Due July 2022 (thread 4)

[CaptainCarp]

Hi all another new thread as the old 1 was almost full!

Previous thread
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/pregnancy/4445441-Due-July-2022-thread-3?pg=1

Im in the loads of boys names but no girls names club too! We just started adding random names to our boys name list just to bulk it up..

@JJ1992 no, I'm England.
@CaptainCarp I'm still yet to find somewhere to get the Emma's diary stuff from!

I have a growth scan on the 4th May too.

@NamelessBaby1 @paintfairy how often are they doing cervix checks during labour?! And is a cervix check when someone literally just sticks their hand up there?!

It isn't something I'd thought about but now I'm freaking out. I don't want them to do that if they don't have to. I'm not embarrassed or precious about everything being on show at all, but unnecessary invasiveness is a different story...

@Horsesforcourses23 yes I'm getting pressure from work in terms of documentation of my role and handing over (to whom is yet to be determined 🙄) but I'm trying to let it all wash over me as come 1st July for me none of it will matter for a good long while! When is your last day?

@CaptainCarp great shout about the extra back packed in case of a longer stay! We're only 10 mins from hospital too so I think I'll do the same, thank you. Tbh it never occurred to me that I could be in there for more than a few days!

@Confusion101 we're hovering around 2 names for either at the moment and then I guess we'll see what we think looks most like them at birth? It's so hard to say though, lol. My husband keeps coming out with the most ridiculous names too which is funny but doesn't help narrow things down! Just hoping I'm there for registering baby in case he decides to slip in something Newcastle United related haha.

@KizboBaggins I don't know for sure as I haven't gone through it myself before, but yeah as far as I've read/ seen it is a case of them sticking a finger or two up there so I don't fancy that much at all!! I guess it depends how long labour goes on for as to how often they will want to check, but I'm hoping to get away without it too much.

Oh and thanks @kiwi17 , I was thinking about getting some heavy duty reusable ones so might give that a shot, as well as the other stuff. Ordered some cooling pads today too as well as a peri spray bottle so feel like I'm making progress with preparations!

Sounds very prepared! 😁 in terms of the cervix checks you can state in your birth plan that you want the midwives to be hands off in terms of monitoring, I think it freaked me out a bit beforehand but honestly after going 2 weeks over, having 2 sweeps out of desperation and then once mid labour contractions I kind of forgot that it was intrusive and was just desperate for them to check and tell me I was 10cm and could push 😂 I think once you get into the pain side of it you won't really be as aware. I had a 2nd degree tear and when they were sewing me up the only available registrar was male - normally I'd have said no i wanted a female but by that point I figured everyone had seen everything/was high on gas and air and I just wanted to go to bed so I wasn't bothered!

@NamelessBaby1 ah very organised! I have focused on baby equipment but have got nothing for me yet, must get maternity pads next time I go shopping and will look for cooling pads too. Only thing I have got for the hospital bag so far is a box of Lindt chocolates 😂 got given it so keeping it for that, figured those little choc balls will be easy to eat to help energy levels! Will take lucozade too. My partner would do the same re Newcastle United given half the chance! He is obsessed!

@paintfairy I know what you mean about having it just to check.. there's so much unknown with pregnancy it's nice to rule things out.

@NamelessBaby1 you are organised! I was looking at the postpartum rescue pack on boots website earlier but I'm not sure if its just aload of stuff you don't really need.

With names, we've been settled on a name for a few weeks now. I always say you never know until they are here but I think OH has grown quite emotionally attached to it. It was his suggestion and the first one I didn't pull a face at 🤣

Cervix checks.. i dunno what to think, I think as @kiwi17 said by the point I'm in labour I probs won't care what is going on! I already feel abit desensitised to people sticking things up there, I had a D&C under local anesthetic last year and that was pretty undignified.. it wasn't too bad until they lit my downstairs up with a super bright light 😂

We went back for a second attempt at a 4d scan today but little lady was even more camera shy than last time and genuinely looked like a slice of lasagne.

@KizboBaggins I had cervical checks with my first and actually found them excruciating - yes they basically stick their fingers up there and feeling how much they can feel and which way baby is facing, but it was extremely uncomfortable. I declined any with my second - they didn't add anything for me, they don't really mean anything anyway. one can dilate from 4cm-10cm in 20 mins or it can take hours, when my body was ready to push nothing would have stopped it! Every time I had one (I think I had 3 in total) it slowed everything else down. So worth considering beforehand, you could have on your plan you want them on request only then you can decide in the moment!

The cervix checks weren't really a big thing for me, like Kiwi said once you're in labour you don't really notice and I also just really wanted to know I was 10cm and could push too. Plus there could be several to quite a few hours between checks, it's definitely not something they were doing every five minutes in my experience.

@KizboBaggins I believe they insert two fingers and they measure how dilated you are by how much they can separate those two fingers. It’s not 100% accurate by any means. Pros and cons on both sides I think! If you’re 2cm they think you’re quite a way off but doesn’t indicate how quickly things may move along. You can absolutely decline to have these examinations.

