The Pregnancy Chat Thread!

Merkin

January wrote: »

My partners sitting across the room quietly crying too. I really hope he pulls through. Such a gorgeous little boy.

Mr. Merkin is upstairs! It's actually very hard viewing, such a perfect looking little tot, I so hope he pulls through.

Synyster Shadow

I rearranged my sky planner and caught it on the + channel.
Hubby hates me watching them cause I cry at everything

The one I watched today was a couple who had one little boy then there daughter was born early with a condition and died 6 weeks later then had a stillbirth baby boy at 29 weeks gestation. Had me in floods lucky he was playing the Xbox and was none the wiser

Merkin

I'm the same SS, I bawl crying at every single one, whether it's good or bad. This one is particularly hard, I feel so sorry for those poor parents

January

I don't usually cry at them, last week I held my breath when the little girl (Evie I think) didn't cry and it looked like the mother had gone into shock too, very quick delivery.

This one is really hard to watch, I'm on tenterhooks waiting to see if baby is ok.

Synyster Shadow

Really shows how lucky we are. I remember 1 where baby didn't cry and baby just flopped in there hands it was awful. When jack was born he didn't cry they frightened me saying the chord was around his neck but hubby says it wasn't that he was awake looking at him when he came out with a frown like my Dad lol but it hit home how scary it can be

January

Synyster Shadow wrote: »

Really shows how lucky we are. I remember 1 where baby didn't cry and baby just flopped in there hands it was awful. When jack was born he didn't cry they frightened me saying the chord was around his neck but hubby says it wasn't that he was awake looking at him when he came out with a frown like my Dad lol but it hit home how scary it can be

I didn't find out until I was pregnant on this little one that my youngest had her cord wrapped around her neck tightly, twice and that she was slightly tongue tied. They had put my notes in with my new notes. None of this was ever said to me, so it was quite a shock.

Merkin

OMG the little darling, he's gorgeous, please God he makes it

Synyster Shadow

That's scary. I do wonder would I have rathered not knowing what "happened" and be blissfully unaware. I am afraid of the birth for the one reason and that's if something like this happens

January

Yay go baby Conan.

BroodyAllen

Oh God I'm so dangerously broody right now. I'm not even pregnant and I'm addicted to this thread, no one will talk to me on the TTC thread :pac: Best of luck with it ladies and hopefully I'll be here joining ye soon!

Synyster Shadow

Before I got pregnant I was the same loved seeing all the journeys on here. Think that's why I got pregnant so fast the second time to just be back here again lol

Penny Dreadful

I cried at the news last night. I don't think I could handle One Born Every Minute. I'd cry for Ireland.

John Mason

i have never seen one born every minute - am i weird?

Merkin

Lots of people are frightened by it so would prefer not to. I personally really enjoy it although it does make me really emotional which upsets Mr. Merkin.....he's like, "whyyyyy do you insist on watching this when you cry at every episode?" They are mainly happy tears although last night's episode was quite harrowing and upsetting.

Jerrica

I choose not to watch OBEM. It makes for very emotional tv, but I'm making more of an effort to read positive stories and create a positive environment about birthing, like a best case scenario approach. I can absolutely understand the allure of watching it though.

Merkin

I see OBEM as a very positive programme. Every birth they cover each week is different so they've covered breech, babies with very low heart rate during labour, bubbas with breathing difficulties, emergency Caesareans, exceptionally quick labours, and a plethora of other scenarios. For me it's comforting to see Mums go through what must be a frightening and daunting experience only for the medical teams to handle the situation really well and for it all to work out alright.

Something like a baby's heart rate dropping during labour is extremely frightening but relatively common for example. I feel that after watching these issues that they have covered so sensitively, it would reassure me were I to find myself in a similar situation; very much along the lines of "OK, I've seen this, I'm familiar with what the drill is here and I know it will be alright....."

Jerrica

For me it's more the way the birth process is shown. The opening credits is a montage of moans, screams, cries, a woman slapping her partner, people being told to simmer down, purple pushing - it's a very "loud" portrayal of birth because that's what makes good tv. But labour and delivery isn't necessarily like that - if it's all you're used to seeing then it'll be what you expect, but it can be an awful lot gentler. I personally feel that the media still portrays childbirth as a very aggressive, painful experience for a woman, and it's an unfair depiction. I'm at risk of being called a bit of a loon now but I absolutely can't wait to labour and deliver - not just to give birth and meet my baby, but to experience my body go through it and enjoy that sensation

Merkin

The credits are horrendous, lots of wailing and screaming etc but equally a lot of the births depicted on the programme are really calm and tranquil and it is quite a spiritual experience for some people. I'm very keen on availing of good antenatal classes etc but to be honest I'm not thinking about labour too much, we can't control the uncontrollable after all. I'm quite laid back so I may be one of those wailing banshees and I may be one of those chilled women, I'm just going to go with it and see what happens while keeping my fingers crossed it will be straightforward

Jerrica

I completely respect that - I promise I'm not trying to argue on this, how a woman chooses to approach her birth is a very, very personal thing, it's your body and it's your choice. Tbh Merkin I'm a little envious that you'll be giving birth under the NHS system, you have the odds stacked for you that it'll be a wonderful, natural, midwife led birth with as little intervention as possible. I've spoken to both UK and Irish Midwives and they all agree that there is a huge disparity between how birthing is approached here and there.

