April 2015 - The babies are arriving thick and fast

[TheBooMonster]

The Antenatal thread is here

the stats thread is here snd the spreadsheet is here

We have a Facebook group, give me a shout if you want to join!

The 13th April is a good day to be born Squatting!

Am still too tires/sore to go through the birth fun, but I did find out that a couple of hours after we went in they closed admissions and we're sending women in labour to other hospitals!

13th April was ds1's due date

Ow ow ow ow ow! Baby fed almost constantly from 10-12.45 and is still asleep since then!!!! My boobs HURT!!!

Squatting make sure you get them to check the latch and positioning before you leave! And apply lansinoh lots!

Ah, here you all are!

So, my birth story, this may be a long one.......

Was already on fortnightly clinic appointments and scans due to a pre existing condition. Went to my 36 week appointment and the scan showed baby hadn't grown since 34 weeks, so I was admitted straight away to be induced as soon as there was space on delivery. Was moved over there in the early hours of the morning and given the pessary.

Started having some contractions, quite mild I think, within a couple of hours and carried on throughout the day.

Around mid afternoon I was put on a foetal heart rate monitor. Baby's heart rate kept on dipping then recovering so the monitor was kept on and the consultant kept checking regularly. This dipping heart rate became more frequent, and coupled with the fact that labour wasn't progressing we made the decision to go for a c-section. This was assessed as category 2 so we were aiming for delivery within 90minutes.

All very laid back, meeting the anaesthetists, surgeon etc and I was taken for my spinal. This is where my understanding of the situation at the time wasn't great, but now understand after reading my notes/debrief. While the spinal was being put in baby's heart rate dropped dramatically. It then became a category 1 c section, but as the spinal was already working they decided not to give me a general anaesthetic. Was wheeled into theatre and baby was delivered within three minutes - I hadn't even realised they had started the op!

DS had to be resuscitated at birth and went to NICU for a few days. It really wasn't a great experience but we're all here and safe, I can't thank the delivery team enough for all the decisions they took.

All doing good now and just love being home as our little family.

Loving reading all the birth stories!

Hope feeding is going well, DD is a boobfiend, assume she's going through a growth spirt as at 3 weeks my boobs feel like they did in the first few days!

Here's my long birth story....

Waters went at home in bed on Thursday 9th April at 3.45 at 39 + 2, rang the low risk Birth centre where I was booked in told to go in and be checked. HB, bp, urine all checked, hind waters confirmed to have gone but as no contractions sent home and told to expect contractions within 24 hours. Appt made for birth centre attached at the hospital for 8am on Friday 10th if contractions were not regular.

Irregular Contractions started at 2.25am on the Friday, arrived at 8am on the antenatal ward and the decision was made to induce. Pessary inserted and paracetamol taken. Contractions very quickly became every 6 - 7 minutes, Midwife sent me for a bath because I had pains in my back, when I stood up to get out of the bath the Pessary fell out. Contractions slowed down to every 20 -25 minutes at 9pm they decided that I would be put on a drip to restart the contractions but I would need to go to the birth suite because I was no longer classed as low risk due to my waters breaking.

Arrived on birth suite at Midnight and monitored before being hooked up to the drip. Contractions started again and were coming every 5 minutes, offered gas and air which made me quite sick and wasn't really touching the pain but I could not have Pethidine or diamorphine due to an allergic reaction after a GA a few years ago. Fore waters were also broken to try and encourage things along. At 4am I asked for an epidural as I was not coping with the pain and was exhausted, midwife went to arrange but not long after it was arranged an emergency in theatre happened and there was no anaesthetist available. I finally got my epidural at 7.30am and I was 3cm dilated the relief was instant, DH was sent to get breakfast and I had a sleep when I woke I said I needed a poo midwife suddenly started opening packets and said I think it's time to start pushing and when checked I was fully dilated.

Started pushing and they could see baby had a full head of hair so thought it won't be long until I meet him or her but after an hour there was no progress a Dr was called to examine me and he discovered baby had turned and was back to back but to try and push for 1 more hour. Once that hour had passed the decision was made to go to theatre as baby's head was not turning the way it should be. I signed the consent form for all options to deliver the baby.

