Canadian Ladies!! 1st, 2nd and 3rd trimesters.... Now everyone can stay in touch!

[JeepGirl]

Your almost there YikesBaby!!!

Its funny, I had no fear about labour and delivery the 1st time... but this time I'm scared to death I think a huge part of it is that I have no control over my csection. I would give anything to have a VBAC but 3 OB's have all said no

 

[magic93]

Thought id say helllo to the canadian ladies as i am one myself.

 

[countrygirl86]

Congrats Jules! She's absoltutely gorgeous. How are you feeling?

You are so pretty Yikes! My baby's head is nicely down in there too! My OB said he probably won't be changing positions at this point so let's hope for smooth deliveries for both of us! My sleeping is definitely not as comfortable or long as it used to be, yours? Lots of pee breaks for sure!

Alexsmomplus1 - They haven't told me how big mine is but I wonder how big he'll be too. I was around 7 pounds and DH was around 8 so hopefully he'll be somewhere in that range!

JeepGirl - sorry to hear you have to have a c-section. I've heard it's hard to find doctors who will do VBACs in Canada. Do you have a date scheduled or will they just do a section when you go into labour?

 

[JeepGirl]

Congrats Jules! She's absoltutely gorgeous. How are you feeling?

You are so pretty Yikes! My baby's head is nicely down in there too! My OB said he probably won't be changing positions at this point so let's hope for smooth deliveries for both of us! My sleeping is definitely not as comfortable or long as it used to be, yours? Lots of pee breaks for sure!

Alexsmomplus1 - They haven't told me how big mine is but I wonder how big he'll be too. I was around 7 pounds and DH was around 8 so hopefully he'll be somewhere in that range!

JeepGirl - sorry to hear you have to have a c-section. I've heard it's hard to find doctors who will do VBACs in Canada. Do you have a date scheduled or will they just do a section when you go into labour?

Thanks. The IWK Childrens Hospital where I will have having her is great for doing VBACs but I can't have one. DS was a EMCS. He was back to back and got very stuck. I pushed for 3hrs, and I pushed with everything I had because I really really didn't want a section. But after 3 OB's coming in the room and saying they couldn't safely turn him or get him out vaginally they called the EMCS. He was so stuck that even in the section they couldn't get him out, and when they finally did pull hard enough to get him out it ripped up both sides of my uterus. So because of that I'm not a candidate for a VBAC. The chance of uterus rupture is way to high for a VBAC. I'm scheduled for a CS on April 11 because they don't want me going into labour on my own. It seems so strange already knowing her birthday.

Welcom to the group magic93!

 

[Alexsmomplus1]

I'll be at the IWK as well. Never having a full term labour, I'm nervous.

 

[JeepGirl]

They are amazing at the IWK! My mother works in Neurology there, so I grew up going there for visits. I've always felt very comfortable there. When DS was born every single staff member we had contact with right from the doctors and nurses to the people cleaning and delivering food were incredible! You will be in great hands there Alexsmomplus1!

 

[readynwilling]

Where is IWK childrens hospital? just curious!

 

[Alexsmomplus1]

Halifax NS. They are amazing at least from how theyve been with ds. He's seen everyone from neurology to physiotherapy...speech to perinatal follow up...we know the childrens side and emerg like a second home. But im now the patient. my xp with them initially when i was in labour with alex wasnt great. but the perinatal clinic and fetal assessment this preg has been awesome...but i am still unaware of whats avail during labour or what to expect. with alex it was not expected i was in labour until it was too late and he came too fast that i had no clue what was going on. Now i have time and a birth plan to think about and all i can wonder is if itll be like last time.

 

[JeepGirl]

Where is IWK childrens hospital? just curious!

It's the only childrens hospital for NS, NB, PEI and Nfld. They also have a woman's and Labour and Delivery unit. It's a world class hospital and we are so lucky to have it close by.

Alexsmomplus1, I spent a week there when I had DS. What questions do you have about labouring there? I not sure if I can answer them all, but I might be able to answer some.

 

[Alexsmomplus1]

I think NL has the Janeway as well, but the IWK is the one more specialized to handle everything east of the CHIO.

I guess the questions I have are what they have available to help you labour? Do they make you stay on your back? Do they have this gas and air thing the UK ladies talk about? I know they do epidurals, but a friend of mine said you need to order it before you go into labour or they won't give you any.

 

[JeepGirl]

They do have g&a, but I think they call it something different. I didn't want it, so never looked into it but friends of mine have used it. I had an epi and didn't have to book in advance. I did have to wait about an hour to get it, but they gave me Fentanyl to take the edge off while I waited for my epi.

There is a tub in your room, if you want to use water for pain and there are yoga balls and you can get up and walk around. But once you have the epi, you need to stay in bed. That's all I know about, but they probably have more that I never got time to use. They do have a big bar that attaches to the end of the bed, you put your feet up on the bar and they can tie a bed sheet to it to pull on when pushing. I pushed in a few different positions, but like the one with the bar and sheet best.

I do recommend pre registering at admitting a few weeks befor your due date. Especially if you want a private room. I was so happy when I arrived and just had to give them my health card and they took me right in, can't imagine having to fill in all that paperwork and answer all those questions while in labour!

 

[Alexsmomplus1]

I have never heard of GnA until this forum, and still not sure what it's all about. I don't even know what Fentanyl is :S I'm hoping my 36 week appt next week will give me a heads up of what to expect and what they have.

 

[lemongrass]

G & A is laughing gas or nitrous oxide or whip its (if you're a teenager with an empty bottle of whipping cream haha) It is a tube or mask that you breath in and it makes you feel drunk basically. It doesn't take the pain away but it makes you not care about the pain. It only lasts about 30 seconds after you finish breathing it in so you don't have any lasting effects. It is pretty much the only pain medication available in labour that doesn't have any chance of affecting the baby/ increasing the chances of intervention in labour.

 

[JCh]

This is what I'm planning on using, I'd like to keep the option of an epidural available if things get too much to handle.... Hopefully I can manage with just Entonox (Gas & Air) as I do know a few mommas who have, not to mention that u can feel down there better so less likely to tear or need an episiotomy like with an epidural (from what I've read...)
My mom got given a shot of demerol in labor (back years ago) and it just made her REALLY sick.... I'd like to stay away from any drug like that.

 

[JeepGirl]

The main reason I didn't want g&a was because I have heard so many people get sick from it. The Fentanyl didn't make me feel sick at all.

 

[lemongrass]

I had it when I was a kid at the dentist- it didn't make me feel sick. I believe that labour itself can make you feel sick during transition, which is the most common time to use G & A. I figure I may get sick from it, or I may get sick from labour. I won't really know which one it is! I'll try without G & A but I don't have a problem with using it if I need it.

 

[countrygirl86]

I'm so glad you ladies know the ins and outs, I took prenatal classes but you are still teaching me lots!

 

[lemongrass]

In my prenatal class the teacher read out from the gov't list of drugs available & their side effects- she let me borrow her paperwork and I read the entire list! I'm really wary of medications and don't take anything without reading all the pharmacy info. Obviously I can't do that while in labour so I read it beforehand. Might be overkill but it makes me feel better.

 

[YikesBaby]

If I wasn't doing it at home I would absolutely get the nitrous (G&A) - I get it when I have serious dental work done and it's great!

 

[gaiagirl]

I kinda wanted G/A but my midwives didnt offer it for home births so unfortunately it was just warm water for pain relief...