Home Birthers & Hopefuls!

[lucky3]

Sounding good Jenni and Meg big fx

I had an attempted sweep on Monday but my cervix was closed so she couldn't do anything, other than say AGAIN sex and curry, yes thank you, got that am going to try again on Friday for another sweep, see if my cervix is any more favourable, fx.

 

[meg79]

Hi meg79, it means that the presenting part i.e the head is not well applied to the cervix.

Hope that helps.

Thanks that does help. I'm supposing it has something to do with the fact that Bump is still only 2/5 engaged? Even so, it's still quite a big difference from just three days ago. Hopefully everything will go quickly now...

Lucky3, fingers crossed for you on friday. I didn't have my first sweep till I was 41 weeks and wasn't successful so don't worry. x

 

[LuckyD]

Great news Abz! So pleased to hear that everything is well

Good luck meg!

Jenni that sounds great - I hope you get the nice midwife! Sounds like things are happening....how exciting!

Do you mind not knowing who your midwife will be on the day? It is a different system to here, we have one midwife all the way through, although we don't know who the backup midwife will be until the time comes.

 

[LuckyD]

Sounding good Jenni and Meg big fx

I had an attempted sweep on Monday but my cervix was closed so she couldn't do anything, other than say AGAIN sex and curry, yes thank you, got that am going to try again on Friday for another sweep, see if my cervix is any more favourable, fx.

Fingers crossed for you lucky

 

[caro103]

good luck lucky3, meg and jenni! hope we have some more babies soon!

I went to my first anti natel class tonight and was a little sad to find we're the only ones thinking about a hb , some of the other girls looked at me like I had 2 heads ...oh well! maybe i'll inspire them for their next babies

midwife appt this morning, bubs is now head down

only thing that worried me a bit was I've only grown 2-3cm in 4wks! fundal height was 29cm at 28wks and now at 32wks its only 31-32cm :S...midwife wasn't concerned so guess I shouldn't be either...

 

[Mervs Mum]

Caro - baby's position can affect fundal height and a good MW will tell you it ain't an exact science.....it's a tape measure! I wouldnt worry at all. It's so much more than fundal height.

As for your fellow antenatal class members. Say it loud and proud and you may just find you DO inspire a few. I know at my friends NCT classes she says it only takes 1 couple to be planning a HB and then once they understand birth physiology she often finds the rest of the class follow suit. And regardless this is about what's best for YOU and YOUR baby....not for them

 

[Jenniflower]

Do you mind not knowing who your midwife will be on the day? It is a different system to here, we have one midwife all the way through, although we don't know who the backup midwife will be until the time comes.

I'm from the US originally and my sister thanks it's crazy that I won't have the same midwife there during my labour that I've had my whole pregnancy. Even though I have a chance as a home birther I wouldn't get my midwife at all if I went into hospital. The care becomes so in/out patient in the hospital here that it's no wonder midwives don't have or take the time to get to know the women that come in. My sister had 2 quite difficult births. One with a labour lasting 36 hours and the other with a 10lber. Both time the OB's kept pushing for her to have a section but both times her midwife stood by her side and was her advocate to say no, she's fine, babies fine, we'll wait. If it wasn't for her midwife I can only assume she'd have 3 sections by now. Her Midwife wasn't private or anything, she was covered by her insurance and everything it's just the way things are over there. I can see why over here more people would want a doula as you get that one on one care through out the whole of the pregnancy. I don't think it's as common over in the states and that could be because of the difference in practices.

 

[chuck]

There are 16 MW's working my area and any number of them may be one duty at any one time, if there isnt enough form our area then they draft in the coastal ones for HB's.

I could end up with anyone?!!

grrr

 

[Jenniflower]

Read this in a blog today and I really liked it

Jean O’Neil, a Birth Without Fear mama, shared this story with us. I think it demonstrates how to educate people when you start getting comments such as, “You look like you are going to pop!” or “THEY are going to LET you go past your due date?” or “Isn’t that dangerous?”, etc.

So, here is Jean’s enlightening story:

Tomorrow is my ‘due date’ and today I went out shopping with my hubby and children. I ran into an old workmate (male) who questioned when I was due. Having told him he stepped back like I was literally going to “babysplode” all over the floor.

He then asked when I thought I’d have bubs.
I said in 3weeks probably.

Him: “But they won’t let you go over.”
Me: “Who won’t?”
Him: “Your Doctors or the hospital.”
Me: *Scoff* “No Doctor will tell me when to birth my baby.”
Him: “It’s dangerous though.”

At this point hubby got involved…

Hubby: “Baby will come when it’s ready. They release a hormone that signals the readiness of their lungs.”
Him: “Really?”
Me: “Yes. It’s actually worse to make a baby come before their ready. 44weeks isn’t dangerous, it’s normal.”
Him: “Wow, you learn something new everyday!”

