Due April 2013 thread

Nead21

Hi Ladies, hope everyone is keeping well.

Digs, I had Antenatal class last week too, and found it really beneficial. I was so glad I went and it really helped with some of the fears I had, particularly about going into hospital. Even just going through what happens when you arrive at the hospital was very reassuring. Our midwife was the same regarding the epi....keep an open mind, if you need it you need it, but try not to go in wanting it straight away. After she had gone through all the methods of pain relief, I was even more set against having the epi! The thoughts of a drip and a catheter completely put me off. So fingers crossed I'll be able to manage with the TENS machine maybe, and gas&air, and of course my yoga breathing

Anybody else have their hospital bags packed yet? I've just put on a "baby wash" and I'm starting to put things together as I'm 33weeks now.

A girl in my yoga class, who was the same number of weeks as myself had a little girl. She was brought in at 29weeks!!:eek: I actually got such a fright when I heard that. As far as I know both are doing fine though. It really made me think at that at this stage we could go at any time, although hopefully not too soon!!

holding

Love reading everyone's posts. Not much news here, except that I genuinely didn't think that the heartburn could get worse, and it has. I dread the night time now. It is so bad that I am almost throwing up again like I did in the first trimester. Sorry, TMI, but feeling pretty miserable. All the books are saying to sleep as much as you can before the baby comes but I can't imagine having less sleep than I do now. OK moan over!

pinkheels88

holding wrote: »

Love reading everyone's posts. Not much news here, except that I genuinely didn't think that the heartburn could get worse, and it has. I dread the night time now. It is so bad that I am almost throwing up again like I did in the first trimester. Sorry, TMI, but feeling pretty miserable. All the books are saying to sleep as much as you can before the baby comes but I can't imagine having less sleep than I do now. OK moan over!

Awh holding I can completely emphatise with you! Heartburn is just terrible! I can't stand gaviscon liquid and peppermint tabs do NOTHING for me. I need to get my hands on some orange rennies.
I'm feeling nauseous in the mornings again now too. My lips are always dry and seriously TMI but I'm spitting up mucous constantly
Nead21 what did they say about the process when u arrive at the hospital? I haven't had any antenatal classes and there's none available in my area before my due date April 12th.

Nead21

Pinkheels, she went through the process of what happens when you go into labour. For Waterford Regional Hospital, if I go into labour, I will be trying to manage the pain at home until the contractions are around 10mins apart (I'm an hour from the hospital). If at any stage I'm unsure about my waters (if they break) or when to go in, she said ring the maternity ward for advice.

When I get to hospital, I will be admitted and blood pressure taken, examination done to see how far I am along, and they will monitor the baby for a period of time. I will be then brought to a labour ward, and once I reach around 4/5cm I will be moved to delivery room. After the baby is delivered, I will stay in delivery room for about an hour or so and then I'll be moved to a room. She said my husband can stay the whole time if I want.

Could you arrange to meet one of the midwives in your hospital for a chat before your due date? Surely they should be able to accommodate you especially considering you've been away until recently. It would hopefully give you some comfort beforehand.

holding

Thanks Pinkheels. The Gaviscon liquid and tabs were working great until this week. I'm taking them so often now though that I'm a bit afraid I'm going over the daily limit for taking that kind of stuff.

FYI the stuff that Nead21 said happens in Waterford seems to happen the same way in the Rotunda, according to our antenatal classes. Midwife also said to figure out in advance how you're getting to the hospital, ie if your partner drives you, remember that you'll be on your own for a while in the waiting room while he parks! Based on this alone, we've now decided to get a cab in

Digs

Nead sounds like our ante natal class experience were very similar! Very reassuring and calming to know what you can expect. Pinkheels like Nead suggested you should contact the hospital and see what they can do for you, it's worth it for reassurance. Am going to a breastfeeding workshop next week so looking forward to that.

Holding big plus 1 on heartburn and lack of sleep, gaviscon and orange rennies are useless at this stage but I swig out of the bottle anyway. I have felt a big change in the last week re tiredness, discomfort etc

Nead, I am in nesting mode big time. Have most of the stuff I need for the hospital bags and did a lot of washing at the weekend, love the smell of the fairy non bio, cannot stop sniffing it mamas and papas are delivering nursery furniture this week so will be happy when the nursery is finished!! my mum is taking me to Kildare village this wend to get a cath kidston travel bag and case to use for the hosp as a treat and then I'm good to go

Digs

Oh also nead did you buy or rent the tens machine? Thinking of looking into myself...

Nead21

The midwife said they have TENS machines in the hospital. She said that if you're going to buy/rent one, make sure you get one with a booster especially for labour. Not all of them have it. AFAIK you can rent them from some chemists as well.

