February Valentines 2012 - We have our first Valentines!

[Guppy051708]

becstar- I know a women who always goes during the 43rd week of pregnancy and all three of her babies have been fine! Sometimes thats just how babys need to cook. I went 41+5 with DS. Hopefully you wont even have to worry about it, but just remember you are in control of what happens. If your mommy instincts are telling you something, make sure you listen dont give into pressure, unless there's a dang good, medical reason (and not just because you are "way over"). You can do it hun, but im hopeful you wont have to

monkeydo-happy full term! i can't wait to join you!

Swan-thats excellent news!

Sparkles-i can't believe you are so clsoe to your EDD

 

[amandad192]

Happy full term monkeydo!!

Swan, that's great Aria is doing so well. I really hope I have your motivation when it comes to BF!!

Becstar I'm getting a little nervous too. Liam was born at 40+10. I was so lucky to go into labour the night before I was supposed to be induced. I was soo impatient and couldn't wait for him to come out. I'm a lot more patient this time. Maybe because I'm nervous (or F***ING TERRIFIED) about looking after a newborn and a toddler, so I won't be agreeing to an induction date until I really can't take any more of being pregnant and I expect that to be 21 days over unless it's medically advised before then.

AFM, I just got back from my midwife app. Amelia is 2/5ths engaged!! She couldn't find my blood results so she's going to check with the hospital to see if they have them and let me know. 38 weeks and this was my 2nd app that I didn't have to have blood taken.
I'm a list maker and have everything ticked off all my lists other than grabbing some drinks from the local shop for when I'm in labour (the shop is only 4 doors away so can send OH at anytime if I think things are starting) But I feel so unprepared. I feel like I've forgotten something important. Is it normal to feel so unprepared even though you have everything ready??

 

[Guppy051708]

Awesome progress Amanda!

 

[TeQuiero]

I haven't packed my bag yet.... I have packed Adelina's clothes though! I know where everything is, but I have to get something to put everything in. And I need to buy some of the travel sized shampoo and conditioner that I use, I have plenty of body washes that I can just grab one of the many to throw in the bag.

Adelina has been moving so much lately (mostly to kick to try to make more room), but it has been funny to feel her actually move that much. She's been mostly lazy for the last few months... to the point that I sometimes have to harass her into moving for me.

 

[mumanddad]

hello ladies, well an update from my appt today.

The little man is head down finally so i am now on my ball and bouncing a little - i am hoping he will stay there

I then had to wait an hour for my consultant to make his mind up on what the plan is going to be and this is it:

as of saturday i have to go to hospital everyday for a CTG, i am not sure why i have to have this every day but i do.

at 36 weeks + 6 days i will be going in for a membrane sweep, i have to go on the hospital's date which i wasnt happy about but this means i will be having this a week tomorrow.

Then for induction, my old consultant wanted to induce me at 38 weeks, but he is now the head of the gyny and mat ward and couldnt see any of his patients any more due to being to busy. My new consultant is great and wanted to induce me this friday but had to meet in the middle with the other consultant which means getting induced on saturday 28th Jan which is Logan's angelversery

i have had to agree with this day as i have to think about the safety of this baby (im secretly hoping when i have to call up on the 28th they will be to busy and that i will get to wait till the 29th)

So i am now in a mad panic to make sure i have everything for the baby and doing the final washing and drying.

We had the new carpets fitted in the babys room so i can now get all the furnature in place as well

I think i better get packing my hospital bag

 

[ellitigg]

Just wondering as I've never done this before...what's bad about being induced? Is it more painful? I have a consultant appt next week and they're thinking about inducing if I go over 40 weeks because my fundal measurements are so small.

 

[ZombieKitten]

Monkeydo: HAPPY FULL TERM!!!

Mumanddad: What great news that the little one is head down! I'm sorry that they plan to induce you on Logan's birthday but if they do, just try to think of it as Logan being a very personal Guardian Angel I like to think that the reason my pregnancy has gone so amazing this time around is because I have Serenity protecting her little sister. But if him and Logan share a birthday, maybe thats just something special that they can both share and it'll be an easy icebreaker if and when you decide to tell him about Logan. But try not to stress, I'm sure everything will work out the way it's meant to!

