March 2018 babies due? How is everyone!

[Potteryprincess30]

Can someone direct me to the March thread please? Or shall we start a new one? I feel like the old one has completely disappeared into the depths of the mumsnet sea.

We're getting close now and wanted to see how everyone was as I'm due the 7th

All the best to you all lovely pregnant ladies

How not to be frightened about giving birth:

The one about poo is hilarious! Also totally agree with the birth position stuff. I had DD1 upright in the pool and seemed to work.
Did some hypnobirthing practice last night to try and calm down as I’m getting worried about the impending labour. Been having irregular cramp-like discomfort all day but nothing else to suggest imminent arrival.

She says 'poo' so many times that the word itself does start to loose all meaning

These are good videos thanks! I’m going to watch them all. Although wondering if hypnobirthing actually works though? Anyone used it before? I can totally see that it would really help with pain of contractions but wondering about the pushing stage and whether i’d just panic and tense up at the pushing stage. Be interested if anyone has any good stories about it?

Was hoping maybe we’ve had another birth from the ladies on this thread??

That's all the newborn clothes ironed and away in the new chest of drawers! Just a bit more sorting and tidying to go this weekend. 37 weeks on Tuesday, and hoping to feel all nested by then!
I have heard hypnobirthing works but cannot find time for it...
Last time the Tens and exercise ball really did help... and gas and air once at hospital!

@Vickylou78 'hypnobirthing' 100% works! But I think I would really just refer to it as 'sensible breathing' and 'logical decision making'.

The pushing stage is the most important to avoid tearing so avoiding giving birth on your back is a must if at all possible (she explains this in the 'gravity' video). The muscles and bones cannot adjust for your baby to actually come out of your on your back so this is science ladies! you have a much higher risk of taring, forceps and episiotomy if you birth on your back (they often put you in this position once your ready for pushing which is ridiculous)

@Vickylou78 my good story is i followed all these things, mostly by accident or luck at the time!, and I had no taring, no intervention, a very progressive labour and pushing was only about half an hour. In and out the same day, not a stitch. I understand all labours are different but truly the outcomes don't have to be that different. In cases of emergency everything goes out the window of course. But women have been completely freaked out by birth and that fear slows progression, makes the pushing stage much longer then it needs to be.

These videos are a few minutes long, I urge anyone to watch them. Especially, upbreathing, downbreathing, gravity, and fear in labour

And if non of it works out through circumstances out of your control at least you'll have used these tried and tested methods during the labour to minimize your discomfort and panic.

You'll also know you've given yourself and the baby the best chance at avoiding intervention, extra internal examinations when things are not 'progressing' , and damage to yourself physically.

And if non of it ends up working, at least you've tried

But a lot of it is honestly just common sense that's been taken away from women over the last few centuries and we just need to re-learn again. The stuff on panic and fear is really interesting in relation to this

and we get pain relief so its all good

Will look forward to watching those videos later, thanks for sharing! Any tips greatly appreciated... How’s everyone feeling? Can’t believe how close we are

I had NO idea what I was doing in labour with DD1. Was in the pool (which was amazing) and upright, but absolutely panicked at transition and pushing. Ended up tearing and needed some stitches, but honesty it wasn’t really a big deal. Got out after a few hours and healing was totally uneventful. I am very anti-woo and cynical, but decided on hypnobirthing to try and remove the fear aspect. It’s about staying calm and focusing on relaxing, which can only be a good thing! It’s also really important to stay calm and controlled if you do end up needing intervention (either instrumental delivery/section).

@chiruri I totally agree. It's all about being as calm and logical as possible in whatever circumstances you find yourself in. Definitely agree regarding intervention too, she touches on that in her videos about you personally feeling confident and capable of making the right decisions during birth

Just put a sheet on my bedside cot mattress, getting excited now! March is just round the corner, eek!

Thanks so much for this advice, I’m going to watch all the videos (I’ve watched 3 of them already) and I’m really going to give it a try this time. With my first Dd I was doing ok and then went in pool and baby turned so was back to back and I just panicked and lost it and then it was epidural and intervention after intervention as was stuck on my back all wired up! I had episiotomy, forceps delivery on my back and I tore quite badly and took ages to recover. Really hoping with positive breathing etc and staying calm I could have a different experience this time! Going to practice being all calm and trying to bring myself back if I start to panic! Good to hear your positive story.

I’ve been madly washing baby clothes, blankets and towels etc. And have bought all the bits for the hospital bags so just need to pack the bags tomorrow (one for me and one for baby). Exciting times.

Good luck to anyone who hoes into labour today!

@Vickylou78 I am so glad that you have found the videos inspiring and they have empowered you to feel positive and motivated for this next birth. I think hypnobirthing can sometimes be dismissed because of misunderstanding around the principles, and with some unqualified people obviously that teach these techniques for top dollar too! There will always be unethical behaviour surrounding women and child birth it seems.

Those basic principles should definitely help us all, including our birth partners, to get through either all, or at least part of our labours feeling more in control and calmer. And it's definitely made me feel better about the impending birth too, even after having had a baby before like yourself, I'm still going 'oh my god what's going to happen this time!'.

