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Pregnancy

Talk about every stage of pregnancy, from early symptoms to preparing for birth.

Original poster

Labour around the corner? Lost mucus plug!

103 replies

plonkie · 20/09/2015 01:16

I am 38+4 with DS1 and very excited to meet him so just garnering some opinions really!

Yesterday I was so sick in the morning, puked my porridge up horribly! Along with the quite strong braxton hicks that have ramped up recently, I have also had the runs. Although tbf, I did have a curry last night so that could account for that!

Felt a bit periody earlier but not much. And then a couple of hours ago, I lost my mucus plug :-). So I'm happy things are progressing as they should. I know it could still be a while before labour starts but wondered about people's personal experiences with this! How long after you lost your mucus plug before labour started?

OP posts:
MrsGentlyBenevolent · 01/10/2015 00:14

Let us know how you get on, best of luck to you! Hope it's as easy as it can be from here on in Smile.

Original poster
plonkie · 01/10/2015 01:25

Thanks :-). I rang hospital again because the contractions were even more regular and painful and midwife basically said I still don't sound like I'm in active labour??

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anklebitersmum · 01/10/2015 01:42

plonkie trust your own body..if you think you need to be in hospital head off-and don't be scared to do the ambulance if things get serious all of a sudden!

Good luck and don't forget the pringles Grin

Doublebubblebubble · 01/10/2015 06:59

Good luck plonkie!!

I can remember them saying something similar to me (again I only had a4.5 hour labour so I'm glad I called the ambulance when j did) but apparently your whole demeanour (and voice) changes once you're in active labour... And basically you get very passively aggresive lol So it might sound as though they are talking shit but if you can talk through them they can't be that bad -which of course is relative here's hoping you have a lovely smooth quick glorious labour x good luck x I'll be thinking of you today xx

Poppytime · 01/10/2015 07:53

Just been reading this thread - good luck plonkie! Hope you are in soon and baby shortly thereafter Smile

Due date tomorrow for me - mum up to watch DD and patiently waiting...trying to grit teeth against the texts that are starting to come in...no he isn't here yet!!! How is everyone else due soon?

I'm also drinking raspberry leaf tea, I did with DD, no idea if it helped!

Doublebubblebubble · 01/10/2015 15:03

I'm due on the 4th poppytime -eeeeeeeeppp!!!- its sooo exciting!!
although I do have a very very bad feeling im going to go way over... not sure I could survive to the 18th!!

I decided a while back that i would pace myself with the rlt but I've already had four cups today ~StarGrinStar~
(I do add a bit of no sugar squash to mine though as I don't like the taste really... [sick] so its really diluted and probably won't have much of an affect because of that lol)

I've also remembered (from the time with my dd) that I should start ...ahem...cough...cough... thinking about tmi -I'm so sorry passing all the poop that I could possibly have inside me I'm utterly petrified of doing a poo whilst giving birth I know, I know...

Poppytime · 01/10/2015 15:29

Haha it's funny you say that double but that thought has crossed my mind too! Just bought stuff to make a spicy Thai curry tonight....also had 2 cups of rasp tea so far today -

MrsHenryCrawford · 01/10/2015 15:36

Best of luck plonkie, very exciting.

Mils10 · 01/10/2015 19:47

Good luck to everyone :)
I had midwife today and she says it could be any day now! But still feel frustrated with the stop/start!
Losing mucus every day (tmi sorry)
But nothing much else happening.

KittensandKids · 01/10/2015 19:58

Good luck plonkie, my DSIL is in being induced as we speak. Smile

sandgrown · 01/10/2015 23:46

Hope everything went well Plonkie and you now have a beautiful baby xSmile

MrsGentlyBenevolent · 02/10/2015 15:31

Plonkie, you're keeping us in suspense here! Seriously though, hope you're doing well (and baby is here safely already).

Well, had my 40 week MW appointment today, last time I was 2/5 engaged and everything looking good. So after all the leaf-tea drinking, spicy food and walking/waddling/bouncing of the past two weeks, along with cramps, mood swings and so much gross discharge, I can announce..... baby hasn't move at all. Nowt has changed in two weeks and I'm going to be pregnant forever. So fed up, now have to start thinking about a sweep next week. On the plus side, if baby is not here by Wednesday, I still get to eat cake guilt free whilst watching Bake Off.

sandgrown · 02/10/2015 22:19

Oh hope something happens soon for you MrsGently. I guess Plonkie is busy! X

Original poster
plonkie · 03/10/2015 00:57

Hey everyone! Sorry yes, you're right I've been very busy!

I'll post in a few short messages as I've tried to write this twice on my phone and it keeps disappearing!

Very happy to confirm that ds1 was born yesterday and is healthy and doing well. 8lb13 which is actually smaller than we thought!

