June 2023 Babies ☀️ (Thread 3)

[firsttimelondonmummy]

@BellaTheDarkOverlord @MrsP4 @BobbySD345 @DrinkingAllTheGin @CaliGirl47 @Tor88 @B1993 @HalWin2221 @Texasholdem20 @LT103 @NalaNana @thedust @Babybaby66 @ireneadler101 @theodora2146 @Okapi99 @justbelieve @Pumpkincat11 @AstroH @peonyjam @Ally1992

Ooon I could just imagine a home birth cuddling my cats as I have contractions. I think they'd be fantastic birthing partners 😺

I’m going to have to have a hospital birth this time as I’m ‘geriatric’ so my worries are all the other way round! With a home birth no one bothers you, there’s no audience, no time table, and of course the guaranteed birth pool. This time I don’t really know what to expect. Will people just walk into the room? Will I be pressured to have interventions or examinations, I doubt I’ll have a birth pool and I have no idea what it’s like to give birth without one.

With my home birth I walked round and round the house until I got into the pool. Where do you walk in the hospital? Round the corridors? With people around?

I vwould love a home birth but don't think I will be allowed, would also love to be on the midwife lead unit but again don't think I would be allowed, my first Labour was 32 hours so I'm hoping this one is alot quicker. I had to have a forceps delivery in the end as she got distressed and was stuck, so I tore and then had to be cut, it was all very traumatic so I'm hoping for an easier delivery this time round xx

@BellaTheDarkOverlord, wow! 20 mins was fast!

Mine lasted just shy of 11 hours from start (waters breaking/initial contractions) to getting DS out and I thought that was fast!!

They were ages stitching me up and because it was all internal; it was quite unpleasant since I was already very swollen. You never think about the bits that come after the labour but being injected and having the speculum for stitches was something I wish I'd known about!

@dresslol, I was sent home from hospital at around 4cm dilated as everyone assumed it's take a while to progress. It didn't and within an hour of being at home I was in agony with urges to push!! We were NOT at all prepared for a homebirth so DH rushed us to the hospital. I was basically told to lie in the bed, and push as soon as the saw I was dilated (I didn't need an exam). I asked for anything for the pain but was just told there wasn't time. I was pushing for around 20 mins and kept on my back. After, lots more people came in for aftercare. It wasn't all that pleasant to be honest but after having that experience I know to advocate for myself abd will definitely do that this time!! My room was quite big and would have had pace for me to move around etc.

@Hlc86, a home birth does so appealing to me too but I'm still on the fence!! And my worry would be the midwives arrive too late and DH needs to deliver the baby! 😳

@B1993 DH would never be able to deliver my baby. The last one during the actual birth he looked down there as I was pushing out the head and told me it looked like a run over badger 😂

@BellaTheDarkOverlord... 'a run over badger' haha! 🤣🙈 Your DH did better than mine, he didn't want to look at all and stayed firmly at the head end.

@B1993 mine was the same! I got to 7cm with very little pain just tightenings and discomfort. It was the final 2/3 hours which were horrendous. Re the tearing apparently that peri prep is meant to be amazing and Aldi have just brought some out. Where my stitches were has never healed right and I never sought help so the midwife said I'm very likely to tear there again as it didn't heal. Can't wait...!

@dresslol each hospital will be different but I was in from waters breaking as I had GD and the initial room was large with a ball to bounce, biscuits and drinks for DH and a large bathroom with a bath. Corridors to walk which were very quiet. I don't remember when they moved me I believe I was in established Labour due to not remembering and the Labour room I had was smaller but I didn't want to get off the bed by that stage I just wanted baby out. I couldn't have walked anywhere at that stage even if I wanted to haha. I do remember there being a curtain at the side of the bed presumably as people walk past the rooms but they like the door to be open.

We have spent another day clearing crap from what will be the babies room.
2 tip runs and 4 black sacks into the recycling and we still ate not done! We have an unbelievable amount of crap.

@BobbySD345 I'm the same! We've not had sex since I found out I was pregnant, because I'm so worried about something going wrong! Light bleeding and spotting at 6-9 weeks didn't help, I was ready to maybe try it this week just ahead of the 20 week scan, but then got a tiny bit of spotting, and it's put me off all over again. Am I being ridiculous?

