Anyone due in April 2004 - part 2

[Fennel]

here we are, new thread so we can keep up to date with all the labour pains.

OOOh I see, Mrs D. HHHmmm still seem a rather tactless way to put it - what about - your baby has a beautiful head of hair!! Mw told me my baby had a "big sgwidgy bum". And she's never even met my DH!

Know what you mean dolbear, about the fears, rational and irrational. My friends who've given birth keep looking at me in a puzzled way and saying things like "You don't seem too worried about the birth" in that way that implies that i should be . I KNOW I should be!!!!

The truth is that i'm just in denial.In my heart of hearts i know i will go on being pregnant forever and this baby will NEVER come out. Labour and birth will never happen to me...........la la la fingers in ears i'm not listening....

My thoughts exactly Lesley!
I would like a baby though, and NOW would be nice.
Dh has just suggested a very bumpy ride in the car - any thoughts?
Shall I post another thread? or is it too boring?
Gosh I am getting brave

I think it's perfectly rational to fear "losing it".

Lesley76, according to my medic sister, the important thing about the sex is the banging away at the cervix, together with the hormones (what are they called, prostglandins or something?) released. If you can manage orgasms the oxytocin (? clearly I am not medically trained) also helps. So you need something hard banging away at your cervix! hope that's not too graphic, you did ask...

Fennel
I think most people are afraid of birth in some way, whether it's the fear of the unknown, or the anticipated pain, loss of dignity, control or whatever. We all cope with this in different ways, and who is to say whose way is best?
Roll on May and for all our babies to be here, safe and well!

hear , hear and ahmen to that !
this cold is realy taking hold, mind you one good sneeze ? is there anything in the books on bringing on labour by sneezing ?

Hi all - I'm here and feeling pretty scared/low... had my ante natal this morning and have a date for induction - this Sunday. Have realised I really REALLY don't want to be induced and am now completely terrified....

Can anyone answer this very silly question - when they do internals to check your cervix, do they always use a speculum, or just their hands?? I know, this is a strange one to ask, but I hate internals - refused to have one today (dp thought I was off my rocker...) 'cos I wasn't sure how she'd do it, and felt silly asking. If it's just hands I think I can cope, but I just can't 'do' speculums.... Aaarrgghhh!!! Can't believe I'm worrying about this now - I know it's too late - but I'm sooooooo scared re: being induced - both the gel or breaking waters thing scares me...

So, this afternoon I sent dp off in the pouring rain to buy a pineapple and I've munched my way through the best part of a whole one already!! Have also doubled my raspberry leaf tablets - so will let you know if this all works..! I know this is also silly, but my logic is that once I'm in labour I won't mind internal exams, but up until then I really don't want them messing around - I'm so crap with pain and they always seem to really hurt...

Right, will go 'cos I'm on a bit of a downer...

Thank you Fennel, that's just what I needed to know. Someone had suggested somewhere on Mumsnet (must have been a man!!!!) that the key thing was...em........oral ingestion of the aforementioned prostoglandins. But what you are saying makes sense.So now I'm armed with the correct info, all i have to do is persuade poor exhausted DH!!!

Oh Dot, I'm sorry to hear your news. We all thought that you were in labour by now as you've been so quiet.

Like you I really dread being induced. The bit i'm worried about is that you have to spend so much longer in hospital and that there is intervention right fom the start.

I also hate the internal exams so i don't think you are silly at all to refuse today. Even if you are already dilated - so what? Mrs D has been dilating for about 2 weeks ( havent you dear???)

I think they just use their hand to examine you but I'm sure someone else will know for definite. yuck yuck yuck

Dot

I know what you mean about really not wanting to be induced. but there are quite a few positive stories on the recent induction thread.

I thought internals were just by hand but don't really know - always tried to ignore it happening!

