Anyone due April 2024?

[Cptn]

Just got my bfp yesterday and EDD is early April 2024. Anyone else similar and feel like keeping each other company?

@olderthanyouthink @Angloitalian83 reading about both your quick births! Mine was also so quick and I’m unsure what to do this time, adds an extra complication.

Mine was less than an 2 hours start to finish- I think it has a name when your body just expels the baby. I had hold of my sons head when I walked in the maternity suite 🙈. I have a blood condition which makes me high risk otherwise I’d just opt for a home birth. We were in London for my son but recently moved back to the North West now so interested to see what a new consultants suggests.

Has anyone had a planned home birth, this would really be my preference this time.

I'd also be interested to know if anyone has had a planned home birth, I'm keen to give it some consideration. The idea of giving birth and DH being turfed out after an hour isn't great and I know he'd struggle with that too... I was induced at 10 days overdue with DS so no choice but hospital (not that I'd even considered a home birth).

@Giles1008
Foetal ejection reflex, like throwing up but downwards 😅. The second time I just hung out in the water and waited for it to happen, he was more effort but forgiven has he is a much easier going child 🙃

Birth pool is still under a bed because I couldn't let go of it.

@CinderRosithey don't still chuck dads out after and hour do they?

So first was accidental home birth and second was planned home birth

@CinderRosie with my first my husband was allowed to stay the night and we were given a private room (lucked out there I think). Dads could stay as long as they wanted but they wouldn’t feed him 😂

@Giles1008 head in your hand!!! 😱

I had the foetal ejection reflex - after the head came out, he just whooshed out across the bed! Umbilical cord was like a bungee rope 😂 I still wonder now where on earth the midwife was!

@olderthanyouthink I'm still sore about him arriving on the first day 3 years later 😂 And yes, need to go to hospital at the first sign - but what to do with my child?! I reckon husband will be in car park with child & I will be alone in delivery room 😮‍💨 They definitely need to build in crèche facilities in hospitals!

Make a kid friend or two in the next 7/8 months? I offered to have my neighbours kid and she did the same for me but they had someone further away who their kid knew better and it wasn't a super emergency so they called them when the need arose.

Do they go to nursery at all? @Angloitalian83

@Giles1008 @CinderRosie

I had a planned home birth with my second and I've booked in with the home birth team again for this one (zero regrets).

My first was born at the MLU but I was repeatedly told not to come in because I wasn't having the famous "3 contractions in 10 minutes, each lasting around 1 minute", despite telling them my labour was ramping up. I ended up starting to push (thankfully early days and I had a long pushing stage) and was then finally told I was allowed to make my way in. Worst car journey ever! The birthing pool at the end of it was bliss, though. I never did have a consistent pattern of contractions.

With my second, I also didn't have a consistent pattern of contractions. I was so "relaxed" (bearing in mind I was actually at the end of my labour) and waiting for it to "ramp up" that I ended up starting to push before we'd even filled up the pool and the midwives arrived. You'd think I'd have learnt my lesson! 🤣 The midwives were only with us for about 45 minutes or so before baby was born!

This time round I'm determined to make more use of the birth pool before the pushing stage... and to call the midwives a little earlier! I'm aiming for a third pool birth and my second birth at home.

@CinderRosie thank you.

Fascinated to read about the home birth experiences.
I’m planning to use Kingston hospital, if anyone knows it.

It's so difficult trying to plan child care in this situation! Do you have any family nearby? With my first I had a c section after a failed induction and even tho it really wasn't what I wanted ah the time it's worked out for the best because I'll deff have a planned c section next time. My daughter can be sorted and my husbands a dentist so can book time off work without messing patients around. But I don't know what I'd do otherwise!x

If I’m lucky enough to get there (why do I always feel the need to say this?) I’ll have an ELCS again. I did last time and it was lovely.

What to do with the toddler and my recovery is something I’ll need to think about 🫣

My son was over 10lbs, delivered vaginally, without pain relief so I am DESPERATE to make better plans this time around. I think I would like to consider a water birth. The clinical nature of the ELCS really appeals to me but I need to get back to in just under 6 weeks after delivery so … sort of reluctant/unsure. Any experience for anyone?

