April 2021 - The Last Stretch

[drumst1ck]

Made a new thread for us as we were coming to the end of the previous one!

I'm still waiting too, 40+3 today. I went for a walk today and had some period like cramps. Then slept all afternoon and now a bit achey!
If nothing by Tuesday I'll be having another sweep!

@Mumto3andexpectingagain aw that's so lovely, I can't wait to meet my LO! Hope your midwife app went well!

Had my sweep this afternoon, I'm only 1cm dilated, my cervix is still long and hasn't moved to the front yet so I'm feeling quite disheartened, I don't think anything will be happening for a while haha! I'm surprised how I didn't really feel anything when she did it, I was expecting lots of sharp pain!

I'm also wondering if I'm being too optimistic with wanting a water birth and gas and air. I just watched Laura Clerys (comedian/vlogger) birth vlog on Facebook and she did it all natural, now I'm just sat here like 😳. Part of me is tempted to get an epidural ASAP!

Still waiting here! Going to be on the May thread at this point

@babo993 hope you are okay!

Eek just lost my plug! Hopefully this is the start of something... probably not tho lol 😂 hope everyone is okay x

@Babo993 absolutely not too optimistic! I've friends who were terrified of needles and so have birth on gas and air alone. I had a water birth with my first and used gas and air, the water was actually really effective as a distraction and the gas and air made me feel wonderful! Very relaxed and happy and spaced out. Had baby not got stuck and needed serious intervention after 20 odd hours of labour I'd have happily given birth with water, gas and air. Unfortunately after hour 20 it all went downhill and ended up pretty traumatic with all the intervention; ventose, forceps, episiotomy etc etc, but up until then gas and air was awesome, even for 2h of pushing! It's pretty strong stuff.

I'd highly recommend reading positive birth stories and watching them on YouTube too 🙂. Combined with hypnobirthing, they've really helped me feel excited for my baby's birth.

Congratulations to all the new arrivals and good luck to those left!
My baby girl was born yesterday at 41+2 weighing a chunky 9lb1. In such a bubble of love!

Congratulations @MinnieWebs ! X

Just been catching up on the posts over the past week! Congratulations to all the new babies! I hope the mammas and babies are all doing well...and coping with the lack of sleep...! Baby Hedgehog is now over 3 weeks old and I miss my sleep so so much!!

@TheViewOutsideMyWindow I know your query about how long c sectioners were in hospital was a few days ago but in case it helps, I was in for 3 nights. I had no complications from the c section itself, but night 1 was the routine stay after a c section, night 2 was being kept in an extra night because baby wasn’t latching on properly or long enough and night 3 was because I was slightly blocked peeing because of the catheter. I never pumped colostrum beforehand (planned to once I started maternity leave but had the baby sooner than planned!) and it wasn’t an issue - I regularly pumped into syringes whilst I was in hospital.

@MinnieWebs congratulations ❤️🥰

@bunhead34 @BaaHumbugg how are you two getting on? Also how far are you? I'm 39+4.. due on Tuesday. Having a sweep on this date x

My waters went very dramatically on the living room rug earlier today!
I've been in to be checked and I'm contracting but not dialated at all, so just going home now.

@bunhead34 good luck! Is this your first? Sorry I can't keep up with thread!

@amylee1817 good luck with the sweep!

I'm 39+1 but not a peep of anything so far, really beginning to feel like I'm never going to have this baby!

@BaaHumbugg yeh it's my first.
A bit un-nerving to just be at home! These waters just keep coming I've used all my
Maternity pads and after birth massive pants already 😭
If contractions don't ramp up I've to go in at 12 tomorrow to be induced x

I had the same with my first and the contractions didn't really get going until about 8 hours after my waters went, good luck - you will be fine!

Hello ladies! I checked out for a few days, digital detox haha! Congratulations to all the new mammas!!!
I'm glad I'm not the only one who's had enough, constant period pains that don't let up much so they're not contractions, they don't get worse or rhythmic so just gotta putting up Plug fell out at the end of the week over 2 days but nothing since... 40 wks tomorrow!

Ah that's exciting @bunhead34! Hopefully baby is well on the way now.

My waters were the same with my first; very dramatic and just like in the movies! Ended up not knowing how to dress to get to the birth center as every pair of leggings I put on got drenched within seconds!

