Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Pregnancy

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

September 2021 Babies - Thread 9 The final countdown....

790 replies

Mamabearwhere · 26/08/2021 09:07

Hi ladies. Starting our final thread! How exciting.

@bubbles1st do you have your latest list of due dates to add to here?

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
Thread gallery
6
Rach921 · 29/09/2021 09:32

Oh wow congratulations @bluemagicalsky how was it? I’m planning a home water birth and this is my first so it’s all so unknown at the min!
Oh bless him, I hope you managed to get some sleep in the end x

CobleCloud · 29/09/2021 09:39

Just catching up as I haven't been on for a few days.

Congratulations @bluemagicalsky 💜

@Taybz sounds like you've been through the mill, so glad your little one has arrived safely. Wishing you a speedy recovery, sorry I can't provide any tips re a section, but try look after yourself the best you can whilst enjoying newborn cuddles x

SP2Bx · 29/09/2021 12:09

Congratulations @bluemagicalsky - sounds the dream!

... and @Taybz, think I must have missed yours!

@GummyBear91 Keep positive! Sounds like things are certainly moving in the right direction for you. Im 41 weeks today and had my first sweep attempt yesterday but she couldn't even reach my cervix :( Been booked in for induction on Monday and have 2 more sweep attempts before then which I'm hanging all hopes on otherwise my dream home water birth is well and truly out the window!!!

Suma2021 · 29/09/2021 16:04

I'm feeling like an absolute hippo and can't stop eating! Having a baby still feels very surreal and I just can't imagine going into labour at all, it's really weird. And feels like everyone is having a baby before me and I'm doomed to be heavily pregnant forever 😛

@Sp2bx Sorry your sweep didn't go to plan, I've heard this can change very quickly overnight though so try not to feel disheartened. There's a high chance you'll go into labour before Monday? Don't give up on your home birth dream yet! I'd also say that they can't force you to go into hospital if you do make it past 42 weeks, they are there to provide you with care and whilst it might take some negotiation, you can still have home births after 42 weeks although depending on the midwife / area / trust they may tell you you "cannot" have a home birth after a certain time, or they might have a more lenient attitude. Obviously it's your decision and whatever feels right for you but I'd definitely try discussing with them, especially if you are a low risk pregnancy with no complications.

@bluemagicalsky Congratulations💙 Hope all goes well adjusting to having a newborn!!

@Taybz Sorry to hear you're in pain, hopefully every day will get a little better as your body heals. Good luck and take it easy.

@GummyBear91 Sounds promising! Hope your sweeps go well. You still have lots of time before your booked induction, lots can happen before then Smile

summerhillgang · 29/09/2021 18:31

👋🏼 late to the party! Strictly October EDD but 5th, so I might September who knows!

I am 39+2 FTM and planning a home water birth and trying to keep things as natural as poss. Refusing inductions etc. If anyone is in the same boat it would be good to connect xx

Sophieandtiger · 29/09/2021 20:49

@Taybz just wanted to provide reassurance as this was me last week. I had 2 c sections and in both cases I found a major improvement on day 4 or 5. Rather than a gradual improvement I've always found the first few days absolutely brutal, then I'll suddenly wake up on day 4 or 5 and feel so much better. Seems horrible when you're in the thick of it but a week later and it's like it never even happened for me (though am still taking it easy of course). Hope that day comes soon for you, hang in there. In terms of tips, stay on top of the medication and do as little as possible. Take care!

marshmallowmode · 30/09/2021 05:11

I had a baby boy in the early hours of yesterday morning so he was a September baby after all! 🎉

The birth was pretty rough but in case you're interested... Midwife unit was closed which was a big shame. My midwife was fab but I didn't have access to a pool or the equipment to get comfy. I really struggled with gas and air and didn't get any benefit from it so did up to somewhere between 5 and 8cm on TENS only. Which was fine to a point until it suddenly wasn't and then I had a bit of a panic while I was waiting for pethidine to kick in. Interestingly pethidine was the one pain relief option i didn't really want but it was great for me. Spaced out my contractions enough that I could calm down and let me rest between them without feeling too out of it. All then went well for a while. Pushing was going fine but then he got himself stuck and couldn't come down any further. Which resulted in a spinal and forceps. The last half hour of involuntary pushing while they tried to get a spinal in and get me to sign consent forms was dreadful but once the spinal was in.... Bliss 😂. And the little guy made an appearance shortly after. I had an episiotomy for the forceps which is sore but no other tearing thankfully. Just so relieved to have him here!