(Giving vague details because I feel like I’m outing myself a lot :D)

This will be my first birth, and I’ve always wanted to do a water birth so if I can that’s my first option!

I meant to say “back to driving …” in my previous post

You can drive whenever you are ready after an ELCS.. It’s a myth you need to wait six weeks. I was back driving and fine after 15 days.

Just listen to your body :)

@Noodles4Me I'm the same with prefacing every pregnancy/baby sentence with 'if we get there/if it all works out' I don't know when I'll feel like I can stop saying it.

Thanks @Noodles4Me that is very good to know

@Angloitalian83 bungee jump 😂

@Poppins2016 a water birth sounds so appealing that’s what I wanted first time round but it was all too quick. Quick labours run in my family, my mum had my brother on her own at home with me age 3 🫣 so hoping that doesn’t happen.

I was high risk last time, pregnant caused really low platelets so I couldn’t have any pain relief except gas and air also. Not sure if the same will happen again 🤞🏻🤞🏻

@Poppins2016 sometimes the midwives don’t listen. I rang and said I was already contracting heavily after half an hour and they said don’t come in we’ll just send you home. Next minute I walking in holding my sons head I delivered in the car park 🫣

@Giles1008 it was very frustrating. Thankfully the midwives said they'd note it and listen the second time around, whether I had a hospital/MLU or home birth! The issue the second time was actually me not trusting my body, not them! I found out afterwards that they were concerned about getting to me on time... oops. Lesson learnt! To be honest, I'd be comfortable enough this time around to get on with it myself if I had to...

@Giles1008 did you at least get an apology/what was their reaction?!

@olderthanyouthink yes DS goes to nursery, but I don't know if it's a London thing, I've just not found it that easy to make mum friends at nursery 😕 We do have some other friends nearby (some with their own DCs say 15-20 min drive away) who could be an option in an emergency, but realistically I feel I need someone even closer than that if things were to move fast.

As others have said, it's still very early days so I have time to come up with a plan if we get that far 🤞🏼

@Poppins2016 home birth sounds lovely. My blood pressure was too high even for the MLU annoyingly. I'd have loved a nice calm water birth.

@SurreyPsych I've not been to Kingston hospital, but I'm v familiar with the area & grew up not too far away. 10lb baby without pain relief sounds a bit ouchy 😬 Why do you need to get back to driving by a certain time? Is it for work? How did you feel 6 weeks after your previous birth?

@faban yes it's a tricky one! Closest family are technically 15min away but we don't spend much time with them & they're often abroad. I'm sure we will come up with some sort of plan / long rota of people to call if needed. It's possible that my body will only relax when DC is in nursery & being taken care of so it will all be fine?! Planned CS is a good option to manage the uncertainty!

@Giles1008 my mum also had v quick labours. I was almost born in the car apparently! Although I don't think she had the added bonus of unpredictably early arrivals, just fast and around the due date. Still, I must ask her what she did about childcare arrangements!

Anyway, this isn't typical first trimester chat, apologies everyone that I've accelerated the conversation somewhat 😂 I can go back to my gripes about bloating & needing bigger clothes already

good night/morning,
I came off the pill on the 11th July and having big old positives past couple of days. Convinced myself I have everything possible going on from ectopic pregnancy to an incarcerated uterus so thought this feed would be better for my mental health on the late night insomnia scrolling. Symptoms so far: sore boobs, cramps, wild sense of smell, constipation. What a party. Don’t have a clue on ageing the pregnancy since the pill stopped my period, no idea on ovulation either. Was a surprise to be pregnant so quickly.

hope everyone is well. Going to spend the next while of the insomnia reading through the feed but just wanted to introduce myself in case any other night owls are up!

Has anyone taken antihistamines whilst pregnant? Ive googled it and read contradicting things.

I have THE most itchy mosquito bites and would usually take an antihistamine if it kept me up like this but dont want to risk it.

Pretty sure I have Piriton and then sainsburys own allergy tablets.

Also read contradicting things about getting mosquito bites whilst pregnant and now want to sit in my house and hide for the rest of summer as i am always being bitten!!