Hello, hello everybody. Gosh it?s good to be back ? I have missed you all although have enjoyed catching up and looking at the updated pictures. Dammit we have some seriously good looking children here.
It?s been pretty lively here but we are doing well. I am just so shattered at the end of each day though that if I stay awake until 9pm I?m doing well so my MNing time has been cut right down. I just tend to lurk on my iphone when I?m feeding Clara ? which is a lot at the moment. She is gaining weight nicely ? like her brother she is tracking the 50th centile. I have incredibly average children in terms of weight gain so at least I get spared all that grief that HV?s tend to dish out when babies start to stray from the middle ground. I?m enjoying it so much though. I am way calmer that I was when DS was a baby and as this is likely to be my last child I am trying to savour every moment. DS has reacted brilliantly and taken it all in his stride. We haven?t seen too much jealousy yet. My biggest problem is how to stop him trashing the house around my ears during his sisters many feeds. I have also posted some news pics.
Bella It probably seems ages ago now but congratulations on the birth of baby William! Gorgeous name and seriously gorgeous baby ? he looks so cute in his Tummy Tub! We have one too ? DS loved his and so far Clara seems to as well. 9lbs 9oz is not a small baby ? no wonder it took you a while to get him out! I hope you are enjoying riding the rollercoaster of the first few weeks of parenthood. It?s a bumpy ride but the highs are so worth it.
Irish You must be about 15 weeks by now. It?s great that you have heard your little ones heart beating away strongly. Any news on a scan date yet? It must be so nice being one of the pudding club at work ? lots of you to share your pregnant thoughts! Enjoy being able to eat again.
Jumping Congrats on becoming Dr. Jumping. I hope you are proud of yourself. The mastitis sounds like utter agony ? so glad that is over for you. I hope that Ffion is getting over her cough and is giving you a bit of a rest ? well, relatively speaking of course. I can understand why you have gone back to work. I?ve done a couple of pieces of work since Clara was born because I felt I just couldn?t say no if I wanted that client to ever give me any work again. Plus the money isn?t to be sniffed at of course. The joys of self employment.....
Blue Ben is a handsome little chap indeed. I?m not surprised he?s chubbing up with all that feeding. It is quite knackering isn?t it? Worth it though (as I have to remind myself when I?m sat up in bed at 3m trying to wake Clara after she has nodded off after a mere 5 mins on the job which means she is guaranteed to wake again within about 90 minutes for some more). I hope his first set of jabs weren?t too traumatic ? I?m not looking forward to that one at all. I share your views on the vbac husband in ?One Born Every Minute.? Utter tosser. I love the program though ? I was in floods yesterday watching it. Just the sight of a newborn snuggled in its hospital issue towel makes me turn instantly to mush. I blame the hormones.
Head How are things going? Francesca is beautiful. Clara never smiles on cue either! She is really only just starting to smile occasionally anyway ? her default look is either very surprised or looking like she has the weight of the world on her shoulders. I hope she?s allowing you at least a little more sleep these days. How is your DS adapting now? Has he de clung a little?
Girl I hope with all of my heart that all is well with you.
Sunny Blimey I can?t believe you are 32 weeks already! I?m glad it?s all going well. I did indeed have a VBAC in the end. The hospital were supportive of a VBAC but very much on their terms ? continuous monitoring, canula etc. I had decided prior to going into labour that I would decline continuous monitoring as in my opinion there is no evidence that it improves outcomes and my 1st birth involved me being hooked up to a monitor as I was induced - and the outcome was a failed labour and section. In the end though I got very lucky. I was only 2cm when I went in (much to my disappointment at the time) but the midwives didn?t want us to leave because I was contracting every 3-4 mins and live quite far from the hospital. It was midnight so very few consultants abd registrars around. They left me to it in their ?home room? for a couple of hours with the agreement that I could go if nothing had progressed after 2 hours. Well, after 2 hours my waters had gone, I was 9cm and wanting to push. Clara was born soon after. I think the fact that they left us to it really helped. I moved around freely and I think that played a huge part in the fact that it was such an easy labour. I was moved to a delivery suite and the monitoring kit for the pushing part but at that point I didn?t really care. The pushing only lasted about half an hour.
I think if you want a VBAC the views of your hospital are key. If they don?t match yours then you have to decide if you are prepared to argue with them and refuse their recommendations if necessary. There is a lot on MN about it and plenty of advice. IMO a lot of hospital policy doesn?t make sense. The extra monitoring is because of the risk of scar rupture yet the risk of that is less than the risk of a cord prolapse occurring in any labour ? VBAC or otherwise. Yet monitoring isn?t standard across the board. Either it is safe or it isn?t IYSWIM. And anything that reduces mobility reduces your chance of a successful VBAC.
Incidentally I also decided that if I didn't go into labour naturally by 42 weeks I would have a elective cs rather than have my waters broken and a trial of labour. Best of luck with whatever you decide.
Goodness me I may not have posted for while but I have certainly made up for it! Thinking of you all xx