PAL Summer 2011 Babies - From 1st tri to MC and back again in one go.

[Emmea12uk]

I drank the tea last time and it helped. You can drink it from 32 weeks, starting weak and working your way up to stronger. It helps tone your uterus ready for labour - it doesn't induce it. I don't know if it is to blame for the constant bh as I only had one but I will stay clear for a few more weeks.

 

[sequeena]

On the subject of BH... should I be having them by now?? I can't say I've noticed any

 

[Aaisrie]

I wouldn't worry, some people don't get any. Mine have been worse this time than the first [a lot of 2nd+ timers have agreed]

 

[sequeena]

Oh that's ok then... I also read that you get contractions for a while after birth and they're still painful?? Not looking forward to that if it happens.

 

[Aaisrie]

Didn't have that.... Weird..... I could feel my uterus contracting when I was BF but it wasn't like a painful contraction, it was just it sucking back in if that makes sense? It was just an awareness definitely not sore though! Not only that, the only contractions that hurt are the first contractions once you start pushing the push itself stops the pain I found so you didn't really have painful contractions then the only other pain you have is the head crowning which hurts like a BITCH like you actually think you'll split in 2 but it's so fast you don't really have time to really be sore ifkwim?

 

[sequeena]

I get what you mean

 

[Aaisrie]

Honestly they call it labour for a reason, the HARDEST thing about labour is that it's so so exhausting. I definitely recommend [things I didn't do first time and will this time LOL learn from experience] taking a couple of paracetamol in the early stages and trying to sleep/rest - I went into labour at 2:30 and Saraya was born at 4:52am the next morning and I was so exhausted halfway through which isn't good. EAT! I didn't get dinner because I was concentrating on labour too much and so didn't eat dinner so again I got exhausted because I hadn't eaten from lunchtime. Don't go to the hospital too early - I went at 9pm and was only 3cm and I wish I'd stayed home longer because I was more relaxed there plus when they told me I was only 3cm I think that probably slowed my labour because I was so upset about it!!!

 

[sequeena]

Thanks for all the advice I will definitely take it on board I want to stay at home as long as I can really but I'm scared that I won't know when to go in? And if I go in too early they may just send me home

 

[Aaisrie]

When I say you'll know, I mean you'll know when you're in established labour. When I phoned them [because once you're in labour you can phone so they know you'll be in at some point] they told me to stay home as long as possible and only come in if I felt I needed pain relief but we live like 30-45mins from the hospital and I happened to go into labour on a major gale force/storm/rainstorm night so it took forever to get there and I didn't want to leave it too late. It's like you think once you're in labour that your baby will be there soon... and yea it's soon after waiting 9mo but bear in mind that most first labours are 12-18hrs long so unless you're a rarity your baby ain't likely to just fall out!!! They'll only send you home if you aren't in established labour, a lot of time if your dilated and your contractions aren't regular they'll actually get you to walk round the hospital to see if it'll start up

 

[sequeena]

Oh thank God really... I was having visions of not knowing when it was time and then all of a sudden holy shit he's out!!

 

[Pippin]

All I can do is echo was Aaisrie said, good advice. I started contracting 2am and he was born 54hours later. The contractions were fine I had hip pain mainly which was the only reason I had an epidural, but the worst thing was no sleep. I was so tired I was seeing things. I still remember though as soon as you have the baby your so excited you still can't sleep. I think I got my first sleep (although I did nod off when I had my epidural.....bliss) four days after it all started. This time I'm going to try and sleep in that early stage when it just feels like bad period pain. Saying that though I'll probably just get all excited again and stay up like last time. I will force myself to eat though as I didn't eat at all and that really zapped my energy. Can't wait to do it all again though just hoping I'll be quicker. Of all the people I know I'm still joint longest labour lol.

 

[Emmea12uk]

Great advice ladies! I too was exhausted as I didn't sleep the night before and I was charged with excitement the moment it started up.

This time I think when it starts I might make a toast mountain and a cup of tea and go to bed for some rest. I am very looking forward to not having to worry whether this is it or not or whether it is time to go to hospital. I cab truely relax, take my time and let my body do it's thing how ever I feel!

I figured out why my bh where so bad yesterday - my fault really. I am sure the tea didn't help but in the morning I tried expressing collostrum as last time my milk failed due to stress. I totally forgot nipple stim causes contractions!!! Doh - they really were very very bad!!

 

[Aaisrie]

LOL Emma you tit << lol see what I did there... heh

It's funny that we all basically did the same thing - didn't eat and ended up exhausted!!

My cousin's water broke in the middle of sat/sun night and she didn't have her little boy by emer sec until wednesday - her little boy is now a month and a bit older than Saraya.

The best advice for labour is KEEP CALM!! Getting stressed or worried [I know it's hard not to] will only cause you to tense and make your labour longer and more difficult.

 

[LittleGriffin]

I'm writing notes ..... !

 

[sequeena]

LOL me too Griffin!! My only worry is I'll go into labour in the middle of the night when my OH is working but we've agreed he'll keep emergency taxi money on him and as soon as I ring him (even if it's a false alarm) he'll come home.

 

[Aaisrie]

Chris was at work when I went into labour and I just waited for him to come home at normal time, he got home about 6-6:30 after me being in labour from 2:30. The early hrs like that are just like bad period pains.

Oh I wish I'd walked more - that saying of walking the baby out of you etc!

 

[Pippin]

I walked around the garden so much I wore a path in it seriously you know like when an animal has it's run path. Took ages to grow back. I'll definitely hang on as long as possible before going in and it doesn't happen instantly so rushing won't be on the cards for me either. Even when you are fully dilated they sometimes wait another hour before pushing so baby comes down a bit further and makes it easier for you. We're only allowed to push for an hour at my hospital before they step in but I know some that pushed for three hours so nothing happens instantly. Always good to have spare taxi money and car park change though.

 

[heyyady]

LOL Emma you tit << lol see what I did there... heh

 

[Aaisrie]

Pip I don't know if there's a time limit with us... I'm sure I was pushing for hrs [it doesn't feel like it but] I think I was fully dilated/starting to put at 12 or 1 and Saraya wasn't born until 4:52 but they did check her HB etc so maybe it depends on that?

 

[Pippin]

Wow that is a long time to push. After an hour with me they went and got the ventouse/Kiwi (sp?) which I have to admit I was happy to have as I was so tired from the previous 2 days. Even though there was a slight scare with his heart rate dropping they told me at my antennal classes that was all I had to do. I'm excited to find out if it'll be different this time, I hope so, I don't want an epidural and I'd love a non assisted birth. My midwife last tuesday said in her wonderfully heavy Malaysian accent "darling this time I think you will do it all yourself", "I'm sure". She cracks me up every time I see her. She was my midwife for my son too. When I had the ventouse with Sam his head changed shape for a few days (cone shaped, slightly pointy) and DH thought he'd stay like it for ever and quite calmly told me after the birth that at least he can wear a hat bless him he didn't realise babies skulls moved around so much for the first few months.