so DH came home from work yesterday and gave me the biggest hug ever! When he pulled away I noticed he was crying!! At first that worried me because I thought maybe something happened to the car and he was afraid to tell me but when I asked him what was wrong he told me he felt really bad because he could tell that I worked so hard cleaning all day and he felt like he left me too much for me to do alone. He was upset because I look so tired and run down and he said I should be relaxing and not using all my energy to clean. But I explained that getting everything ready for the baby makes me happy and it's something that I enjoy doing, even if it does take a lot out of me The rest of the night we cuddled and watched movies, he didn't even get on his computer or the playstation at all! He just kept rubbing my belly and telling me how happy he is and how proud of me he is.

cerclage removal is TOMORROW!! AHHH!! so excited!! If you dont hear from me by tomorrow night theres a good possibility that it's because the little one is on her way!! I better go get my hospital bag ready!!!

 

[Guppy051708]

Just wondering as I've never done this before...what's bad about being induced? Is it more painful? I have a consultant appt next week and they're thinking about inducing if I go over 40 weeks because my fundal measurements are so small.

Just depends on how its done. I would DEF read up and really understand the induction process before agreeing to it. I think they may induction slightly differently in the states, but here you usually get pitocin, at some point...that stuff, IMO is Satan in a Bag....unlike naturally progressing labor, pitocin contractions come out of no where-they dont build like natural contractions. They are usually more powerful, stronger, longer, closer together, and more frequent....i only know two women who had pit and didn't end up with an Epi..however, all women are different. That may not be your experience. Maybe it will go really well and you wont think anything of it. Its all a matter of perspective...but id say in general it is more painful...of course, there are meds for that, but one intervention after the next is something to ponder.

P.S. i dont know your situation, but fundal height can be off in any direction by 2 weeks...and even then sometimes its not accurate, and towards the end if the baby drops down at all, it can make the FH smaller than it actually is. Not to mention some women dont make big babies! Im hardly 5 foot 1. DS was only 7lbs and 10oz at birth...i was almost 42 weeks! But he was perfectly healthy! Just like adults come in all shapes and sizes, so do babies ..FH alone, personally i wouldnt induce for that reason, but thats something you have to decide.

 

[tiggertea]

Discuss the options with your dr/mw elli.
I think they usually start with pessaries here which will be a slower approach than the drip, which as guppy says just starts everything at top level with no gradual build up. I had the drip after I got an epidural last time (lots of reasons behind both choices that I'll not clog the board with now!), and can confirm that even with the epi, there wasn't the pain, but it certainly wound the contractions up a notch, both in pressure and length.

Having said all that though, I don't think it's something that you should go into being afraid of. Labour will hurt no matter how you do it (not to be negative! ) and I think, especially if you haven't been through it before, keeping an open mind about everything is key.

 

[ellitigg]

Just wondering as I've never done this before...what's bad about being induced? Is it more painful? I have a consultant appt next week and they're thinking about inducing if I go over 40 weeks because my fundal measurements are so small.

Just depends on how its done. I would DEF read up and really understand the induction process before agreeing to it. I think they may induction slightly differently in the states, but here you usually get pitocin, at some point...that stuff, IMO is Satan in a Bag....unlike naturally progressing labor, pitocin contractions come out of no where-they dont build like natural contractions. They are usually more powerful, stronger, longer, closer together, and more frequent....i only know two women who had pit and didn't end up with an Epi..however, all women are different. That may not be your experience. Maybe it will go really well and you wont think anything of it. Its all a matter of perspective...but id say in general it is more painful...of course, there are meds for that, but one intervention after the next is something to ponder.

P.S. i dont know your situation, but fundal height can be off in any direction by 2 weeks...and even then sometimes its not accurate, and towards the end if the baby drops down at all, it can make the FH smaller than it actually is. Not to mention some women dont make big babies! Im hardly 5 foot 1. DS was only 7lbs and 10oz at birth...i was almost 42 weeks! But he was perfectly healthy! Just like adults come in all shapes and sizes, so do babies ..FH alone, personally i wouldnt induce for that reason, but thats something you have to decide.

I've measured small all the way through but whenever they've done a growth scan, LO has measured exactly average so I guess the poor thing must just be a lil bit squished in there! I assume they'd induce in that circumstance because LO might not have enough room but I have no idea really. I think last mw appt, LO was head down, 3/5 so hopefully he'll be putting in an appearance before 40 weeks anyway

 

[Guppy051708]

Sounds like its a possibility for sure!

 

[becstar]

Induction can be more painful due to the drugs and also since it is an intervention it can trigger the cascade of interventions, where one leads to another and another...

