Due in June 2022 - Thread 12

[PlodandPod]

@EarlGreywithLemon
@fpeg
@PeeAche2
@pregnancydiaries
@Rolledthedice
@Vimto1991
@Annabell1
@Prema112
@Lostintranslatio
@Roxystar23
@PleaseSendNoodles
@imhereforthecake
@RoseValleyRambles
@t0nim92
@Yecats22
@AlbatrossSociety
@unknownscot
@beansprout55
@MrsNT
@Letsbekindplease
@GrowBabyGrow
@MrsTwentyNine
@Flowerbug1994
@BrightSmoke
@DaimDillyDoo
@MsBubbles85
@Octoblockisadick
@C1ueless22
@CurryandSnuggle
@rathernotshare
@InvisibleDragon
@4thtimethecharm
@ALHCTPS
@RooSut25
@Jammymare
@NorthDevonBeachLover
@Clomid1

In anticipation for thread 11 coming to an end.. Apologies to anyone I have missed out tagging, have tried to include everyone!

@Letsbekindplease the midwife does have a point re: not being able to move with epidural. My legs went numb so I ended up laying in bed, couldn’t stay upright. Had catheter in. Contractions started to slow as a result so I ended up on oxytocin drip which affected DS heart rate, ended up with continuous monitoring and I also got woken to my own blood pressure being checked every 30 minutes!!! My son turned his head, it started to swell so I need a c-section. I can’t be sure it was the epidural but studies show that remaining in an upright position and mobile is conducive for a natural birth which is why epidurals are more likely to lead to a cascade of interventions. I’m going to try to avoid it this time through hypnobirthing and gas & air.

@Clomid1 So sorry to read you’ve been suffering in pain. Hope you’ve just gone in and been seen. Thinking of you 💐

Been awake most of the night with the worst back cramps, her head literally feels so low down... I'm exhausted but hoping it means it's the start of labour as I'm now 2 days overdue

@DaimDillyDoo Good luck! I hope that’s the case for you 🙂

I can’t sleep, keep waking up with butterflies as I’m excited about my sweep later, but it’s really counter-productive as I know I need sleep before possible labour!! Argh. Then when I fell asleep DH started fidgeting, I asked if he was ok, he said it’s my snoring again lol. So now I can’t get back to sleep. Argh! I’ve given up now. Might have an hour snooze before the sweep.

@CurryandSnuggle I can’t sleep either. I have my covid test for pre induction at 9, but I sometimes get insomnia if I have to wake up early as I start thinking of how much sleep I need. I went to bed at 9:30, was still awake by midnight, and I’ve woken up hourly since. My cat wakes me up at 5, and now I’m just hot and bothered to sleep. Keep thinking about the induction on Thursday and reading about the pain I’ll be in on this thread is giving me the heebeejeebees lol.
on Top of that my hip hurts, my back hurts, my stomach hurts, kudos to anyone prepared to go over 40 weeks. 🙈 so uncomfortable!!

@Vimto1991 just to offer a different perspective on the pain, I found it really manageable, don't know if it's because if built it up in my head to be absolutely horrendous, but hypnobirthing techniques really helped loads. It was painful at the end I won't deny that but it's followed by this amazing rush of adrenaline and endorphins as you get your baby. I know I had a good experience but I honestly only see the whole thing in a hugely positive way. The last part I found that I was totally living on instinct, and almost like an outer body experience, totally primal. I don't remember the details of that but but my OH says I threw the gas and air aside at that point and just got on with the pages that saw her out. Just wanted to give you the positive birth experience as unfortunately by its nature we get to hear so many of the negative.

The little monkey responsible for it all is currently tucking into her morning feed and is worth anything 🥰🥰🥰

@fpeg Amazing, thanks for the lovely positive birth story ❤️

@fpeg as a pessimist I’ve actually been quite optimistic about the birth and I’ve surprised everyone I know. I said it’s pain that’s worth it for what you get at the end, but I guess the closer I’m getting it’s more like - I know something painful is about to happen, and my first birth plan is gas and air and a water birth. We shall see how I manage. I’d like to think I have a pain threshold but I’ll let you guys know how that my goes. 😂 also getting anxiety about something going wrong, like baby taking their first breath, etc, but think it’s natural to worry about that.

awww so cute, you must be so smitten with her 🥰 mad to think in a week I’ll have that, too!