For me as a first time Mum in the Irish system, I'm acutely aware that the odds are stacked in favour of me having a plethora of interventions. The big issue for me is finding out as much information as possible so that I, and my partner who will be my advocate when I'm in hospital, can make informed decisions about what type of birth we want. In Ireland some hospitals have a policy of inducing and/ or breaking a woman's waters manually. She may not need either but it'll happen to her unless she requests otherwise. There's quite a few of those "normal" procedures that may not be necessary, and sometimes those shows can lead you to believe that they are.

In the Irish system a natural, intervention-free birth is arguably not the norm. We've been shown to be one of the safest places in the world to give birth, but what about the birth experience itself? The WHO recommends a national C-Section rate of 10-15%, we have rates that vary nationally from 19.1 - 38%!

There are of course times if you or your baby's health is at risk then there's no question that medical intervention is necessary, but sometimes these procedures are presented as bring the norm when they aren't. If you aren't familiar with what your options are then it's easy to assume that birth is going to be a really painful, intervention heavy procedure when it needn't be. You're right, we can't control the uncontrollable, but we can be vocal about what our preferences will be.

Sligo1

Jerrica wrote: »

For me it's more the way the birth process is shown. The opening credits is a montage of moans, screams, cries, a woman slapping her partner, people being told to simmer down, purple pushing - it's a very "loud" portrayal of birth because that's what makes good tv. But labour and delivery isn't necessarily like that - if it's all you're used to seeing then it'll be what you expect, but it can be an awful lot gentler. I personally feel that the media still portrays childbirth as a very aggressive, painful experience for a woman, and it's an unfair depiction. I'm at risk of being called a bit of a loon now but I absolutely can't wait to labour and deliver - not just to give birth and meet my baby, but to experience my body go through it and enjoy that sensation

Lol... On my first I didn't let one scream or one yell out ( due getting an epidural at 5cm). I was brushing my hair before the midwife examined me and told me I was 10 and to get ready to push.

This time around (with no pain relief at all). Well bejaysus I'd say the whole of Holles street and Dublin 2 could hear me!!! I only let out 2 screams .... Head out with one push and body out with second push.... But I tell ya I could've given anyone on the intro of OBEM a run for their money! Lols

madeinamerica

One Born sounds brilliant, I'll have to see if I can get it over d'internet.

On a similar note, have any of ye been asked to take part in pregnancy studies? I'm interested to see if mums-to-be in other hospitals have been approached. If you haven't so far, would you take part if you were asked?

There seem to be a few going on in my hospital. I signed up for one at the 7 wk appointment looking at the levels of a certain protein in blood and the occurance of brain defects. Just give a couple of vials of blood at 3 normal OB appointments, answer questionares and they get the baby's responsiveness results when it's born. Today I was in for a normal blood test and I was asked to be part of another one, this one is for vag-swabs at the next 3 normal OB appointments and they record* when I give birth. It sounds odd but they are looking at links between normal vag-bacteria and the causes of pre-term labour. It is for a good thing so I think I'll sign up.

I'm kinda used to giving blood for research studies anyway. I used to do it for free in Dublin but here in the US they pay about $40-50 so added bonus. I reckon if it doesn't affect me or bubs, then I might as well help out others who may not be so lucky as me by taking part in the studies. What do you think?

*edit to say, they record the DATE I give birth, not recording the birth itself! It sounded weird when I reread it, I wouldn't be into someone recording me roaring!

Penny Dreadful

madeinamerica wrote: »

One Born sounds brilliant, I'll have to see if I can get it over d'internet.

On a similar note, have any of ye been asked to take part in pregnancy studies? I'm interested to see if mums-to-be in other hospitals have been approached. If you haven't so far, would you take part if you were asked?

There seem to be a few going on in my hospital. I signed up for one at the 7 wk appointment looking at the levels of a certain protein in blood and the occurance of brain defects. Just give a couple of vials of blood at 3 normal OB appointments, answer questionares and they get the baby's responsiveness results when it's born. Today I was in for a normal blood test and I was asked to be part of another one, this one is for vag-swabs at the next 3 normal OB appointments and they record* when I give birth. It sounds odd but they are looking at links between normal vag-bacteria and the causes of pre-term labour. It is for a good thing so I think I'll sign up.