Yeah I guess once I'm in the moment I probably won't give two hoots who or what is in and around me, as long as he comes out as quickly and safely as possible 😅

Interesting though @Effram that you felt it slowed things down? Do you think that was due to your discomfort?

@NamelessBaby1 what are the cooling pads for? You sound much more prepared than me, as others have said. I have just googled "what to pack for hospital labour" and I'm surprised at home much stuff is recommended, even by the NHS. Might need to invest in a little suitcase! Oh and @ShellUK09 after your message I immediately added a note on my phone to pack chocolate and lucozade lol

@ShellUK09 that's so funny, we'll both end up with baby Eddie or Amanda or Bruno or something 🤣

Interesting to hear both sides re the checks, it will maybe very much depend on how things go at the time!

@ChinChilly I was looking at those packs too, but just decided to get a few wee bits that I reckon I probably will use rather than spending all that on what might not be used like you say. It's so hard to know!

@KizboBaggins the cooling pads are something I've seen mentioned on Reddit quite a bit, apparently they just help sooth all your fragile bits after birth as well as do the usual absorbing blood thing!

Also as a complete aside, had anyone been watching the Community Midwives of Yorkshire programme on BBC? It makes me cry so much as its just so lovely but it's good viewing!

I find the my expert midwife hospital bag list helpful, it suggests splitting the bag, between, labour, post labour and baby (basically your changing bag).

I’ve seen perineal sprays for the after and perineal bottles (the ones with the funny nozzles) but I’m not sure I understand what these are for, after you go to the loo? And does anybody know what it the difference?

Nope no idea what they are for .... Not sure really what they would have added to the whole experience. In my case once the baby was out and my second degree tear was sown up everything was fine downstairs. It only burnt whilst I was actually weeing and that stopped fairly quickly other than that it was basically like nothing had happened. Maybe I'm unusual.... I've never actually asked anyone else about cooling thingies or perineal sprays etc and whether they used them.

@SoMuch2Say the perineal bottles are for when you pee after giving birth. As the wee can make you sting a lot (mainly if you’ve had any tears/ episiotomy) so the water you spray while peeing dilutes your wee a bit more so it’s a bit more comfortable! I didn’t have one last time and it’s def something I would try this time. You want to dilute your wee as much to stop it stinging so much - lots of drinking!!

@SoMuch2Say and they also can be used after you go to the loo to clean you up a little!

@KizboBaggins well I'm not due till 26th so I'm going to start working from home from the 1st July and work till I just can't anymore really.

I'm finding it difficult though stress wise and I'm normally a person who wouldn't take any notice

I'm sure it'll be fine I was just wondering if anyone elses boss was freaking out and being unreasonable ha x

@Horsesforcourses23 I have started training my replacement but they aren't hiring anyone new they are just re-jigging the department a bit so 1 lady is helping our team out part time.
My colleague is transferring to my job (FT).
Some of the guys I work with keep telling me I'm "not allowed" 9 months off as they won't cope without me 😂 I'm hoping it'll be fine... But then if they struggle a bit at least I know I'll have a job to come back to!

Loving the Yorkshire midwives show @NamelessBaby1 ! It’s making me nostalgic for One Born every Minute, I wish they’d bring that back

@paintfairy that's annoying I drive past the Merry Hill shopping centre on the way home from work & so when I remembered I popped into argos/boots to get the packs.
I did find boots run out far more often but Argos only didn't have them in stock once. They did offer to order them in but I said I'd just call back another time.

@KizboBaggins They are only allowed to do it once every 3 hours and after waters have broken its once every 4. Because its an infection risk. So no it wont be every 5 minutes. And yes as @Effram says it can slow things down. As can a lot of things they do. Remember we are mammals - so pain and fear will hold things off as your instincts think you are in danger (even though we technically arent these days). Just like with animals.
@NamelessBaby1 i've watched the first one but not any others yet. It is interesting! Less scary than one born every minute.
@CaptainCarp where do you ask in Argos? These days they have no staff. 😂The woman in my boots was really rude. Like - we dont have them. No idea if that meant ever, or just now or what. (sounded like ever). I went to sainsburys (has argos) but there appeared to be no people to ask. Painful. No idea if its even worth getting anyway? I had a netmums voucher for free aldi nappies which turned out to be worth 75p. You never get anything decent free.

With regards to names we found out what we were having to make it easier but we still have no clue. DH comes up with pointless things (or nothing) but hates everything i suggest! Helpful. I'm beginning to order/collect hospital bag things together now but i'm way off anywhere near having all of it.

@paintfairy ours has a row of tills at the side for paying if you don't / can't use their machines. I hang around there & someone usually comes then they can check on the system.
I do wonder if some have no idea what they are so just say no sometimes!

The green 1 is a bit naff & the pink (1st) one was hit & miss.
The purple (2nd) 1 has had a pack of 22 newborn nappies in each time & twice had wet wipes as well so I was happy with 66 free nappies.
There are some random vouchers like tails.com & gumf about pregnacare & other adverts but that's to be expected when its free.