Lesley that must indeed have been a man in disguise suggesting that. the prostoglandin things have to be applied direct to the cervix.

it's all getting a bit gory isn't it. can't we just talk about decorating the nursery or whether to buy musical cot mobiles?

sorry to bring the thread down - yes, of course we can talk nurseries! Ours is more or less ready - but keeps getting sabataged by ds who of course thinks everything in there is hugely interesting and just for him (the soft baby toys we've got, and mobiles) - poor old baby's not going to see any of his/her stuff, I reckon..!

thanks Lesley 76 - I didn't see the point in being examined today, as nothing's going to happen until Sunday, when they'd want to examine me again anyway - just really don't want any unnecessary exams. Dp was horrified 'cos she said that if a doctor had told her she was going to have an exam she'd never think to question them - but my fear makes me more assertive!

Hello, it's me again. I'm one of your biggest fans, all of you. Speaking as someone obsessed with sleep (14 wks pg and a night time wee-hound) I just want to wish you all, and Lesley and (I think Fennel) in particular, a really good night of restful sleep.

Dot 1. I feeeeeeeel for you being late. I was, terribly. It's the worst kind of ennui (ooh la-de-da, which is, btw, also French). Internals are SO not as bad as smears IMHO, really they aren't.

dot1 - internal examination is done with 2 fingers. Speculums are only used if there is a question about whether your waters have broken or not. A speculum allows you to see if there is any water leaking through the cervix.
You do not need to have had an internal before you are admitted. You will need one on Sunday though to know whether you need prosin gel to soften the cervix or whether you only need your waters broken. Hopefully though you may well go yourself before Sunday. Good luck

dot1

about the internals - i've done the labour thing once before and for what its worth at the 1st exam they used one of those metal dick things ( sorry but thats the most apt way to describe it) and a metal spatula to check my waters had broken. it wasn't uncomfortable. the midwife then removed the metal thing and put her hand in. she demonstrated how far i was dilated by showing me 2 fingers width as 2cm. after that i only had 2 other exams - both times the midwife asked to make sure it was OK and measured dilation with fingerwidths. I'm absolutely sure if you tell anyone who wants to do an internal that you don't want any instruments they will respect your wishes.

have tried pineapple in an effort to bring on labour - about half an hour ago - will let the board know if it works - i hope so, not really up for any banging away at my cervix !

anyone had any weird dreams ? last night i dreamt we got the baby home and put it on the mantlepiece - if fell off and broke ( like humpty dumpty).

Just popped over from the October strand to say good luck to you, really hope it all goes well for you all (and soon by the sounds of it!).

Am incredibly relieved to hear that you can still be denial in the month you are due. I know I have no intention of changing that for a good while yet!

Hope you all get a good nights sleep.

Help! - I can't keep up with the volume of messages.

Dot - I hope it happens for you 'naturally' before Sunday...and welcome Peppergirl. Lesley / Fennel - I'm with you on the insomnia problem. Frustrating because I am normally such a rock solid sleeper.

Dolbear, actually I never once forgot that I was half naked when in labour...and my inhibitions and fears of involuntarily defaecating whilst in labour really inhibited my willingness and ability to push....so I understand why you might worry about loss of control etc. This time around I am going to ask for an enema when in early labour, so that I can lay to rest and cease worrying about my own particular fear.

dot 1, when i had my first baby she was late and at my 41 week appointment with the consultant I told her I had been having a few of these stop/start days, so she suggested giving me and internal to see what was going on, and because she could do a 'sweep' at the same time. She said I was 2 cm then and I did have a show afterwards. Then went into spontaneous labour about 36 hours later, it might be worth having an internal to avoid being induced chemically. I hate internals/smears etc too, but it really wasn't very uncomfortable and she didn't use a speculum. The other things to try if you want to avoid induction are homeopathy and/or acupuncture. There are some remedies which are particularly recommended for overdue babies and I could look them up if you are into that sort of thing. I had acupuncture for no.2 as he went the full 2 weeks over and they were threatening me with a section. I don't know if it was the one thing that finally made him get moving, but something out of the curry/sex/walking/homeopathy/pineapple/acupuncture did! Or else as someone said today, they just come when they are ready! - and you don't have to accept the induction date you are given, especially if the baby is well and so are you.

