*~* May 2013 - Spring Babies*~* 117 Jelly Babies - 22 Boy's & 19 Girl's - 5 Babies :D

[Hann12]

Jules - that's the monitor we have - its brilliant! Also got it based on which reviews. Amazon are selling it cheap at the moment!

 

[julesjules100]

Great! I saw it cheaper on amazon too but as we have a townhouse (ie 4 stupid floors to block the signal) I opted to get it from mothercare in case I need to take it back. They have a 15% off code at the mo which made it nearly the same price as amazon x

 

[julesjules100]

Not sure if this is of interest to those considering perineal massage but this was something I thought about getting if I wasn't having a C section. Lots of really good reviews for it (based on the quick look I had x https://www.epi-no.co.uk/

 

[Hann12]

Ah that makes sense! We used to have a nornal BT one without video when Annabelle was a baby but its kind of broken so we got the Motorola one a few weeks ago and I love it! So much better to be able to see them especially at toddler age as toddlers often wake at night and shout in their sleep but they are still asleep so it stops you from going in!

 

[Hann12]

I did do perineal massage - still ended up with an episiotomy though lol!

 

[TTCBean]

Hann, I have a water bottle that holds 3 cups so I just know based off how much I've filled it I don't want to come off as obsessive hahaha

 

[Hann12]

That makes more sense now you've said that! I snatch mouthfuls of drink here and there when I can and share with DD a lot too so I have no clue!!

 

[TTCBean]

Omg, I purchased a balance ball and it's AWESOME. Totally recommend!!! Instant lower back pain relief when I sit on it!

 

[kezziek]

First time we just used a phillips avent monitor which has a great clear signal and you can talk back to the baby through it. Second time we used a combination of that and the angelcare movement sensor pad. I wouldn't be without the sensor pad now it just gave me a little extra piece of mind. I spent hours awake with my first son just constantly checking he was breathing. It can be a pain though, i was always forgetting to turn it off after I had picked him up out of his basket or cot and then waking the whole house up with it alarming. He stayed on it most of the first year but once he got a lot more mobile it would constantly go off as he was in a big cot bed and it wouldn't pick him up if he was right in the corner.

I'm getting excited that I will get to say i'm 30 weeks from friday as it seems so much more closer to the end. Also with the size of my bump 30 weeks sounds much better for those who can't believe i'm only twenty something weeks...i hope so anyway! X

 

[pinktiara]

I just used a regular fisher price with my first I think the angel sounds or the video would have made me more paranoid. my son was in his own room at 3 months and slept 13 hours in his crib I was always listening to his breathing over the monitor lol. He has been sleeping through ever since so we stopped using one when he was 2 and in a big boy bed if he happens to wake up he will just walk into our room. We will be moving to a two floor townhouse soon so I will probably go with a video with this one so i don't run upstairs everytime if were watching tv or something haha though I could use the exercise lmao.

 

[MightyMom]

We used the angelcare for about a week but after 3 false alarms I unplugged the pad and just used the monitor. Scared me to death! But the sound was good enough I could hear DD breathing so I didn't have to get up to check on her. But then we got a video monitor and I am HOOKED. It's like the best "movie" ever, I used to just sit and watch her sleep.

For any ladies worried about tearing and episiotomies, talk to your doctor about laboring down. If the baby is stable enough, leaving them in the birth canal allows your body to stretch out and you can deliver without tears or cuts and heal much faster. I didn't do it with DD, had a really bad tear because the nurses kept telling me to push push push. I should have waited a little. My friend's doctor let her labor down for an hour or so before instructing her to push the baby all the way and she was fully healed in about two weeks. This time, I'm hoping I get the chance to avoid all the pain and labor down a little!

 

[Sass827]

I'm getting very scared of tearing. I've asked DH to help me with the perineal massage. And I really like the look of that epi-no. Thanks Jules! I think I'm going to get one.
Was your tear bad hann? I'm just hoping to reduce the possibility I guess.
Oh and we got the summer infant w video monitor. Our neighbors have had one for two years and it's the nicest thing. They bring it out on the street while we hang out and no need to run inside!

 

[kezziek]

Hi Sass try not to worry about the whole tearing thing it sounds a lot worse then it is. In labour you won't feel yourself tearing if you do, but a good midwife should encourage you to pace yourself when pushing and guide babies head out slowly and if needed give you an episotomy rather than allowing you to tear. I have had both an episiotomy and a tear but i didn't really notice either until afterwards when it is sore. I never tried the massage thing i'm far too lazy but i reckon it's worth a go xxx

 

[Sass827]

I don't have a midwife Kezz. This is making me wonder if I should get one or a doula or if DH is up for the job.

 

[Hann12]

I only had a small tear but I had an episiotomy, it didn't hurt but I had an epidural. If they do episiotomies they normally give you a quick injection which you won't feel to numb the area. It was site afterwards but that's because I got an infection in it which is rare so I was unlucky.
Mightymoms advice is good. Unfortunately tears do happen with or without preparation but you won't feel it at the time so try not to worry (I know it's hard!). I've been told I'll likely need another episiotomy this time because my DD was tiny and I had trouble getting her out (pushing for 2 hours 10 minutes). If the next is bigger which it will be then I'll prob need another. I'm just trying to think positive and hope for the best!

 

[kezziek]

Of course Sass midwives are rarer in the US i forgot. But your delivery nurse and obstretician should take good care of you i'm sure but if you are worried then a doula or good friend whose done it before can be good for sticking up for ypur wishes xx

Hann some people say bigger babies can be easier to push out - I don't know if thats true but i hope so for you. I had a big baby first time and needed an episiotomy, forceps and ventouse and epidural but second time i didn't need any of those things i think cos my body had done it before maybe. xx

 

[Sass827]

All so much to think about. Mighty mom - how do you know when to stop and wait? Like at what point do you hold off? I know they have you push for a bit, then wait for the doctor then push more after the doctor takes over for the nurses.
I'm sure I won't feel it during labor (I'm def getting the epidural) I'm just afraid of after. I'm going to ask the delivery doctor if she usually does episiotomies. I know the last doctor I saw said he'd rather everyone tear naturally.
So we had our 3D today. Baby is breech but I guess its too early to worry? She was also very uncooperative but in the end it worked out ok.

 

[pinktiara]

Great pics sass do you know it's a girl for sure cause definitely girly features there

 

[julesjules100]

Cute sass! Definitely looks like a little girly face to me!

No, you don't need to worry about the baby being breach now. It would only be an issue when you get to c wk 37. They can still spin around till then. Certainly nothing to be concerned about yet x https://www.nct.org.uk/birth/breech-babies

 

[Hann12]

Really cute photos sass! Def don't worry about breech now, I think mine turned last night and is breech too. They ideally like to see them head down by 34 weeks as its harder to turn after that but that's still a way off.
Different doctors believe different things about episiotomies versus tearing. I would not have actually been able to get my baby out if I didn't have the episiotomy so there was no choice - I wouldn't have torn. I pushed 67 times (every minute for 2 hours 10 minutes) and in the end one small snip got her out safely in one push. If that hasn't worked they would have moved onto forceps. I was only allowed to push that long as she wasn't in distress. It's very unusual to go that long at that stage though as the baby normally tires and they opt to do a c section. All these things though you can't control so try not to worry. Yes you'll hear 'horror' stories but the majority of us will do it again (and again) so it's worth it i promise