so it all felt, a bit flat....so REALLY lovely. Sorry to go on. Just very touched by it all!!

Am having a slight panic at the dress for tomorrow's night out (it's siamese's green dress) because my boobs now look like ENORMOUS sacks of flour. So think i might dash to shops to find something vaguely modest to cover shoulders, and perhaps some spangly flat shoes.

Good luck TLC and mawbroom keep us posted, drskid chin up and equally do keep us in the loop, sariska i feel your pain on the vomiting toddler, that was us this time last week, take it very easy today and make sure both of you get some rest, and at everyone baking, my good intentions keep going out the window....and Chin Up anyone else who is feeling a bit down, I agree with whoever said it's to make the arrival of Baby that bit better.

Back later. Thanks for potty advice also, still haven't decided....may go with the swing of it, oh i don't know!

Morning, all!

Gah, school run is going to kill me one of these days, or, even worse, induce labour! Which would mean I'd make even more of a spectacle of myself at the school gates than usual: wild haired frazzled mummy with 2 school boys usually kicking/otherwise annoying each other, toddler in buggy, unable to do up jacket at this point due to Michelin Man shape - waters breaking would hardly by any more attention grabbing .

Commiseration to all insmoniacs - I was up again at half 3 for bathrooom stop, cup of fennel tea, 3 pages of my book and back to sleep in spare bed - this seems to become a bit of a pattern .
Also DS3 has had D+V x2 in the last 36 hourse, ?oink flu vacc related or not, who knows? But his sleep has been a bit more restless than usual. He woke me at 3.30 because he was shouting 'Tom, Tom!' = DS1 . Not sure what he wanted from him...

Congratulations to Summer again - hope you are enjoying lots of newborn cuddles .

And lots of luck to all of you where things might be happening - I hope the next few days will not be too frustrating!

mumof7 and lisba, I thought I'd share another positive CS story: technically I had an emergency CS with DS2, however the decision was made around 12 noon and he was delivered 2.30pm, so no mad rush; not what you'd call a 'crash section', thankfully.
I had known for 5 weeks that he was only ever going to be delived safely via CS as I had a complete (Grade 4) placenta praevia, where the placenta covers the inside of the cervix entirely. I suppose knowing for so long allowed me to make my peace that I was going to have an operative delivery, like it or lump it.
I had a spinal anaethetic which surprised me how different it felt from an epidural (DS1 was induced at 42+1, epidural, synto, VB in the end) as my entire body just felt like wood from the boobs down. Did a lot of shaking and feeling faint. DH was in theatre with me but stayed at the headend . Having DS2 delivered at 31 weeks felt a bit like having somebody rummage inside me like I was some huge crammed full handbag, v odd, but not sore.
I got to see him briefly (he left a bloody foot mark on my glasses ), then he was whisked away to NICU (needed ventilating for a day).
I had PCA = patient controlled analgesia, basically a container with morpine connected to my iv which allowed me give myself a dose of painrelief when I needed it. Also had Voltarol=Diclofenac as a suppository whilst still in theatre: highly highly recommmended, unless you are allergic/cannot tolerate anti-inflammatory painkillers.
I would say I was in pain for first 24 hrs, or at least needed my PCA regularly, particularly when turning in bed, ouch! Morphine made me feel most peculiar and made me itch, but was v good painrelief. I was glad to get rid of the IV the next day though, and just carried on with Voltarol and Paracetamol.
Took about 2 weeks to feel comfortable enough, but well over 1 year for the scar to feel "normal".

Sorry about the lecture... this was quite therapeutic

mumof7+4 - great story!!!

henrietta thanks for advice.Been sleeping on my side for a long time. Must try something else!!

sariska sorry to hear your work news - SAHM sounds like a fab option tho!!

summer wow - congrats - what a lovely name and a great weight for one so early - maybe he wasn't really early IYSWIM!!

Sorry for all of you who are ending up with ELC's. I appreciate your concerns especially those with older children and how you manage that one. I have to be honest - with all the current upheaval I have at the mo the certainty of an ELC would actually be quite nice - also much calmer arrival for lo which some say makes for a calmer baby. Pluses to everything remember!!!

DH had his first interview yesterday. If he passes finds out next week) then he gets to do it all again first week of April - oh joy!!! First funeral on Tuesday but we have told LO that they are allowed to arrive now!!!! Getting crampy period pains so who knows - maybe he listened!!! Time will tell xx

Morning all. This thread is moving way too fast to keep up. Congrats to all with babes in arms and good luck to all in labour!

I have been in stitches reading some of the posts on here, especially re. Gaviscon and crazy dreams.

lisbapalea my 1 tip regarding clothing: get some maternity nighties (mothercare has some that are ok) or nighties that open at the top for breastfeeding (sorry if my assumption that you will try to breastfeed is incorrect). I had packed maternity pyjamas, ended up having a c-section and had to send my mum out to get some nighties from the shop as I couldn't wear the trousers over the wound.

mumof7 I like the idea of baby wanting to be closer to the heart.

I had a scan ages ago and my LO seems to be average size, which is the good news, but back2back, which isn't so great. I have a feeling he may have turned last night though as all of a sudden I started needing mint-snot, which I never had to use before (yuk).
Only a maximum of 25 days to go before he will definitely be here, not that I am counting or anything... Maybe I should start thinking about packing my bag .

one last thind lisbapalea had a an elcs with dd1 almost 17 years ago cant remember much about the actual c section which is probably a good sign . it was definitely a very calm serene experience but i do know that of all the deliveries i can remember hers most vividly can still see her little face hear her first scream etc .. with the others its far more hazy although i had no drugs except gas and air by the time they arrived after a couple of hours of at least discomfort at worst pain . i think i was quite woozy tierd and just wanted to flop back on the pillow rather than take in /remember every last detail. hope that is encouraging
as regards labour bag im redoing mine as like you didnt expect a section and really dont have any idea what to bring or expect.

Gosh, you ladies are all v keen this morning!

Re CS hospital bag:
Large knickers that go to your waist as the scar is likely to be just at the upper edge of you pubic hair
You may need less maternity pads than after VB as you will get well 'cleaned out' is theatre
Some kind of BFing cushion if you are planning on BFing
Arnica - either tablets or cream
I loved having a cold pack on my wound - wound will feel instantly so much better once the stitches/staples come out after a week. Unless you have a lovely surgeon who will do a subcuticular stitch which runs underneath your skin and gives the nicest cosmetic result in the longrun (no, I am not bitter...)

BTW, I preferred PJs as I found a top easier to pull up for BFing and felt less exposed. Maybe due to being large of norkage (and no spring chicken) I never got on with feeding through the front opening of anything...

Right, I am butting out now, I have more baby clothes to sort through and wash

pacific could you answer one question that is what the difference between spinal and epidural is do you know the pros and cons how was the spinal different from epidural do you get given a choice or do different consultants just have different preference
think ive come to terms with cs ultimately id rather take any of the risks going than a expose baby to any risk motherhood starts at delivery i keep telling myself .A lthough in some ways it would have been better to be told vaginal delivery will be fatal the difficult thing with breech is this grey area we know theres a greater risk but we cant tell you how graet that risk is which is hard to deal with and you are left to judge whether to risk it or not. once i have her safe and well how she arrived will just be a brief blip in the time we have together .