Second time around- what do I really need to do to prepare?

[Gigondas]

I suppose this is the childbirth equivalent of NSC . Am nearly 33 week pregnant and not done much hypno birthing, exercise been a lot less this time (have had an issue with painful hip etc) and just thought prob should do some perineal massage.

However feeling so done in so what are anyone's quick recommendations for must do things to prepare? Am hoping for anothe vaginal delivery but will almost certainly end up with an epidural as at high risk of having retained placenta so the pain relief element of birth I am less worried bout.

When having DC2 I drank lots of raspberry leaf tea and feel that that helped a lot, the MW asked me if I had been drinking it so she must have noticed a difference.

If you hip is painful could you try swimming or pregnancy yoga?

I had DC2 three weeks ago and the honest answer is Very Little - best thing was to make sure I slept whenever I got the chance, thought as little as possible about labour and ate really well. Did no exercise other than play with my loony toddler - which am sure is plenty! - plus did pelvic floors as often as I could. Drank one cup of raspberry tea when I was 40+11 and had v quick and easy labour the next day ... Good luck!

Thanks- am doing pelvic floor and have raspberry leaf tea. Also agree sleep a plan (made that mistake last time!).

Am doing Pilates but problem is more muscular (it's actually literally a pain in the bum caused by hypermobile hip ) so stretching can help. But swimming could be a plan when I am on maternity leave .

And thanks for replies

I'm watching this thread with interest, as I'm a couple of weeks behind you with DC2. Hope the rest of your pregnancy, the birth and parenting second time round all go well for you

Glad you posted this. Im 31+6 with DD2 and not sure what im meant to be doing! Been doing the same as you so far :)

Me too. Am nearly 37 weeks and have done flap all this time. I try to sleep when I can but DD doesn't make it that easy!

Raspberry leaf tea then...is it supposed to bring on labour or just an easier one? Never drank it the last time.

OP,can I ask why you are at high risk of a retained placenta & as such why an epidural is on the cards (for easier manual removal of placenta)? Will the epidural be automatic or only if you want it for pain relief during labour? Just interested to glean more info on RP stuff as I had it with DS & would dearly love to avoid it again for obvious reasons!

31+4 with DC2 and have done nothing, other than pelvic floors.

Am lurking/posting as I would quite like some reminders of what to do. When do I start drinking raspberry leaf tea (drank gallons last time as I loved it)? Should I get one of those gym ball thingys?

Where can I look up breathing exercises? I don't really want to do a class again but can't remember anything from last time.

And how can I handle the pain a bit better? I was ready for my epidural quite early on and would like to be able to cope a bit longer.

Pelvic floors and any exercise you can manage - even just a gentle walk every day. Will set you in better stead for after the birth.

I had a planned section with second baby, but still listened to the natal hypnotherapy CD (think you can get it on Amazon - Maggie Howell, I think). I used to fall asleep within 5 min of putting it on, but it definitely helped me to feel calmer.

I did absolutely nothing to prepare for dc2. At 40w I felt panicked that I hadn't prepared & listened to a hypnobirthing podcast which just made me feel more nervous! At 40w1 I went into labour. Lovely easy labour, which dc1 wasn't.

idlevice, I had retained placenta with DC1 and DC2. With DC1 it wasn't picked up till 10 weeks after she was born and I had a D&C when she was 12 weeks old. With DC2 they checked and double checked the placenta and thought it was all there but as the midwife was doing a few stitches she thought I was leaking a bit much blood and gave me an ultrasound. There was some placenta retained so I went to theatre and had it removed. TMI, but because it was within a couple of hours of the birth everything was still so stretch they didn't even break the stitches getting it out. With DC3 I did nothing different but had no retained placenta. But they did give me an ultrasound after the birth to make sure there was nothing left.

I have had all three with only gas and air and no-one has ever suggested that I needed an epidural due to the risk of it happening. They do make me have an IV needle point in at the start of labour but that is more because I had a haemorrhage (she tore cervix not placental) with DC1 than the retained placenta.

I have been told that if you have retained placenta once you are more likely to have it again. If in any doubt ask for an ultrasound after the baby is born, it only takes 5 mins to check there is nothing there.

No. 4 is due in 10 days so I am hoping it is like DC3.

OP, it is also worth reading back over the breast feeding attachment pages if you are going to do it. I BF for 10-11 months and had forgotten with DC3 how much help you need to give a newborn to attach until DH reminded me.

I am on 4 cups of raspberry leaf tea a day since 36 weeks. It can help to ripen and soften the cervix.

The only other thing I am doing is reading a book called Active Birth Skills by JuJu Sundin, about using your other senses to distract yourself from the pain. It has got me through the previous 3 labours.

Zuleika Carmen and Gwendoline Mary glad its not just me.idevice reason for rp is that I had it on both dd and ds (who was stillborn at 22 weeks ). Consultant thinks high risk of recurrence . Epidural used to remove it but I was given one last time as my Bp was peaking and dd was in distress/ I was throwing up and feverish so was to calm (I was about 7cm then so reasinaabky far along).

My view on epidural is likely to need it anyway and given how ill I feel (it is like I get gastric flu) it helps. I did find tens hypno birthing and visualisation helpful so better drag cd out.

It's interesting that someone said helped with c section- scanned today and if baby doesn't move by 36 weeks will be planned c section.

Oh and my experience of placenta beng removed just after was slight delay in being sorted and getting a cup if teas as they rummaged around to sort it in theatre.

Thx for your experiences of RP. I'm 37weeks but not doing any preparation as I haven't got the energy or enthusiasm. It can't be any worse than last time basically so I really can't justify the effort to myself.