For me it wasn't so much the pain or the delivery, just sitting about in the sodding hospital for two days being ignored by busy midwives, waiting to go into labour. I hated that more than I can tell you.

 

[Junebugs]

Hey girls i have a question for you... i know my Dr. will offer me next week to have my membranes sweeped... what do you girls think about that???....

 

[Guppy051708]

Hey girls i have a question for you... i know my Dr. will offer me next week to have my membranes sweeped... what do you girls think about that???....

Well i had a sweep at 40 weeks and again at 41 weeks...didn't go into labor until 41+4 and he didn't arrive until 41+5...so for me, i dont think it worked....but tbh, i believe its one of those things (like every other "natural induction:" method) that it will only "work" if you were going to go into labor anyways.

...i would probably wait until i was 40 weeks to do that though...even though 37 is considered full term, theres a reason why the baby sticks around and thats a risk i wouldnt take until 40 weeks, but thats a personal choice and only what you think matters

 

[JohnsPrincess]

Ugh...I'm a bit overwhelmed. Trying to get stuff together for hospital bag. I know I need stuff for me, Dh, and baby. But I'm not sure exactly WHAT. I've looked at some lists and they have diapers and wipes and those sorts on them...but I'm pretty sure the hospital will have those for us while there...? Same with the humongous pads for me. Of course, I guess I do need to buy some of those...but where do you find them? Should I bring breast pads or will they supply them??

Right now I have out:
For me-
lip gloss
capri sweat pants
socks
blanket
bath robe

For Dh-
2 pairs shorts
2 t-shirts
1 long sleeved shirt
1 sweat pants
1 socks
1 undies

For baby-
Boppy
a couple outfits for the hospital
going home outfit
2 pairs socks
1 pair scratch mittens
2 hats
2 blankets
baby book (for prints)
stuffed animal (just cuz...)

I know I still need:
Other clothes for me
toiletries
pillows
blanket for Dh (he gets cold really easily)
massage oil
candy bags to give to staff
phone/ipad/camera chargers
Phones
Ipads
cameras
meds
and then I'll have a couple magazines and my 3DS

What else?? People say "Huge panties". I understand you don't want anything tight...do I really need to go buy a couple pairs of huge panties?? Will they even stay on?? Every list I see says nightgown...but I don't wear nightgowns. I sleep in t-shirts and my undies. Figured I'd sleep in t-shirt and sweats there??

 

[KjConard]

Just wanted to update everyone that we had our baby girl, Cameryn Olivia, this morning at 4:17am after 5 hours of labor. I was already past 7cm dilated when we got to the hospital. She weighed 6lbs exactly and measured at 18 1/2 inches. We are so blessed and I will post pictures once we get back home tomorrow! I am so beyond happy!

 

[Junebugs]

Congratz kj!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Junebugs]

Hey girls i have a question for you... i know my Dr. will offer me next week to have my membranes sweeped... what do you girls think about that???....

Well i had a sweep at 40 weeks and again at 41 weeks...didn't go into labor until 41+4 and he didn't arrive until 41+5...so for me, i dont think it worked....but tbh, i believe its one of those things (like every other "natural induction:" method) that it will only "work" if you were going to go into labor anyways.

...i would probably wait until i was 40 weeks to do that though...even though 37 is considered full term, theres a reason why the baby sticks around and thats a risk i wouldnt take until 40 weeks, but thats a personal choice and only what you think matters

Thanks Guppy! That's what i thought aswell....

 

[AmaryllisRed]

Congratulations, KJ!! Can't wait to see pics!!

JP-- I think it really does depend on the hospital, but I think most in the US will provide everything for baby while you're in-- diapers and wipes and formula if you use it, and huge pads for you. Even clothes for the baby to wear while you're there-- A L&D nurse I know said they actually prefer for moms not to dress the baby in clothes from home until they're being discharged because then they can recognize their babies (the ones that belong there in the ward as opposed to visiting babies) at a glance.

I don't know how many babies actually visit... but that's what she said.

I don't wear nightgowns either... but I just wore a hospital gown while I was in. I put pants and a t-shirt on when I was going home, but I would not have wanted to put pants on before that. I did have a c-section, but I'm not sure how much difference that would have made. I think a nightie would be more comfy postpartum no matter how you get the baby out.

 

[Guppy051708]

Congrats on the arrival of Cameryn!

NP Junebugs