Midwife didn't seem concerned about the amount of spotting, but I've never talked to her directly about having sex. I've read that it's usually fine, but dont want to be the exception!

@dresslol we have birth centres here (as well as labour ward). I had both my babies in the birth centres, managed to manage my contractions at home until 5cm both times. So wasn't sent home. The birth centre rooms are quite large, they have dim lights, lava lamps, starry ceilings, u can request a birth pool- I didn't like it as it had no handles on there for me to grab and I felt out of control, and I hadn't broke my waters at that point and feel like it restricted my waters from breaking which in turn meant I had to force it to break whilst pushing out my 8lb 2 baby- obviously then teared badly.

They don't have beds but more like a big cushion type sofa thing to lie on, because lying flat is probably the worst way to try get a baby out. They had apparatus on the wall and hanging from the ceiling like ropes and bar to hold on to whilst pushing etc. and a stool like ure sat on the toilet. I used that to birth both my babies.

I liked it but I feel like I was left alone for too long, it was a very calm experience Tbf , and I had one midwife helping me, and some gas and air.

@B1993 my first labour lasted around 10hours but in the end I know I pushed him without the 'urge' I had just had enough and pushed with all my might. And teared so bad they left me lying there for ages legs akimbo, shivering from the adrenaline rush and then stuck him on my boob at the same time which then caused them after birth uterus contracting- back-in pain. I was traumatised. Which by the way, no one at all warned me about those after birth pains!!! Second labour was 24 hours and the midwife randomly came in at the end and popped my waters, and baby was out in 3 pushed and I actually felt the urge that time. I just wish she had popped my waters sooner rather than making me suffer all thru the night with 10cm dilation and just gas and air.

I really feel like I don't have the strength and energy anymore for all this as I'm older and it's my third, i wana get to the hospital and just have an epidural. I was so against it with my first 2 , now I'm like pls just make it as easy as possible.

Hello ladies,

Been following along lots but very quiet. In hindsight, I think I’ve been struggling a lot with intrusive thoughts about miscarrying. We had a scan last week though and baby is doing so well. We got lots of 4D time which made me very emotional. I really felt like I could see my little one and what they’re going to look like. We got this pic 🥰 it looks like my DH!

We’re not finding out the sex until the birth but I know my DH wants a girl and this is very likely to be our only baby, so I totally understand the gender disappointment. No judgement at all!

I’m 20 weeks now and have my very delayed 16 week appointment on Tuesday and then a meeting with the mental health midwife on Wednesday. I’ve been advised to ask for c section because my severe anxiety about the baby dying during the birth. Has anyone done the same thing or known someone who has?

Thinking of everyone with 20 week scans this week. Hoping they all go really well. Mine isn’t until 24th Jan when I will be 21+3.

All these stories about birth !!

I don’t know why but I am more nervous this time round than the last time . I laboured at home for 11 hours but I didn’t know I was in active labour . I just bounced on my ball and kept saying to my husband I think my hips are cracking opening. I was just in so much pain during my last few weeks I thought it was just part of being pregnant. I will add I was in a lot of pain ! Our flat is so small so we don’t have a bath and I kept going in the shower and placing warm water on my hooohaa to stop the pain. I did a massive grocery shop where I brought utter crap which we found the week after . I was off my rocker .
I only demanded to go hospital because I had blood dripping out of me and I thought oh no what’s happening. The hospital is about 45 mins away from me and in traffic I could feel the baby crowning in the car . I didn’t make it to the maternity ward - I ended up giving birth in A and E triage as I walked in the hospital my husband screamed the babys head coming out of her and they ran to take me onto a bed. Due to covid times they wouldn’t let him in . Until 5 mins in I screamed get my husband now . In 20 mins I delivered a baby girl with about 15 people in the room because my heart rate was dropping and they thought I might be having a heart failure at the same time . Paddles were ready!

I don’t want to scare anyone but if you think you are in labour - please don’t be a fool like me . Just go hospital / birth centre , call the maternity unit.