On arrival into theatre it was explained they were going to attempt a forceps delivery, epidural was topped up and I went very numb. Episiotomy and forceps were used and my baby was placed directly on to me within 3 minutes of the cut so that I could announce the sex of the baby which was an amazing thing to annouce she was a girl. Eleanor was taken to be cleaned and checked and we did skin to skin when she was brought back but very soon after I started shaking and being sick so DH held Eleanor whilst I was attended to. Stitches took about half an hour because they couldn't stop the bleeding.

Once in recovery I just wanted to sleep and couldn't keep my eyes open. I was taken to the post natal ward and DH looked after his little girl whilst I slept. After 1 night on post natal I had my catheter removed at 7am and was allowed to get out of bed for the 1st time and I felt like bambi on ice but managed to have a shower which felt wonderful.

Eleanor had to be checked every 4 hours but passed all checks and was feeding on demand so we were discharged at 5pm on Sunday 12th April where we proceeded to do the slowest drive home with our very precious cargo

Total time of labour from waters going to delivery - 59 hours and 46 minutes

Even though it wasn't the calm water birth I had planned I would go through it all again as I am absolutely besotted with her.

just marking place now that some of the chat is moving over here.

No time or energy to recount birth story but only partly effective epidural which wasn't great.

anyway, DD2 is here and I'm remembering the tough newborn phase.

I can't say i'm loving day 4/5 either livvy. This baby doesn't want to sleep and all the hard work to get some kind of feeding pattern has gone to pot. I hope we can get some sleep tonight as I feel so hazed

oh firaffe chin up. I haven't even hit the hard yards yet really as we are day two. The first six weeks are v hard I think and then you start to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Lovely reading all the stories. Think I'm ready to write mine now- wasn't a straight forward birth- I was write to not bother with birth plan!

Thursday 9th I was 38 weeks. Few period pains in day. Went to lie down at 3.30pm and heard and felt a pop. Got up and there was a tiny spurt of water. Kept lying down and waiting to see if more came- which it did but in little bits- so I wasn't really sure if it was waters. At 4 I developed an abdo pain it waxed and warned but was never completely gone- therefore I thought it couldn't be contractions.

Didn't want to get DH home as he was in a meeting till 21:00 and if her stayed at the meeting he would get the day of friday so I didn't want to call for a false alarm.
Luckily SIL came round and persuaded me to go in at 7. No phone signal at all at hospital so no chance to ring anyone from this point- including parents. Luckily DHs colleagues told him to leave the meeting and he arrived at 20:00.
Pain steadily worse but still constant- so I was sure it couldn't be contractions.

Examined at 8- waters were leaking but cervix 1cm and still posterior- but they didn't want to send me home due to pain- admitted to pre-labour ward.
Vomited loads then given pethidine- DH given choice to go home but stayed.

At midnight I was in agony. - still content though. As mw examined me I started involuntary pushing. Examined and waters exploded. Found to be fully dilated. - in 4 hours.

Told baby was coming quick and so could not have pain relief and they literally ran me to the labour ward.

Unfortunately everything started goin wrong. Instead of baby shooting out (mw had expected this) I was pushing well and continuously and nothing happened. NICE guidelines say push for max 2 hours before obs need calling- unfortunately they were in theatre- I had been pushing for 4 hours with no pain relief before they could come.

Basically baby very stuck high up and back to back and brow. This is why my pain had been so severe and constant. When Drs realised how long this had gone on I was rushed for EMCS- too stuck for forceps.

Spinal was the most amazing thing ever and the c sect was also great after what I had been through. Scarlett finally out at 5:18.

Due to the fact I'd had nearly a full labour and EMCS I was in a bad way- severe coccyx pain etc. was given my own room and really well looked after.

End of the day all the HCP were amazing - I suffered due to staffing levels and not incompetence and I can't thank the team enough. I'm just so happy with Scarlett that everything else is insignificant.

At 6am DH left to call everyone about our early arrival!!

Sorry too long a post!

My only question is- how do I get baby to sleep on her own- so far she's slept on my chest every night which I know isn't good...

Eek the pushing bit sounds awful Naomi! Someone wiser might advise about sleeping but from what I've heard/read it's not unusual for them to just want to sleep on you as you're all they know from being inside etc. that doesn't make it any easier does it. Can you put her down for naps in the day? I would feed/cuddle until very sleepy/Asleep then cuddle more, when deeper asleep wrap blanket around tight and cuddle again then when sure she's settled put down in crib and cross fingers!