The sex thing as I understand it is that semen had prostaglandins in which can help the cervix to ripen and thin - apparently it's a good idea to stay on your back afterwards with a pillow under your bum so that the semen stays up against the cervix for as long as poss. All very romantic!

Good evening Girls!
The goodly dh brought home a pineapple and I immediately took to the poor thing with a knife. Well I ate the best part of the whole thing - dh thought he would try a bit too. Alas, I am afraid to say, no show, just a rumbling tummy!! Like you too dot, I am gobbling up the raspberry leaf tablets. Did I mention earlier that I have upped the dose? Still no good.
Dot I wouldn't worry about the internal thing, you have every right to voice your concerns. I am sure the MW would rather you spoke to her about it. They are fully aware it is a sensitive issue with many people. If it helps ( and I am being very personal here), until two weeks ago I had never had an internal for a smear!!!! I am aware many of you may be shocked - I have been told off many times for not addressing the issue. It's just something that I have really struggled with and I haven't even got a proper excuse.
Other than that I am feeling pretty impatient too as I would like to have a baby for Easter and not go through this hideous hanging around for another weekend.
So now after my little rant I shall leave you all in peace.
Btw I read that the most effective method of getting your prostaglandins is orally - that way there is no waste!! Yummy!!!

Thanks everyone so much - I feel so emotional at the moment - am filling up 'cos you've taken the time to give me some info - am now feeling much better re: internals and the lack of speculums involved..! I've just had really bad experiences with having smears - v. painful and bleeding in the past - so anyway, thanks for your reassurance - hugely hugely appreciated!

The pineapple munching doesn't seem to have done much yet - although I've told dp it's a pineapple a day from now until Sunday! Mrs D - I've upped my raspberry leaf tablets aswell, and I went for a mammoth (OK, round the block!) walk this afternoon..!

I keep forgetting it's Easter - all sense of time and where we are in the year seems to have gone - it's just this weird day by day is-it-going-to-happen feeling at the moment...

Hello and welcome peppergirl - fingers crossed for you for the weekend - we could all be pushing at the same time?!

At least we'll be keeping the birth announcements thread busy in the next couple of weeks or so...??!

Another morning - are we all still here? DP hopefully offered me some more cervix banging but I declined and am off to the science museum (manchester) by tram instead with the dds.

I'm another smear-avoider, was pleased to read recently that there's not much evidence they actually cut down rates of cervical cancer so that's a good excuse to never have one again!

I am so excited by the latest research news (in today's guardian) that I am posting links to it on two threads!

guardian article

hurrah!

sorry, for those who can't access links, that item says that women who eat chocolate in pregnancy give birth to happier and more active babies.

Fennel,

You've made my day!

(have already eaten a mars bar and half a twirl bar and its only 9.43). Was feeling disgusted with myself until I saw this

Chocolate-dipped pineapple, anyone?

Morning!

Fennel and Mrs D - any pains recently? - it's all gone horribly quiet on the pain front...

I had quite a few last night, and was getting excited, but then realised this seems to happen every time we have lentil stew for tea, and possibly wasn't baby but just wind..!! Needless to say when I finally got to sleep at 3am, it all stopped and this morning it's back to normal.

Am trying to be a bit more positive though that baby will arrive before Sunday - it's ages yet and there's no reason it won't pitch up of it's own accord. Have sent dp to the shops to buy pineapple no. 2 - can't tell you how bizarre this is for me, as someone who doesn't eat fruit at all (I know...) - ooh, except strawberries with LOADS of sugar on...

Still here I am afraid. I think we are resigning ourselves to thie weekend as per my Mothers prediction - labour on Sunday and drop Monday morning.
Nothing exciting atall. Apart from the marvellous revelation that I can go and get some chocolate and not feel guilty!!!