**April Bunnies 2015**

[Eidson23]

Congrats northern!! I'm not on Facebook so I can't wait to see pictures of your angel

TMI Kayla lost her mucus plug! I know it can still be a while I'm just super happy about it lol

 

[Christina86]

Yea tomorrow is a new day and I am going to make a salad for lunch! lol. I didn't even check my sugars. I passed out on the couch so who knows what all of that did to me.

I am so tired of having to pee so much! I gotta go 2-3 times for a 32oz drink and occasionally even when I don't drink I gotta go cuz baby punches my poor bladder. My goodness!

I also had the strangest feeling after dinner. It was like a BH but it was like only the bottom of my bump got tight and I felt crampy with it Happened only once. I couldn't move and it hurt.

Now I'm off to get ready for bed and bandage up the husbands nasty finger. The blood clotted up so it's purple and blue but it looks to be healing okay so far. It also looks really really gross.

 

[maggz]

Christina there's always tomorrow, only thing you can do is not beat yourself up and try again tomorrow.

Bean that's so exciting about your parents coming! And regarding cupboard space oh gosh I feel you. I feel like the house is always a mess cause I don't have places to put things.

So today has been a total emotional wreck day, I just can't get my mind off this birthing situation and now that I'm kinda accepting that it might not be so bad to be alone during labor, the whole after part is there too. If it goes like that, DH won't have a chance to bond with our baby, we won't have pictures, or eat the celebratory meal provided by the hospital together... Just all the little things. And none of the people that are here are close to me in a way that I'd wanna share those special moments with.
...and Bean, no, I really can't ask anyone in my family to come out, my mom is coming in May, and I can't ask my sisters to do that. It's both ridiculously expensive, and such a big time frame, so they'd have to stay for two weeks at least.
Gosh... welcome to my pity party.

 

[Beanonorder]

Maggz you are entitled to have your pity party! Its hard to think about giving up all these things you had planned or envisaged. I still have a lot of residual feelings from my previous birth but one thing I can reassure you about - despite neither dh nor I getting to hold dd until she was three days, we all bonded great! I had a grand plan in my head of him telling me whether it was a boy or girl and I had to take time to mourn the loss of that. It sounds like such a small thing but I had worked it up in my head as such a big moment that it was hard not to have it. I took the time to grieve and in the end, it really has all turned out well and it will for you too!
Its hard living away from family at times like this when all you want is them to be around. Sending lots of big hugs for that!

 

[maggz]

Thanks bean.
What happened when Amber was born? If you want to share, of course.

 

[sharnw]

Eidson yay

 

[Beanonorder]

She was born with ABO incompatibility because dh and I have different blood types (I'm O positive and he's A positive) so this led to severe jaundice. The Chinese have a very different way of dealing with things so she was taken away to the NICU as soon as she was born. They briefly showed her to me but I wasn't allowed to touch her or hold her or anything. Also it's not like Western hospitals where parents have all access to their babies. They had strict visiting hours on a Monday and Thursday from 1pm to 3pm. I gave birth in the early hours of Thursday morning and they allowed us to go in at noon so as not to alert everyone to the fact that there was a foreign baby there. But it was only ten minutes and I got to stick my arm in the incubator and touch her. Then we saw her through the window for 2 minutes on the Friday and finally we got her back at lunchtime on Saturday. It was really difficult especially because we weren't prepared for all this to happen. But she's a very happy and healthy little girl now so it'd all good!

 

[Beanonorder]

We're waiting to see of this baby has the same thing but the doctors here are confident he won't have to be taken away from me this time and they've promised I can hold him first!

 

[maggz]

That's so different from here! I bet it was heart wrenching. What did they do for her? Did they have to give her a blood transfusion or just monitor her?
But you're delivering at an expat hospital now, right? Or at least more Western-ized than the last one?

 

[Beanonorder]

She was under the UV lights for a day and a half and then she was given an immunoglobulin transfusion.
Yes I'm going to a more westernised hospital. My doctor actually speaks English!!

 

[Perplexed]

Northern: congrats

Christina: tomorrow is a new day

Maggz: I hear you on the husband situation. We won't know till next week if dh has to go or not. And once we know he'll pretty much have to leave on the spot. I'm worried about being alone too. I live near family but I don't feel I can count on anyone. They don't even answer the phone. At least I know for sure dd can go to my grandmother's and even stay overnight if needed, but that's all I have for the moment. Is your dh's thing confirmed?

Bean: it's so heart breaking to have had to been away from your newborn. I hope this time will be different.

 

[RebeccaR19]

Christina- That sounds like a contraction. That's how it feels when I have a real contraction.