I know that goes against putting them down awake etc but it's what seems to work at the moment! Last 2 nights we have warmed The crib before bed with a microwave heat pack and along with her being fed and sleepy that's bought us 90min ish of her staying in the crib!

Still need to do my birth story, will try soon but watched one born every minute yesterday morning and the young lady had a birth really similar to mine. Was really good to see it and understand as being there it was all just a bit overwhelming!

Has anyone else been told they don't advise swaddling any more? He was swaddled all the time in hospital but on discharge the midwife dealing with us that day (who we hadn't had before) said they don't advise swaddling at night.

No I havent, hospital swaddled my little man too! I haven't as he doesn't seem bothered by not being once he's ready to settle. Did she say why?

We were told at antenatal classes not to swaddle all the body as they can overheat so to just wrap under the arms and leave their arms free. But in hospital it was tight and right up to her chin. I am swaddling with a cellular blanket under her arms and she is sleeping.

My antenatal classes said not to swaddle tightly as there is now evidence relating to hip problems in later life if baby is swaddled too tight as used to be reccomended. She said a loose swaddle is fine but kind of defeats the principle of them being wrapped in the "womb"

Have had a break through with eva sleeping. We have now put a rolled up blanket on each side of the pram up to her armpits and then tuck a blanket tightly over her. The lack of space to roll seems to make a real difference. The midwife also suggested patting her chest like a heartbeat if she struggling. Weve now had a few full nights of her sleeping in her pram!

Will write birthstory soon but its too slow on my phone!

heyitsholly we have made 'sausages' out of blankets as well for in the crib as Eleanor looked a bit lost with all the empty space and she has slept really well for the past 2 nights.

They didn't give a reason, just it wasn't recommended any more up to 6 weeks I think it was. Maybe it's because of the hip problems. haven't been swaddling DS since we came home but he did settle more quickly I think before.

They swaddled Scarlett to settle her in hospital but told us not to do it !!

Penguin the pushing was awful- I remember asking to be put down! An obstetrician friend said I should be angry- but at the end of the day it was a staffing issue and all the staff were great. Whole ordeal was les then 12 hours and I'm so happy with baby I cannot be upset about the birth.

I was looked after really well.

We tried sausages and swaddling and E wasn't impressed with any of it, though we've propped one end of the crib up a bit and folded a towel up for her to lay on and she sometimes submits to a couple of hours in the crib. Mostly she's sleeping in the bed with us once DH has gone to sleep and thus can't object

Hello. Can I join? was on the april mc ante - natal board and I am on the fb so hopefully I can link the fb people to the ones on here with my sleep deprived brain

ds was born March 22nd at 36+2. mucous plug went at 36+0 and waters went the next day at 6pm. went to get it checked at the hospital and no evidence of waters or labour. was waiting to see Dr at 11pm and go home and then got a small tummy twinge. This kept happening so asked the mw to put the trace on. by then it was proper cramps and I was in labour and 4cm. she said she would sort out me going to delivery. by the time I was on the way to delivery I was in full blown labour and felt down and could feel a head. got into the suite had a couple of pushes and he was out at 12.40am. 90 mins or so from 1st twinge and officially 39 minutes 1st stage and 1 minute pushing. was much better than my 1st birth and dare I say it, painful but doable with a bit of gas and air. (Wanted an epidural after last time but that never happened. )

Ds is doing great and feeding loads and gaining lots of weight. However, I am not getting much sleep and he is suffering with hiccups and tummy pain after eating.

also finding managing two and getting out the house and staying safe when out tough. After yesterday's disaster outing I am tempted to stay in forever but then dd will get bored and probably misbehave even more. how are people with a toddler getting on when on their own? thinking maybe more play dates rather than outings for dd?

should probably try and get some sleep now as dh will get up with my dd and ds is in a milk coma. now got to transfer him to his cot.....

ivegotacavetroll - that sounds like my 1st birth and the pain was terrible and didn't ever subside between contractions. well done on getting through it!

Wow Lig- what an amazing labour- they expected Dd. To fly out after the quick first stage - but it just didn't happen. Strangely I don't feel negative about it- it feels like it happened to someone else-.very strange.

I imagine getting out with baby and toddler is very difficult- hard enough with baby alone.

I am glad my toddler is at nursery, but it's tough doing the pick ups and bedtimes and so on..