Finally caught back up, phew! Officially on Mat leave, but also my son is on half term so we've been busy everyday and struggled to keep up with the thread! Good luck everyone having babies this week, 🤞🏻 all CS go well.

@Octoblockisadick I've also been on the fence for the exact same reasons. But I've actually decided to have an induction as opposed to C section straight away. Like you, I'm still not 100% on my decision for intervention, what if he's not ginormous and would come naturally at 41weeks 🤷🏻‍♀️😫

@Vimto1991 can they not be left with a load of food and water and litter trays around? My besties house cat had a big bowl of food, fresh water and 3 litter trays, and copes totally fine with someone popping in once a day.

@MrsNT I've been colostrum harvesting. Doing it twice daily, and been putting each day into a little pot for it. I was getting 5ml a day until the weekend, so had yesterday off and will try again today. Also, you can get post partial donuts to sit on. I 100% needed mine for the journey home, I couldn't sit at all. Fully recommend getting one!

@CurryandSnuggle yes for the constant messages 😂. So annoying!

Hope you've had some relief @Clomid1. Sounds horrible for you!

I had a call from my midwife at the weekend, we've agreed a cut off point for my HB, or even natural birth, totally my choice of when and what option to choose thankfully. But baby is growing 1lb every 10 days and is predicted to be 11lbs at cut off date. I'm really gutted as I don't think he'll make an appearance on his own. @PlodandPod and I have been trying every old wives tale and comparing, but nothing works 😂😂. My son is going to my parents this weekend, so hopefully a few nights with just the husband, baby will make an appearance, otherwise it's back in to hospital :( I will have a baby by the end of next week though 🙌🏻

Maybe @Clomid1 has her baby in her arms by now 🤞🤞😍😍

I read a lot of you are dealing with imsomnia and I'm in the totally opposite situation : sleeping like a log through the night. However I still wake up feeling totally drained up. MW said yesterday that there's very little I can do (to say nothing) than put up with it for four more weeks 😢 It is starting to affect my MH, so I've been refered to the MH midwives for a chat.

@CurryandSnuggle at our hospital you can sit on a chair during an epidural, I was showed how to during our active birthing class. You sort of lean on it so you have support.
So we can still have upright position for birthing, and epidural too 😀

@Clomid1 hope things are progressing smoothly now, fingers crossed for you ...🤞

@laurenGame what a great idea! That’s what I always found laughable about being told to keep mobile during labour - it’s not doable for 10-12-24 hours or more. You wouldn’t do that in every day life, let alone with labour pain. You do need to sit and rest eventually. In actual fact I found I personally couldn’t walk or stand at all with the pain, which was a surprise as I’m normally on my feet a lot. A chair would really help with that. Lying on your side is also helpful. That’s what I found most comfortable and it’s a good position for the pelvis.

Morning all! Another restless night here too. It's my last day of work today, and then we start getting ready - with a bit more urgency than we expected! I'm still morning my lovely fortnight off a little, but it's also exciting to think he'll be here soon. Had my first 'baby' dream last night, which I don't think was a coincidence.

Aargh! What a rollercoaster. I do wish sleep was a little easier...

@Brightsmoke they have a rotating feeder which is three meals and a giant litter tray so they can be left for a day and a half! I just worry about the night time with visiting hours ending at 10pm in my hospital, DH would only be able to visit if I’m in active labour between 10-9 and I’m worried he’d miss it as we live 45 minutes away. ☹️

Oh gosh so much has happened! Half term means I'm busy with DS so not keeping up very well

@Clomid1 Thinking of you and so sorry your labour has started so hard. I really hope you went in and demanded help and had your baby in the night, can't wait to see pictures!