Hoping to go home this morning as I'm missing my husband lots. Struggling a bit to hold baby for breastfeeding at the moment. He's so wriggly and fragile ahh.

SP2Bx · 30/09/2021 08:00

Congratulations on the birth of your little boy @marshmallowmode ! 💙 Sounds like you did amazing, fingers crossed you can get home soon 🤞🏼

@summerhillgang Dont worry about the EDD, mine was 22nd Sept hence being in this group but we're almost at Oct and here I am still pregs 😅 Also a FTM and planning a lovely calm home water birth but with time ticking away have been booked in for induction on Monday which I really want to avoid. I'd like to say I'll refuse it when the time comes, but am letting myself see how everything looks/how I feel on the day, because it feels easier said than done already at 8 days overdue, let alone when I'm at 12 days overdue!

Second sweep attempt today guys - pray for me! 🤞🏼

summerhillgang · 30/09/2021 09:31

@SP2Bx hang on in there! What type of induction are you thinking of? I think there's a pessary (on a tampon, which you can take out anytime) you can have in hospital as an outpatient and then go home, which sounds like one of the better options to me. And the balloon thing is also appealing as no hormones.

I am hoping for a quiet weekend this weekend - told DH we need some good sex, hot food and a long walk xx

Scotti84 · 30/09/2021 15:35

Welcome @summerhillgang! Dont forget to add sleep to your schedule this weekend, one of the things I didn't realise until Lilly was here was how long it will be until i get to have a full night's sleep again! 😅

For those of you planning (or had) home births, can i ask, and absolutely no judgement at all, honestly just interested, do you have any worries about what would happen if anything went wrong? Or rather, what are your options if it didn't go as planned, and is an epidural still an option or what pain relief is available?

Rach921 · 30/09/2021 16:55

@Scotti84 I’m planning a home birth as a FTM no concerns my end. I’d originally planned to birth at a standalone MLU but it’s closed due to the hospitals being short of midwives.

Statistically you’re likely to need less interventions with a home birth, and have a shorter, less complicated labour. If there’s any chance that there may be a problem, the midwife makes a decision sooner than if you were in hospital and you’re transferred in by ambulance. You can also decide to transfer at any point. Pain relief is limited to gas and air (I think some offer pethidine, but if you want to birth in the water, you can’t have that). Epidural is administered by an anaesthetist so you’d need to be on a labour ward for that. It’s the same pain relief as you’d be offered on a MLU. I have a tens machine and a birthing pool for pain relief.

The pros for me are that I’ll be in my home environment where I feel more relaxed, therefore encouraging oxytocin more so than a hospital environment. I plan to watch feel good films in the early part on my sofa 😂

Our local hospitals are so short staffed with midwives (seems to be across the board) but you get 2 midwives for the delivery at home, so you have great care x

summerhillgang · 30/09/2021 17:39

@Scotti84 yes more intimate care than you'd get on a labour ward with two midwives present, so any issues likely spotted way quicker than in a hospital with short staffing. My midwives have a combined experience of around 60 years of midwifery

calmer atmosphere so can have a physiological birth, so less painful and less interventions needed - labour less likely to stall because you're staying in one place, less disturbed, with people you know and access to all creature comforts

creating an oxytocin inducing environment - music, aromatherapy, low lighting, snacks and then being able to be in your own space - bed, shower, get a takeaway etc when baby is here

able to guarantee access to a birthing pool, also have gas and air, tens machine

able to transfer at any point - the midwives arrange this with hospital and call any ambulances (I actually live 3 mins by car from hospital)

midwives have all the first line drugs/tools you would need - including everything to cope with bleeds, stitching tears, setting up drip, cathertising, resuss etc - they can even do episiotomy if needed but my midwife has only done twice at a homebirth during all her time practicing

