handholding please. Just dreading it. All of it :-(

[madmomma]

I'm due with my 3rd on xmas eve and I'm really not looking forward to it at all. Feel totally confused about how to handle all the choices. My previous 2 pregnancies went 17 and 14 days overdue (14 days being the induction, 17 days being natural). I'm really awful at dealing with pain, and they were both long, hideous back labours with posterior babies. 2nd ended in forceps because I was too exhausted to push him out :( This baby is also back to back, and I am convinced I will go to 42wks+ again. I hated the prostin induction I had last time, and I'm scared of another forceps delivery being necessary due to exhaustion from the pain (or drugs, who knows?) I have no idea whether to have another induction, or to refuse and hang on. I am on my knees with this pregnancy - can barely walk with SPD and am having to heave around a large 1yr old all day every day. My mental health is shit, despite staying on antidepressants, and I just feel so confused about everything. I now have a poss UTI too (protein in urine today). I have the option of mw unit or consultant led delivery ward & I've no idea which to go for. The midwife who saw me today told me I'm 'rubbish at having babies' - which she meant well, but it hit a nerve really. I know I need to shake myself and get into a more positive mindset, but I just can't seem to. I see other Mums being so gung-ho about the pain, but I just panic. It felt genuinely unbearable last time - worse than the first time. My contractions with both babies came 2 minutes apart right from the latent phase, and there was just no time to get myself together inbetween them. I'm rambling now - sorry. Just feel I've lost the plot a bit. Help? Advice? Thanks for reading that drivel.x

will do, definitely.x Really hope I'll be home for Christmas. Thanks for the support.

oh, good! I really hope you come back with a really positive birth story, be it CS (as I'd do if I were you!) or induction.

I'll watch your thread.
xx

CS booked for the 23rd & I'll be in for 3-5 days at the request of the psychiatrist. He won't let them discharge me until I've had a full psychiatric assessment and a careplan put in place for the first few weeks. The consultant just booked me for a CS on the advice of the psychiatrist, so I didn't even have to go and discuss anything with him. Pre-op on Mon. Psych also told my husband to sign off work until I'm recovered from the birth. I can't tell you the relief at not having to try and look after the 1yr old on my own.
The SPD is leaving me pretty much immobile now (after I made it worse by running/hobbling round outside having a panic attack the other night!)
But everything feels doable now I've got support in place. I can't tell you how much it means to me that you've all taken the time to support me. Thanks so much.x

Oh I'm so pleased! I won't say good luck because you won't need it, you don't need luck, it is clearly all going to be fine! Shame you'll be in over Christmas, but better that than anything else IMO.

Can I be really selfish and ask you to say how the CS goes?! As I may well have one?! No problem if not, you'll be busy enough.

Great your DH will be helping with the DC too.

So pleased you have got sorted. Mine is booked for 23rd too! We are postponing Xmas to a few days later!
Hope it all goes well. Sounds like you have great support in place which will be such a help.

Course I will dream.x Ah good idea charlie, and hopefully it won't be you doing all the cooking. Come back on the thread and tell us about your little one & how it went.x

Happy Christmas everyone. Just got home with my brand new daughter - Laila Genevieve. Born 10.30am 23rd dec weighing a tidgy 6lb 4oz.
Caesarean went really smoothly - no complications, nowhere near as much pain afterwards as I'd expected, amazingly neat, fine wound and most importantly a perfectly healthy baby (clicky hip aside)!
I absolutely feel I made the right choice for us opting for the section this time. I actually found the pain from a small perineal tear worse than the pain from the section wound. Laila didn't seem in the least surprised to be lifted out through the sunroof, and has fed virtually non stop ever since, so my milk's in early, which is great (last time it took 9 days because of the trauma of the labour & delivery). I'm having follow up care from the psychiatric team, but they're very optimistic that I'll be on an upward trajectory from now. So thanks very much to you all for your kindness and care. It really did make a difference, and it's much appreciated.x

Congratulations on your fantastic news- excellent!

Oh well done you! Massive congratulations. Sounds like you made the right choice without a doubt. How lovely to have her and not be stressed and worried and enormously pg at Christmas. I'm so pleased for you. (And v encouraged by your CS experience). Xxx

Congratulations madmomma !! SO glad it went well for you - merry Christmas to you and your family!

Haven't really posted on your thread but did lurk a bit. Congratulations, and what a beautiful name. How lovely that you got home on Christmas day too.

Congratulations! :)

Congratulations! And well done.

Congratulations! Gorgeous name and I think you have done so so well!

Absolutely fabulous, I'm so very glad it worked out for you

Thanks very much everyone. Psychiatrist called yesterday and discharged me. I am officially sane! And my SPD has largely gone so it's happy days

Congratulations to you .

I'm really glad you got the birth you wanted, and that you sound so well.