@CurryandSnuggle You're oxytocin day sounds amazing! Hopefully it did unseen things. Must be nice to have just the 2 of you for a little bit. My mum is coming tmw and I'm hoping she will take DS out and DH & I can have a couple of dates.

Thanks @beansprout55. I've been offered a sweep which I've so far declined but may say yes on Thursday at 40 week midwife appointment. But for the ladies who said they are just waiting for natural labour, I am too, despite feeling quite pressured to have an induction. It's hard waiting, but every day we are all getting closer!

Curry- so many messages, wish I'd lied about due date!! I've stopped opening them...

@DaimDillyDoo sounds promising!! 🤞🏼🤞🏼

Hope things are going ok @Clomid1 and that you managed to get some decent pain relief!

@Clomid1 I really hope you went in, if you haven’t and still in pain - get your partner to call and say he’s not happy and would like you checked! I sometimes find they listen more when the partner advocates for you. With my first boy I went into triage and was 3cm so they sent me home. Within an hour or so I was nearing 8cm. I think them checking me just proper kick started it for me.

It makes me so angry when medical professionals downplay your pain. Your pain is what you say the pain is! We all have different pain thresholds!

@beansprout55 I have no plans of early induction so far. I've been feeling jealous of the people in the group who have a date planned or a rough plan. I have been praying I don't go over but it will be what it will be I guess.

I had a terrible night last night and just wanted to cry this morning. My hips are so painful when I lay on them. I struggle to fall asleep, then wake up constantly. I just hate bed time now. It does make me feel better coming on here and reading that people are having the same issues, I don't want to be alone with it 😂

@Clomid1 so sorry for what you've been experiencing. This is actually something that terrifies me. I don't like that they think from over the phone they can say you aren't ready to go in or that you are at a point you don't need more pain relief. They don't know your pain threshold. We shouldn't be with held from receiving care. If you were in that much pain and not in labour you'd be seen.

@needarainbow that's good you will be seeing someone at least. Hopefully they are super helpful. I had a midwife cover one of my appointments and I actually preferred her.

@MrsNT I've got vests, sleepsuits, 3 rompers, 1 dungarees and 2 pants /tops. So not much really! I'll get more when i know babies aize and the weather I think. I did use a lot of rompers with my daughter the summer she was born though, they were good for sleeping when it was a bit warmer.

@laurenGame epidurals generally have a "lock out" so you can't give yourself too much. the midwife can boost it if needed though.

@DaimDillyDoo good luck! Hopefully this is it for you 🤞

@Brightsmoke I've got another scan and consultant appt this afternoon, they are going to give me a sweep too. My mum is taking my daughter until Monday too so hopefully I can relax.

Hope you are doing OK @Clomid1 .

I had a horrific night's sleep, my husband is stressed about work and struggling with the uncertainty of the birth too so he's not the easiest person to be around at the minute. He upset me a bit last night, said I'm not the woman he fell in love with at the minute, I'm different in a bad way. Well yeah, I'm 9 months pregnant, constantly uncomfortable, worrying about my choices for birth and my daughter. I'm not in my early 20s with no responsibility anymore, of course I'm different. Not great for my oxytocin levels really.

@Clomid1 hope everything is going ok?

On the sleep side ladies I think our body is preparing us for no sleep in a few days 🤣 given how we will have to be up every 2 hrs or maybe whole nighr so maybe this insomnia is a gradual prep towards that

They're so worth it 💕 hoping for some new baby photos today ☺️

@fpeg awwwww 😍😍😍😍😍😍😍 adorable

Oh @fpeg 🥰🥰🥰💗💗💗 what a cutie pie. How's things going? So good to see how much you're loving motherhood.

Thanks re the secretary address. I actually woke up to a text from my midwife saying she was chasing it this morning so fingers crossed I hear something soon xx

@Octoblockisadick sorry to hear about hubby, I of course don't know him or the situation but I bet he didn't mean a word of it and it's just the stress and pressure getting to him...Hope he realises that and does some grovelling that you deserve!!xx