You need to go through quite a bit of prep to do a home birth - the baby needs to be a good position and I needed to have a scan to prove it and you need to be relatively low risk, and in good general health. I have been getting to know my primary midwife since I was 5 weeks pregnant and she's been through everything I could possibly need to know, knows my partner, my house and my dog! There's continuity of care that I think will be valuable on the day

Hope that helps!

SP2Bx · 30/09/2021 18:07

@Scotti84 everything @summerhillgang and @Rach921 have said below!

I knew all the benefits from my hypnobirthing course but naturally had my concerns as a FTM which I aired in my very first meeting with the home birth team, however they answered every single one with a confident and logical response and really put me at ease.

I'm approx. 30 mins from the hospital, but even if I was in hospital already and needed an epidural (for example... but any consultant care really) I'd be waiting that long on the ward for an anaesthetist/doctor to become available anyway, so makes no difference that i use that time to transfer in as they'd call ahead. As the others have said, home birth midwives are always looking ahead for any possible signs things aren't going to plan. There are very VERY rarely any actual emergencies that they haven't been able to preempt.

Honestly the level of care I have received since transferring to the home birth team late at 37 weeks is night and day compared to what I experienced with the community midwives up until that point. I'm talking hour long antenatal appointments in my own home, I even had a second sweep attempt today and the previous midwife brought a second midwife along with her just because she "had bigger hands" and therefore hopefully more success! 🙈 I dread to think how long I'd have been waiting for a 10 min appointment with whoever had I still been under community midwifery care! Not their fault of course, just massive shortages in the system... which then makes me feel a bit guilty!!!

@summerhillgang re. Induction options... can't go home with a pessary in my trust I don't believe, only way that's possible is if they can simply break my waters and I start to contract off the back of it 🤞🏼 I'm not thinking ahead about it because I'll base my decision on how the situation looks on the day, there's a lot to consider which is dependent on many factors... still trying to stay really positive that we won't get to that point!!!

summerhillgang · 30/09/2021 18:19

@SP2Bx yeah just got to take each day as it comes at 40+ I reckon. No one stays pregnant forever and they will come when they are ready. I think i'll just accept extra monitoring from 42 and let nature take it's course with a few holistic interventions. I have acupuncture booked next week and she reckons she has quite a good track record getting things going, so we shall see! Xx

Suma2021 · 02/10/2021 10:36

Hi everyone, hope you're all doing well and that if your baby hasn't decided to arrive yet you're not feeling too much pressure from friends / family/ caregivers!

I'm 41+4 today and feels like baby is very happy staying put! Yesterday had an appointment with my midwife - all checks still looking good with no issues. Baby is very low and ready to go.

I'm still declining sweeps/ inductions, opted for increased monitoring. The plan for me now is to have another midwife appointment on Monday, followed by a trip to the hospital on Tuesday when I'll be 42 weeks to have baby's heart rate monitored and a scan to look at my placenta. They would like to do this kind of monitoring every day after 42 weeks but not mandatory. I said that I felt that was a bit strong going from nothing to going in daily, so could we please just aim for Tuesday for now and discuss further next week. They've been very supportive and keen to not add any stress hormones to the mix which I'm really grateful for! So husband and I plan to forget about next week, stay positive and focus on having a lovely weekend.