I honestly pray and hope you can avoid such a traumatic labour this time, Im sure having been through labour before it will definitely be easier anyway. But the lady in the videos also had a similar first birth as yourself (there's info on the actual website) and she had a completely different experience with her second. So it is definitely possible and you have the power inside you to do this!

So exciting organising baby things now isn't it? I can't believe we are about to tick off another week. My baby senses are tingling as well... surly another is going to come along before the weekends out!

Thanks so much! I am feeling really positive about it and my husband will be supportive of it to. Hoping he may watch them so he can help me x

Thanks for the videos. I'll watch them tonight. My 1st baby was back-to-back and the labour was awful. No amount of hypnobirthing techniques could have helped. I was in active labour for 18 hours and only got to 3cm so I needed a drip and epidural at that point. It's just that afterwards I felt let down by all the women who had told me I'd be fine. We will all be ok, but if the baby's in the wrong position, or something goes wrong, remember it is not your fault, and you cannot always control the outcome. If you need the pain relief, take it!

The best advice I heard was that labour/birth is only a day (or 2) of your life, but your child is forever. My birth plan has always been “do anything you need to to keep baby and I safe”. Don’t be afraid of pain relief or intervention. My husband is an obstetric anaesthetist so I am very relaxed about the need for epidural, and know that needing it or anything else is not by any stretch a failure. Nothing that can result in a beautiful newborn baby could ever be classed a failure.

Hi all! Haven't posted for a while been keeping a close eye though but having a bit of a tough weekend and thought I would see if anyone had any advice! I will be 37 weeks on weds with no2 had horrendous sickness all the way through and apart from that and some spd flaring now been doing ok! Anyway at my 34&36 week apt's I had some glucose in my urine I was fairly confident all was fine but been given a blood monitor for the weekend, I was being all see I knew I was fine as last night and this mornings readings were normal but my post breakfast and post lunch readings were really high (actually says to call if two high readings but they aren't in at weekends). So I am now feeling that natural birth slipping away a little! I was hoping for a VBAC after an emergency section for undiagnosed breech baby (at 7cms dilated) last time. I am surprised something like this develops so late and I don't know if they do diagnose what they will do or what will happen given the little time left to try and control things? I am due to call with results Monday and have a scan booked Tuesday morning to check babies size/waters etc as have been measuring fundal height wise 6 weeks ahead since 28 weeks although a scan back then showed baby in normal parameters. I just am dreading the idea of possible induction ending in another emergency section or other problems popping up but mainly upset there could be a possibly much longer stay in hospital as that's what I found so horrendous last time and just wanted to get home ASAP after birth to my family! I may be jumping the gun at the moment as obviously haven't been diagnosed so if anyone has any advice or experience that would be much appreciated!!

Hay @mummyG2C that all sounds really tough. So sorry to hear how sick you've been, it sounds horrible. I can't give you any advise on this i'm afraid through personal, or professional experience, hopefully someone else can shine more light on the situation. Just wanted to acknowledge your post and wish you luck with the results Monday. I'm guessing you just have to try and distract yourself for the next couple of days until the scan Tuesday, then you'll know the prognosis and your options.

At least you will be prepared this time and armed with the facts? Maybe that will mean you can still have as much of a natural birth as possible? or perhaps it'll mean an arranged c-section to avoid the trauma or unknown/known complications from your situation ? Either way I think knowing these things in advance is definitely a positive thing as you can plan accordingly for the safely and positive labour experience for both you and the baby.

The consensus seems that a planned c-section rather then an emergency one is a lot calmer and can be easier to recover from and would still be a really special birthing experience.

Hopefully someone had first hand advice for you but all the best for next week

Thank you very much hopefully will all be ok, had just been working so harder towards more of the ideal is always annoying when that gets taken away from you a bit but I will get over it I am sure as long as baby is delivered healthy and isn't the size of a toddler especially as my nearly 2yr old is extremely petite! They will look funny together! Thank you again for your kind words am feeling less stressed about it today I think. Xxx

Your welcome this thread certainly puts things into perspective and gives you food for thought sometimes. It often makes me check my self absorbed, usually superficial, pregnancy woes and feel grateful for heath and pregnancy itself.

Your feelings and concerns are legitimate and I would be worried & seeking advice, I'm just sorry I have no experience of what's actually happened to you. But forewarned is forearmed and it sounds like your heading for a much better labour outcome then last time with this knowledge alone tbh. If that means having a completely different birth plan or a booked c section then so be it, after a bit of an emergency last time this situation already sounds preferable.

We are nearly there now though thank God this is actually my last week before due date as 39 weeks Tuesday!

Well thank you again it does help you chill out a little bit when you are going crazy in your own head especially as I know it's nowhere near the end of the world compared to some problems and at least I only have to lay off the chocolate and biscuits for a couple of weeks! Wow nearly there for you! Best of luck I hope you get to meet your little one really soon!!

37+3 spd is not getting any easier sighs
Thought id check in hows everyone else feeling? Ive got a sweep booked in for 39 weeks and induction at 40 weeks although no date yet hoping sweep does it instead

Hi PrincessPink - not long now. I’m 36 + 5 today, although having a section on 14th. Feeling quite breathless and dizzy. Was going to paint a bookcase in the nursery today as the new carpet is being fitted tomorrow but don’t feel up to it.

I’m thinking the thread has gone quiet because some of you are in labour!? Exciting times.

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