No news here, 38+5, hoping she stays put until ELCS on Wednesday!

Hope everything is okay @bunhead34 ? X

@TheViewOutsideMyWindow I'm gonna keep my options open for an epidural I think, when I was thinking of the water birth I was having non stop anxiety, when I started telling myself I was gonna have an epidural I felt so much calmer so I think I know which route to go.

2 days overdue now though! Been getting some back pain and cramps which kind of feel regular at times but I'm not sure as they seem very close together then not so close, but no tightenings so I don't think it's the real thing 🥺

Thanks for the info @MsHedgehog, I've packed enough for 3 days, I hope! I'm going to take in some 1ml syringes full but only 15 or so, as I now find I can express pretty quickly so hopefully won't be an issue post-birth if I have to express.

Definitely keep your options open @Babo993, you never know how you'll feel until you're in the moment. If it's causing you any anxiety you really don't even need to consider a water birth, you can opt straight for an epidural once you're past a few cm.

Baby girl was born today. She is perfect
And so worth it but GOD what a
Dramatic birth!
Involved induction on the drip, an epidural
That had a technical fault and wore
Off for about an hour because the only anethsetist (can't be bothered to spell
That properly 😂) was in theatre.
Passing out a couple of times due to low blood pressure. 5hrs on the drip
And being only 2cm dilated.
And then a requested c-section (best
Thing ever!) and spending the 'golden hour' throwing up!
She ended up being a little over
10lbs, and we were both at risk of
Sepsis (thankfully fine!) due to the waters breaking and no action, and she was in an awkward position too. so it was the best decision!

When the dr said 'you will have
Your baby in 30 mins!' The relief!
Hope everyone else is doing well! ♥️

@bunhead34 omg that IS dramatic but congratulations for getting through it. Now you have your little baby and don't have to think about anything else. Well done you. Enjoy x

Also had my baby girl last Monday!
Had induction booked for 41w3 on the Tuesday but she decided to come by herself the day before!! In a rather very speedy manner.

Birth story- After 2 sweeps i finally had some tightenings for the first time at 41w2, started in the morning with some period cramps and lost a bit more mucus plug. Then at 5pm all died down and we went to bed that night thinking we will be going to induction.
But at almost 1 am i was uncomfortable in the bed so stood up and waters went with bloody show and immediately got extremely strong contractions 5min apart lasting a minute each. I was in the worst pain of my life.
Coped for an hour and then had to go to hospital as it was too much i was worried i would pass out. Hospital is 5min away so thank god for that.
Upon arrival i was already 5cm dilated. Over there within 30min received a sort of epidural where you can still walk about and feel contractions but without the pain (am not in the UK). Was amazing and i was chilling on the ball eating and chatting with my husband but in 2 hours i only got to 6cm so they put me on the drip and within 30min i was at 10cm feet in stirrups and pushing. 8 contractions later she was out at 6am. Crowning was a little painful but felt everything and it felt surreal. She apparently had a very tight one loop of cord around her neck but cried as soon as released. We then had skin to skin and waited for clamping just looking at her. But then despite the injection had retained placenta.
And was starting to bleed out. A doctor had to be called and he manually went inside for ages to get it. Then had a stitch done on a lacerations. Right after just as baby was being weighed and all i went into shock having some seizures a temperature of 104 and blood pressure dropping for 2 hours in and out of consciousness. It was utter panick nobody knew what was happening. They did bloods and scans and found i had an extreme reaction to chorioamnionitis (infection). After that i was put on proper drip of medication and monitored and was only moved to the room several hours later.
Baby also had bloods done but she didn't have any infection.
The midwife told me in 10 years of practice she never saw such a bad and quick reaction to an infection.

So that was the intense birth. Sounds dramatic and was at the end but for someone like me who was terrified initially of vaginal birth i feel so much more confident now that the first time doesn't have to be a nightmare. The birth itself was a dream... quick and easy and painless after epidural.

And when you look at your baby, you will forget all the troubles 🥰

Congrats on all the babies! 🥰

Wow @sunnysideup2020 that is very dramatic, hope you are recovering well now!

And @bunhead34 10lbs wow you must feel a lot lighter!

Congrats to both!