Props to my hubby who is actually listening to my lectures! LOL

Jean and her hubs ROCK! Now share this and educate your friends, family and neighbors!

 

[wtt :)]

that is wonderful! Great response from the hubby!

 

[LuckyD]

Ok, so my favourite new word is now 'babysplode'.

 

[Jenniflower]

So KitKat over in third trimester was having a right time with some doctors after having what she thought was some waters leaking out of her. In the end I think she 100% made the right choice but read this!

I decided to still decline the induction and come home to research crp levels, inductions, etc. I had to sign a form saying I was discharging myself against medical advice, which was a bit scary and the doctor told me I was putting my desires in front of my baby's health, which is not the case AT ALL. I believe that a natural labour IS what's best for my baby and only want to use intervention if the baby is at risk, which I don't believe it is. It's not to do with what i want for ME. I've already lost the chance to labour at the maternity unit anyway, so whatever happens I'm not getting what I wanted from that perspective.

That's horrible!! I can't believe a doctor should even be allowed to say that. UGH seriously what is wrong with those people?!

 

[meg79]

Well, I'm due in hospital this afternoon for a possible induction. My midwife has said that they will just monitor me for today and if everything is OK, get sent home (possibly have another sweep as well which I am in favour of as it means more possibility of labour starting at home. I am still hoping for a homebirth, although it is now looking slimmer and slimmer every day.

 

[Jenniflower]

Well, I'm due in hospital this afternoon for a possible induction. My midwife has said that they will just monitor me for today and if everything is OK, get sent home (possibly have another sweep as well which I am in favour of as it means more possibility of labour starting at home. I am still hoping for a homebirth, although it is now looking slimmer and slimmer every day.

I can't say this enough. JUST SAY NO! (Is this an American only thing or would Brits get this?) Unless there's an immediate risk to you or baby you don't need the induction. You have the right to say no. Good luck though!

Speaking of I got into a huge conversation last night at house church with a good friend of mine about Induction. Naturally everyone was asking what I was doing to get my wee girl out and I said nothing. So this friend of mine suggested Castor Oil to which I said if I was going to do anything that would be the last thing I would do. It's horrid, bad for you, and could potentially distress the baby. She started going on about how her sister is a midwife and has done this every time and it's work a charm. Sometimes I think it's worse when a person has a family member who is a medical profession. Mainly because they think they know everything without having actually done any research. So I said well my wee one will create her own chemicals when her lungs are ready and she'll come out when she's ready, if that means 42-43 weeks then so be it. So then she goes on about how my sisters coming and why would I let my sister come all this way and not get to see the baby. So I rather shortly spoke back to her that I would think my sister would have my babies best interest at hand and wouldn't expect me to do anything to compromise her health, specifically like taking castor oil!

Things were a bit tense after that.

 

[PeanutBean]

Good on you Jenni. There have been so many threads about castor oil in third tri recently. I won't even look at them for fear of what I might say!

 

[lucky3]

I find myself mentioning NOT getting induced on my induction date just to see people's reactions - it's surprising how many say "oh they won't let you do that" or" it's dangerous". A little bit of information is a dangerous thing - people DO think they know everything.

I will cross that bridge when I come to it next week

 

[wtt :)]

i had never heard of castor oil but am so glad to have read about it and its side effects now, before i'm even pregnant

 

[Jenniflower]

I find myself mentioning NOT getting induced on my induction date just to see people's reactions - it's surprising how many say "oh they won't let you do that" or" it's dangerous". A little bit of information is a dangerous thing - people DO think they know everything.

I will cross that bridge when I come to it next week

OH I know I love the "They won't let you do that" Let me??? LET me?? Last I checked it was my body.

No offense to anyone else on here I also don't get this impatience thing. Trust me I've wanted to NOT be pregnant from about 18 weeks onward. I know that sounds horrible but I've just had it really rough. That said I would never go through all this so that at the end I can shave off a few days. I just don't get that!

 

[SmokyJoe78]

Good for you Jenniflower

 

[meg79]

I find myself mentioning NOT getting induced on my induction date just to see people's reactions - it's surprising how many say "oh they won't let you do that" or" it's dangerous". A little bit of information is a dangerous thing - people DO think they know everything.

I will cross that bridge when I come to it next week

OH I know I love the "They won't let you do that" Let me??? LET me?? Last I checked it was my body.

No offense to anyone else on here I also don't get this impatience thing. Trust me I've wanted to NOT be pregnant from about 18 weeks onward. I know that sounds horrible but I've just had it really rough. That said I would never go through all this so that at the end I can shave off a few days. I just don't get that!

That's what I don't get. This baby won't be too much longer and with a semi-favourable sweep last tuesday, I'm hoping all I'll need is one more to get things going. I know some people count sweeps as inductions, but I just see them as a "helping hand" (excuse the pun lol). Also you can still birth at home after one. Reaching 42 weeks and with the possibility of placenta degredation, time is against me.....