Maggz- Have you all talked about getting a doula? I think I would probably consider that if I knew my husband would be gone. I think a doula could also be very helpful with your hypnobirthing. But I could see how that would feel like maybe it's not necessary in the event that he is there. I'm sorry you are having to go through this stress right now It's tough! I did find that the nurses at my hospital were excellent during labor and in a military hospital they are extra sensitive to anyone whose husband has to be away.
Even if your husband isn't there straight away, he will be able to bond with the baby even if it is later on. I know this just from my own experiences. My husband was there, and my son went back and forth between who he felt he wanted to bond with. He bonded more with my husband right at and after birth than me! He would scream with me and calm right down with my husband. Then, a couple of months later, he switched it. It's sort of been like this his whole life. He spent most of his first year preferring his daddy and then his second year preferring mommy. Now he flip flops based on who he thinks will give him what he wants. But, out of everyone, he has the closest bond with my mother who lives the furthest away. And she didn't even meet him until he was 2 weeks old last time. And even then she only saw him once every several months, but he always wanted her and has been inexplicably close to her. Anyway, all that to say take heart! It's not all amiss if he isn't there immediately.

Eidson- Very exciting! I keep waiting for mine.

I shared this on the FB group, but I figured I should share on here as well. I had some sort of false labor start last night. I had strong contractions coming on at 7-minute intervals and lasting 60-90 seconds each last night. It lasted 2 hours and then just went away. Since then, I haven't had so much as a twinge. I know my body is obviously doing something, and I'm trying to be patient with it!
It's definitely something else to feel like you might be going into labor only to have it just stop. I'm sure it's a good sign in the end that real labor is right around the corner. I just hope that the next time it happens it is the real thing. My body has been practicing for 2 and 1/2 weeks now.

 

[Christina86]

Well that's a scary thought. I just thought it was an odd BH. I see my dr tomorrow I guess I'll ask her what she thinks. I've been getting a lot of BH lately which is fine but if real ones are gonna start too I'm afraid I won't be able to tell the difference =|

I have to be somewhere in 2hrs and I am too lazy to get out of bed. Eventually I have to get my day started. I just don't wanna!

 

[AmeliePoulain]

I think there will be lots of new babies in this group soon!

I had my 36 week appointment 1 day early today. Everything was really positive. The midwife was very encouraged my HbA1c number came back so good (average blood glucose of 5.4 over the past 12 weeks)

Baby feels quite small and still not engaged. I don't expect her to engage until labour if I am honest. My other girls didn't.

I have my growth scan and consultant appt tomorrow. All being well I'll be left to my own devices until 40 weeks with just a check up inbetween at 38 weeks. The midwife was optimistic if my scan goes well that I will be allowed to use the midwife unit at the hospital - so I'd have the option of labouring in the pool and just not have as much intervention.

I had a crappy induction with dd1 and couldn't bring myself to go back to the hospital. With dd2 I had another 'eventful' induction and to be honest the thought of going back to the delivery suite where that hapenned scares me a lot. I had an appointment a few weeks back in the same part of the hospital where I spent the night pre induction last time and I almost had a panic attack.

I think being midwife led in the hospital is best for me - if something goes wrong they can move me downstairs to delivery.

The midwife was really supportive today but she laughed a little I might not have time to do much thinking. She said I need to call the hospital if my contractions are lasting a minute and coming every 5 minutes. It feels a bit surreal. I won't even be remotely on labour watch until late 38 weeks I don't think. I just have so much going on over easter with my big girls.

 

[Beanonorder]

Amelie I hope all goes well with your growth scan and that you get to deliver with the midwife.

I'm 38 weeks today! Off to see the doctor later this morning. I'm pretty sure he's still head up. I think I've basically resigned myself to the fact that he doesn't plan on turning...
And of course the most exciting thing is my parents fly today! Yay I can't wait to see them tomorrow!

 

[Scottish]

Yay so glad you updated northern! Hehe

Amelie that's fabulous news! I hope you get the labour you are hoping for and I hope it comes naturally! Good luck!

Bean good luck with your appointment. I am so happy your parents arrive tomorrow you can get some well deserved rest xxxx

 

[Dini]

Bean I hope your appt goes well and I'm so glad your parents are going to be there soon!

Amelie that's good news about the midwives. I'm using them too and so glad I think it's so much better!

I'm starting to get concerned that this baby is still oblique. The midwives act like its no biggie but it greatly increases my chances of a c-section. I'm starting to get more pressure and light cramping now but still rarely have BH unless the tightening i feel in the lower part of my belly everytime I get up is one but I don't think it is. I don't think I'll be on labor watch either until about 38 weeks. I kinda expect to go over but then again you never know.

 

[Dini]

Oh and Maggz, you are allowed to have all the pity parties you want! I know I would! I'm thinking about you!'

 

[sharnw]

Bean I'm happy your parents will be with you soon

 

[Beanonorder]

Oh my word, what a waste of time appointment I just had! I don't think I was even with the doctor for ten minutes! I've lost a bit more weight but still nothing to cause concern, BP still good. She literally used the US machine for 30 seconds to check his position - still head up, then she listened to the heartbeat. She asked of I had any questions then said we'll discuss the c section and everything next week after the scan.

I think I've basically resigned myself to the fact that I'll be having a c section. I'm nervous but also excited at the prospect that baby could be hear in a week and a day!