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Original poster
plonkie · 03/10/2015 01:01

The hospital didn't believe I was in labour over the phone but I wnt in any way, huffing and puffing, and -surprise!- I was 4cm dilated! They burst my waters (I had excess fluid) and discovered a significant amount of merconium unfortunately.

So there was a concern about babies state and possible infection. But all good and I carry on labouring away!

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Original poster
plonkie · 03/10/2015 01:07

Pain was bearable and I found contractions ok because you get a break in between. I then got really quite bad back ache so opted for some pethidine. I can't believe I did as I really didn't want pethidine! Seriously. I researched loads about pain relief knew that I would never have that. Except I did. And it helped! The back pain was relentless but it helped chill me out and relax. This had been going on for 12 hours and I was 7cm dilated then.

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Original poster
plonkie · 03/10/2015 01:16

Things went a bit nuts then! I'd been having extra monitoring due to the merconium and the babies heart rate started going up and down, all over the place. So needed to get him out asap. I was fully dilated and having involuntary pushes so I could start properly pushing.

Baby unfortunately was rather stuck and because his heart rate and merconium issues we didn't have much time to hope he'd travel down nicely on his own. I had an episiotomy and forceps delivery but could have easily been a c section really. I've never exerted myself so much! I've burst all the blood vessels I my face from pushing, oh dear!

Baby came out unconscious as it was all too much for him. He'd got the cord wrapped tightly round his neck, his oxygen supply was being squashed, and then been stuck with his little head out and shoulders stuck :-(

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Original poster
plonkie · 03/10/2015 01:26

They brought him round eventually and then rushed him off with breathing problems.

But! This story does have a happy ending I promise!

He had broken his little collar bone in the birth and breathing problems were a mild pneumothorax.

But a day later and he's almost better, it's mad. The staff were amazing and although the birth did not go how I'd planned, I feel confident that the right steltand decisions were made to ensure the best possible outcome. My birth plan looks nothing like what happened, it's funny! But I don't care because he's healthy! And thats all that matters.

I'm in hospital now on a different ward to him. That's been hard but its not the end of the world. I haven't breastfed yet. Not the end of the world. I've got a sore fanny from the stiches. Not the end of the world!

Basically I'm just really thankful that he'll be ok!

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Original poster
plonkie · 03/10/2015 01:28

God that was long. I think I needed to try and process what happened!

I guess to anyone that hasn't done it before I just want to say you can do it, it doesn't matter of its not perfect. You'll cope. The end result is all that matters :-)

I

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MrsGentlyBenevolent · 03/10/2015 08:33

Oh my goodness, plonkie, what a time you and baby have had! You get the rest you need now, I'm sure you're both in great hands for recovery. Congratulations on your baby boy! Flowers

MrsHenryCrawford · 03/10/2015 14:16

Congrats on your baby boy! Glad to hear he's doing well after all that drama.

KittensandKids · 03/10/2015 17:56

Aw glad your baby boy is doing better now. Flowers

Original poster
plonkie · 04/10/2015 08:42

Thank you! I'm in hospital for another week with him as he's on IV antibiotics 6am and 6pm. But we're in our own room now together. Been breastfeeding and trying to hone our technique. Mainly trying not to smother him to death!

The staff here are great and that's He made a big difference. Really overworked though. The NHS is brilliant when it works well. These people could really do with more support though!

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sandgrown · 04/10/2015 10:38

Congratulations .glad you are both ok. At least the time in hospital will give you time to recover with support and visiting times will be controlled. Lovely news x

ShowOfHands · 04/10/2015 11:07

Congratulations. You've been through it rather. Take it very easy and just take whatever emotions come. I planned a home water birth with both of mine and ended up with every intervention going and two emergency caesareans. It's a very visceral way to learn the lesson that you have no control over birth at all. Like you though, I had wonderful care and the main concern becomes the baby's well being.

Anyway, the point of my rambling, was that even though you feel positive about the birth, when the hormones drop a bit, you may feel wobbly. I found that in hospital I felt safe and protected but once I'd been discharged and my hormones crashed, I had a few flashbacks and felt very teary and worried. It just seemed to suddenly hit me. If this does happen, it's normal and you may find you need to talk about everything. A debrief can be useful. You've been through a lot.

Labour and delivery were a big life lesson for me. I like to be in control and you try and plan, say well I won't do x or have y drug and I'll definitely not opt for assisted delivery. Turns out the baby makes those choices for us. Good luck to anybody on here still waiting. I wish you speedy, pain free sneeze births.

P.S. Have seen raspberry leaf tea mentioned on here a few times. Just recently there seems to have been some confusion. It's never been recommended to induce labour (nothing does, not sex or curry or pineapple or cake, sadly). However, it's recommended to strengthen the uterus in order to make the 2nd stage of labour more effective.