I'm kinda used to giving blood for research studies anyway. I used to do it for free in Dublin but here in the US they pay about $40-50 so added bonus. I reckon if it doesn't affect me or bubs, then I might as well help out others who may not be so lucky as me by taking part in the studies. What do you think?

*edit to say, they record the DATE I give birth, not recording the birth itself! It sounded weird when I reread it, I wouldn't be into someone recording me roaring!

When I was at the hospital yesterday I noticed a number of requests to participate in various studies. I wasn't suitable for many of them as they were looking for people that were smokers or overweight or big drinkers and I'm thankfully none of those things.
At the scan area there was another study posted and I'll agree to that if it's still running when I get to 32 weeks. It's looking at predictors for c-sections and sounds very interesting.
I think it's important to participate in research studies if and when you can.

Chattastrophe!

madeinamerica wrote: »

On a similar note, have any of ye been asked to take part in pregnancy studies? I'm interested to see if mums-to-be in other hospitals have been approached. If you haven't so far, would you take part if you were asked?

I took part in two studies in Holles St.

One was the PEARS study, it basically involved a questionnaire and a couple of food diaries (I think at the start of pregnancy and maybe 34 weeks in), and also I had to do a GTT test which I wouldn't have had to otherwise, to test for gestational diabetes (thankfully I was clear.) I also got an extra scan at 34 weeks in - always nice to get that bit of reassurance that everything looks as it should, and they were able to give me a reasonably accurate estimate of his weight. There was an intervention group (where you were supposed to follow a healthy diet etc) and a control group ... I was chosen as part of the intervention group, but tbh I was vomiting regularly most of the way through the pregnancy, so I really didn't follow it - whatever I could get into me and keep it down, that's what I went with!

The other was the Genesis study. All it involved was a scan, at around 39 weeks, where they also measured my own head circumference, and maybe a few questions. That scan was amazing! I wasn't expecting much, I thought I'd be too far on to see anything, but it was actually the first scan where he was actually in a good position to see him properly ... and then the doctor switched on the 4D setting, and we could actually see his face, perfectly! She printed loads of photos for us and gave him a really good check all over. It was so close to the end, it was really good to get that extra bit of reassurance and extra bit of bonding with the baby.

Penny Dreadful

This is possibly more a first timers feeling, I don't know, but do you ladies sometimes just hug yourself with excitement about your little baby.
Ever since I had my scan and saw the little one for the first time I find myself so excited about whats happening and give a little squeeze of happiness.
The less acute side effects of pregnancy (constant peeing during the night, its down to once or twice now at least, sleeping better, nausea abated mostly, etc) having gone helps with the enjoyment phase of the pregnancy no end.

Jerrica

Penny Dreadful wrote: »

This is possibly more a first timers feeling, I don't know, but do you ladies sometimes just hug yourself with excitement about your little baby.

ALL THE TIME!!! Wait until you feel baby moving... and then you SEE baby moving Yesterday I was in a really horrible meeting, and half way through my little lady gave me a big whack in my hoo-ha and I nearly burst out laughing. It was the best feeling!! I barely listened to what else what said, I totally tuned out and enjoyed feeling her flip around in my belly. Such a brilliant feeling.

The second trimester really is a wonderful time - it still has its worries and concerns, but by and large it's glorious. Enjoy it Penny!!

Penny Dreadful

Jerrica wrote: »

ALL THE TIME!!! Wait until you feel baby moving... and then you SEE baby moving Yesterday I was in a really horrible meeting, and half way through my little lady gave me a big whack in my hoo-ha and I nearly burst out laughing. It was the best feeling!! I barely listened to what else what said, I totally tuned out and enjoyed feeling her flip around in my belly. Such a brilliant feeling.

The second trimester really is a wonderful time - it still has its worries and concerns, but by and large it's glorious. Enjoy it Penny!!

Thank you. I am enjoying it a lot more than the first trimester. I think you get used to feeling different and while still tired and pukey occasionally its not constant which helps massively.
Since the scan I keep thinking about the next one. I was saying that to my husband last night and while he thinks I'm a little nuts (not for the first time) he did agree with me when I said it would be fabulous to have a CCTV type set up in your uterus where you could see whats going on in there any time you want. Like Big Brother only Big Baby I suppose.
I'll tell people soon too which is also getting me quite excited. I'll tell my family next Friday as there is a family gathering and everyone will be together for what will be the last time for ages so I'm very much looking forward to that too.

SmokeyEyes

Looking at the picture from our 4d scan of baby's face yesterday, suddenly overwhelmed that I've actually grown that person into being...:o

Ocean Blue

Hi ladies! Does anyone have a link to a thread/post that was posted a while back giving a suggested list of essentials to buy when expecting?? Apologies I can't find it myself!

John Mason

here you go

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057154377

deecee1

pretty comprehensive list on <snip>