Good luck if you're still waiting for your arrivals and enjoy your weekends as it may be your last before you have your bundle of joy GrinFlowers

Scotti84 · 02/10/2021 18:31

Thanks for your replies @SP2Bx @summerhillgang @Rach921. Theres lots of things there I hadnt thought about and I'll definitely be looking into it a bit more (hopefully we'll manage another baby before I'm too old)

SP2Bx · 03/10/2021 06:24

Well I avoided induction on Monday after all as Baby Holly entered the world yesterday morning at 7:07am weighing a healthy 8lb 13oz! 😳

Home birth was going great (for 36hrs!!) until the very very end where I was pushing her out and could feel her head but she was sideways and after being at it so long we were both getting tired so ended up transferring into hospital for a forceps delivery 😩 but she's here and safe and perfect and I wouldn't have it any other way ❤️

KHR1 · 03/10/2021 16:43

Congratulations @SP2Bx glad you managed to avoid induction!

MrsTD88 · 03/10/2021 16:58

Congratulations @SP2Bx

LauEli · 03/10/2021 17:27

@SP2Bx the exact same delivery as me by the sounds. Labour progressed really well after being induced with the pessary. But when I got to two hours pushing and feeling exhausted doctor said my pushes were just causing her to turn/ present wrong so we had forceps delivery too. Must say I was petrified but the theatre team were amazing and I can't fault the delivery.
My 8lb3 'little lady' is very content and no worse for wear after her adventure into the world 😊

AdventuresAwait · 04/10/2021 07:08

Ahh congratulations @SP2Bx and all who have welcomed their little ones as I've not been on for a while.

Has anyone kept an updated list of the September group arrivals? Wondering how many are here and how many are still to come! Xx

Holly91 · 04/10/2021 10:20

Hi ladies congratulations to all you that have had your babies and good luck to the ones still waiting it out! Haven’t really posted here but have been reading all your tips and advise, I was due on 22nd sept but he didn’t want to be a September baby was meant to be induced today but my little man decided to arrive yesterday at 12.09am .. 9 minutes after arriving at the hospital 😂 one thing I will say to those still waiting if you ring the unit and they try telling you to stay at home but u feel u need to go then just go! I was robbed off twice on the phone and nearly didn’t make it there, the faves of the midwifes was pure shock 🤣 x

Tinydancer321 · 04/10/2021 10:57

@Holly91 I was due the 22nd too. Baby still not here being induced tomorrow…. Really wanted a home birth. 😢.
How big was your little one? Mine was estimated to be 9lb 7 at 40 weeks to scared to look now lol

Holly91 · 04/10/2021 11:12

@Tinydancer321 oh I feel for you I wasn’t planning homebirth but really didn’t want to be induced , haha bless I think I would be aswell lol he’s was estimating 6lb 13 at 39+ he weighed 7lb 2 I’ll keep my fingers crossed u go into spontaneous labour today chick x

Rach921 · 04/10/2021 17:29

Hey ladies! I had reflexology on Thursday night and woke at 2am Friday morning with contractions. I was due a sweep at 10am so called and said I wouldn’t need it. They were regular on Friday, every 15 mins or so but I was in the latent stage. By 10pm, they had ramped up so I called the labour ward to confirm and say I was planning a home birth. They home birth team were already at a home birth so they didn’t have midwives available. I decided to try and get some sleep (unsuccessful) and call back if things got worse.

I got to 4am Saturday and my waters started to trickle. I called back and still no home birth team so they wanted me in for assessment. 45 minute drive to hospital with contractions was not fun! I was checked and one lot of waters had gone and I was almost at 4cm. They had a pool on the low risk ward so decided to stay in rather than go home and risk having to transfer back later if still no home birth team.

I wasn’t allowed in the water until I was 6cm dilated, which was 6pm Saturday. Apparently I was dilating by the book, being 1/2 cm an hour! I used gas and air and my tens machine until I got into the pool. At 10pm I was 8cm dilated and given how I’d dilated to that stage, they anticipated I’d be fully dilated at 2am Sunday. At 11.30 I got the urge to push and baby arrived at 00.07 on 3rd October! Henry weighing 7lb 7oz 10 days late! Although I wanted a home birth, I’m so pleased I had the pool birth at the hospital (especially having seen the mess after with the placenta and me walking around having been in the water!) can’t believe he’s finally here!