@Zaalfruit Wow lucky you got there in time! My SIL went in in December and they told her that her contractions were Braxton Hicks. It's her 3rd and she's had them with all 3 so she knew it wasn't the hicks. They sent her home again and they had to rush back in suddenly just in time.

I remember them breaking my waters and my vagina started pushing immediately. No waiting. I was laughing and telling DH to go get help as I was pushing. He was eating a bacon sandwich 😂Midwife didn't believe us until she looked and was like oh yes you're ready! DD was only 6lb and she flew out.

@AstroH My 20 week scan is 25th. I'll be 20+3. I'm also worried about baby dying in labour. DD managed to escape my uterus but consultants so far are making out I shouldn't have had a natural delivery with her. I might ask about a C-section next week. I think I'm seeing consultant after the scan as they've booked me in for uterine doppler app too.

Hi all, I posted on the first and second threads but had failed to follow this one!
Hope you're all doing okay and starting to feel a bit better now :-)

I'm 17 weeks and feeling loads better in terms of sickness and tiredness but now I'm left not feeling very pregnant iyswim?

This is my second DC, and I have felt a few flutters but nothing consistent yet. I just can't help but worry all the time, is anyone else like this?

I've just had a call from 9ne of the midwives to invite me to a weight management session. What fun! My BMI is high but I'm only a 16/18. I blame the bmi on the fact I'm a short arse.

( studiously ignoring the birth stories above. Lalala I can't hear you!)

@BellaTheDarkOverlord are uterine doppler appointments only done if you're high risk? I've not heard anything about them, but could be because they've said I'm low risk. And sorry if I missed it, but why did they say you shouldn't have had a natural delivery with your first?

@Saturn88 I'm always worrying too! I'm 19 weeks and only feeling a few flutters and flicks too. I've read that it takes a good few more weeks for them to become regular.

had consultant appt today and basically saying I’ve not to go over due date so I need to decide whether I want to try for natural but if not happening then likely induction or whether I want a planned section. I felt like he was pushing towards a planned section but wouldn’t say outright and just sent me lots of info. Ugh another thing to stress about.
first things first, I have 20 week scan on Thursday!!
lots of flutterings every day now. Feels like I have a fish flapping around in there!

@BobbySD345, thank you for the recommendation! I'll look into but my tears were all internal last time so it wasn't actually the perineum that was the problem. I wonder if it's worth trying anyway 🤔

On another note, I had my 20 week scan! 🥰 Baby is doing great and all seems healthy, so, after covid, that's a relief. It has been confirmed that we're having another boy!! 💙 I'm not as disappointed as I thought I would be but was expecting that to be the outcome anyway. However, I still catch myself having a bit of a moment when I think about the things I'll 'miss out' on (wedding dress shopping, girly days out etc.) and am sad for that. Of course I still love this baby and I know I won't want it any other way when he's here.

And I don't remember who asked about a low placenta, but I have this again!! I'll be booked in at 34 weeks for another scan to see if it's moved and next steps taken from there. Hoping it won't be a section but obviously just want what's safest!

I've received a consultat appointment for the same day as my pregnancy fat fighters club. The times don't line up either. I think I might try to delay the fat fighters club. I don't want to take the piss at work. Different days would be better.

Has any FTM’s bought a pram yet?
We’ve ordered just shy of our 20 week scan (shocking I know) but we got a little bit off and I wanted to support the store rather than online as the lady was amazing.
I’m also an organisational freak 😂
Ended up going with the Silvercross Dune set!
Really didn’t love anything else quite like I loved the SC.
Our amazing sales person (John Lewis) did let me know after enquiry that should anything happen they will accept a return.
Keeping everything crossed for a smooth pregnancy but good to know they have that in place.
We will be popping it into storage until June once we’ve checked it.

@firsttimelondonmummy we've not bought one as been donated one.
However do need to buy a car seat. Leaving this until after 20 week scan.

@B1993 Aw boys are the best 💙 I still haven't accepted that ours is a girl this time! It was me with the low lying placenta. So have they said your next scan is 34w and that's to check the placenta position? X