The Berry-Copter!!!

[Bunnygirlie]

The Berry thread - berries (over 30s) pregnant with first baby after trying 12+ months.

Support, advice and hand holding from the grads.

Don't forget to CLENCH!

Also the local doula charges £450 and I'm honestly not sure we can afford it given that we will lose our main source of income whilst I'm on mat leave.....

I know this sounds mad, rp, but perhaps the doula fund could come from friends and family? I mean, most people will want to buy you guys a gift, so perhaps asking for a doula contribution is the way forward? I wouldn't be embarrassed to ask my circle of close friends and family, but I know it must sounds a bit random.

Congrats boom! I had no idea!
Amazing news.

RP my local hospital intervention/section rate is sky high. Because of that I had chosen to avoid it and use a different one (however the birth centre opened in the meantime so I didn't have to go to the other one in the end) so I know exactly what you are facing.

Did you say you had a birth centre that was further away? it may be with the distance that they will let you go in earlier than they would with a normal delivery. The thing is you just don't know how your labour is going to go. For me we had to drive 2 mins up the road and i couldn't have lasted any longer in the car, but I was 7cm at the time.

If a doula isn't an option how about you hedge your bets. Get a copy of your notes at the birth centre and your local hospital. Aim for the birth centre, and if you can make your way there if/while your contractions are manageable and spaced out then great. If it's too much/too late/too far once you're in labour then the local hospital it is.

It's a difficult one, as I am one of those annoying people who believe that you can do things to help ensure you get a natural birth. Having said that, in many circumstances it is out of your control and you don't end up with that choice so all your nice plans may easily go out of the window. Remember even in a hospital you must consent to ALL interventions so if you've done your homework you can have a good conversation about your options; it's not out of your control. In general, if you can avoid induction and pain relief you have a higher chance of a natural birth anyway.

I think you need to look at your local demographic too when looking at the hospital stats btw; not everybody wants a natural birth and so if people are asking for epidural the intervention rate will be higher. But the problem you have is that you need a midwife who will encourage you rather than offer you drugs iyswim; if the culture is to offer drugs or rush in with interventions you have less chance of being successful.

There was an interesting exchange between two midwives when I was making tea in the kitchen of the birth centre after giving birth. The midwives from the birth centre talking to a midwife from the traditional labour ward about a lady in labour who they were transferring down to the birth centre from the labour ward (the hospital was trying to encourage people to use the birth centre as it was newly opened). The labour ward midwife was saying "I'm not sure it's worth bringing her down (to the birth centre), she's in a lot of pain" and the birth centre midwife was saying "she will be fine, we will get her in the pool" and the labour ward lady was "but she's going to need some proper pain relief" etc etcShe obviously didn't believe unnatural birth without pain relief. The labour ward midwives were insistent and a few hours later said baby was born in the birth pool. I wonder what would have happened if she'd stayed on the labour ward; I suspect she would have been given drugs as the midwives weren't able to offer any other coping strategies
Anyway that's all waffle, I'm trying to say that I think if you're keen, having a midwife who is experienced in natural birth, is important.

Perhaps there is a doula who is training nearby? Maybe cheaper? Could have a look on Twitter?i think Thunder's midwife led unit was about 20 mins away btw

More cheerfully, we spent this evening putting together the Snuzpod!

Ooh RP, it looks beautiful! We looked at one in mamas and papas yesterday. The lady said that it doesn't attach to the bed, but I'm sure I read somewhere that it does. What's your view... Are there straps that attach it?

Booms preggers again?!! Eek, so exciting! (And hopeful we won't find it so difficult next time round!!)

And bushy!!! Squeal!!! Congratulations!!

Yes it does. There are straps for divan beds and slatted beds which "winch" it up close to the bed frame. Then you can put the mesh side up or down. We love it!

rp looks ace! OH are leaning towards getting one on your recommendation!

Make room for another!

Such amazing news over on the Berrie thread! Looks like this cluster diff is starting to take shape! Yay pip!

Ah, it's so nice to think that just as win feather and I are exiting we will have a new chopper generation of Bushy, Pip and PUPO ladies.....!!!!

We're exiting, rp? sometimes I forget how far along we are tbh!

So happy for pip and that bushy is heading back. Yay!

Um.........

Am I in the right place?

Welcome Pip, about time too! (And grr at your MIL telling everyone, that's a bit much!) So are you on the gestone injections until 12 weeks? How many sticks have you got through today? Are you back at work tomorrow?

Lady I'm not so cross at MIL as she was so excited. I think she told SIL who didn't realise what new news it was IYSWIM and then told everyone else. We live miles away and never see each other so I wouldn't have got to tell them after the scan anyway.
Yes - gestone until 12 weeks. The aren't so bad, the way everyone carries on was expecting much worse.
I only peed on two sticks. The one the clinic gave me and a 2 years out of date clear blue digital that I had hanging around. I had a lovely clear line.

You're very restrained, I got through 40 in the first few weeks. I had bought a bag of 50 ICs during my last cycle though. Now I get my reassurance by scanning myself at work

All I have left are out of dates ones. I don't think I've actually poas in about 2 years.

Hello pip!!! Massive congratulations!! Has it sunk in yet??

Oooh welcome Pip !

How are you feeling?

Welcome pip! So pleased for you!

lady you scan yourself?! I am SO jealous!!

Feather, it's a really old, basic scanner and not designed for obstetrics but I can see movement and the heart beating. I can't see if it's a boy or girl though! Today it was lying with legs crossed, not moving much so I poked it and then it arched its head back. I think I'm feeling fluttering movements now.

How lovely, lady! Naww! If I had one at work is just sit at my desk hooked up to it all day! Remind me, how far along are you now?

Updated List:-

In the Berry Nursery
Merkin: Delivery date: 21 March, girl
Thunder: Delivery Date: 26 March, girl
Tally: Delivery Date: 7 April, girl
Boom: Delivery date : 11 April, girls x 2!
Katatonic: Delivery date: 24 April, girl
PoppySeedBun: Delivery date: 23rd April, girl
Brodicea: Delivery date: 7th May - girl
Kitty: Delivery date: 20th May - girl,
Puppymummy: Delivery date: 5th June - boy
Foody: Delivery date: 17th June - girl
Qazxc: Delivery date: 17th June - girl
Angel: Delivery date: 4th July - boy
Charming: Delivery date : 9th August - boy
Jessplus: Delivery Date 22nd August - boy
Dartmoor: Delivery Date 8th Sept - boy
Bunny: Delivery Date 7th Oct - boy
Sidney: Delivery Date 10th Oct - boy
Yorkie: Delivery Date 8th Nov - boy

In the chopper
Win: EDD 23rd Jan -
RP: EDD 2nd February - waiting for 20w scan!
Feather: EDD 5th February - girl
Chloe: EDD 23rd March - 80% chance of being a girl
Lady: EDD 12th April
Kitten: EDD 13th April
Foxyfemke: EDD ?
Bushy: EDD?
Pipbin: EDD?

19+1