I'm also in nesting mode, kitchen painted, baby room mostly sorted and babygros and vests on the radiators. Started the hospital bags...there's LOTS to bring!

I've a breastfeeding workshop next week too ....we can compare notes afterwards Digs

Digs

That's great they have them in the hosp! I remember the midwife talking about them and recommending which to get if buying but I can't remember if she said there were any in the actual hosp. Must double check! She did say there was a few birthing balls in the labour ward.

Holles street and Waterford seem to on the same page, looking forward to hearing how you get on!

How Strange

You can hire TENS machines with a booster from the bigger Boots stores. I think it's around €70 but you get €35 or so back when you return it.

I personally wouldn't be relying on the hospital having them available if you intend to use one. Also for them to be most effective you should start using it as soon as you feel contractions so you could be using it for a day or more before established labour.

Digs

I just did a bit of looking online and you can buy one from www.inhealth.ie for 47.99 - the reviews seem really good. I checked boots and its 45.00 for 6 weeks hire and then the cost of return. For those prices I suppose you may aswell buy outright on the offchance you go early/late! Might invest...will do further digging.

holding

The Rotunda say that you're better off bringing in your own exercise ball too, if you plan on using it. You have to deflate it to bring it in, then reinflate it when you're in the delivery room.

Nead21

Digs wrote: »

I just did a bit of looking online and you can buy one from www.inhealth.ie for 47.99 - the reviews seem really good. I checked boots and its 45.00 for 6 weeks hire and then the cost of return. For those prices I suppose you may aswell buy outright on the offchance you go early/late! Might invest...will do further digging.

I just looked at mothercare and it's €59.99, so inhealth.ie is cheaper. I'd be of the same opinion, that if you're going to spend that much on hiring one it might be better to buy on instead. At least you'd have it for the next one!

How Strange

Also bring your own pillows! And in distinctive pillow cases so you can spit them if they're on another bed when you come back from the loo! Apparently pillows are like gold dust in all the hospitals.

Synyster Shadow

Had my 35 week scan today and everything was great until the doctor went quiet. She said that the baby has cysts on the kidneys. My heart sank and it hasn't settled yet at all. She wants me to have anomaly scan done

Anyone have any stories bout this type of thing?

Digs

Sorry to hear you've had a shock SS. I have no experience but hope you're feeling ok now? I assume you didn't get an anomaly scan earlier in the pregnancy if you're being sent now?

Did she mention your fluid levels? I believe these are a good indicator of if the kidneys are working well so hopefully your baba is ok. A friend of mine had a baby with kidneys issues completely different to yours so I won't go into it but I know amniotic fluid goes hand in hand with kidneys. I hope the hospital gave you some info? Easy for me to say but try stay away from google and the Internet as you will probably needlessly upset yourself. Hopefully baby will be grand.

Synyster Shadow

Digs wrote: »

Sorry to hear you've had a shock SS. I have no experience but hope you're feeling ok now? I assume you didn't get an anomaly scan earlier in the pregnancy if you're being sent now?

Did she mention your fluid levels? I believe these are a good indicator of if the kidneys are working well so hopefully your baba is ok. A friend of mine had a baby with kidneys issues completely different to yours so I won't go into it but I know amniotic fluid goes hand in hand with kidneys. I hope the hospital gave you some info? Easy for me to say but try stay away from google and the Internet as you will probably needlessly upset yourself. Hopefully baby will be grand.

Never had the scan done earlier and she wasn't impressed by this. She didn't give any info either she said babas bladder was full so one kidney has to be functioning normal. Just have to wait for the scan date. I just want to know what to ask I was dumb struck today didn't know what questions to ask I do know there's a risk that one kidney might be bad and not working. I read other parents stories in the last hour and they got to get tests done at 3 months up to the age of 2 to make sure that one is at least functioning. I just can't handle the thought of baby struggling and not been able communicate!

Digs

I can only imagine all that's going through your head but the bladder being full is obviously a good sign. Try not to stress yourself for the moment as baby is safe and sound where they are now with you looking after them! Hopefully you'll get a scan date soon and you can have your fears eased. Don't be afraid to ask plenty of questions at the next scan, naturally the shock today would have your mind boggled but you have time now, gather all the info and ask the doctors any questions you need.

Doctors wouldn't have baby struggling, they'll know how to help him/her. Better to find this out now and be well prepared rather than have a sick baba and not know what's wrong. Not a nice surprise at 35 weeks pregnant though

Synyster Shadow

Digs wrote: »

I can only imagine all that's going through your head but the bladder being full is obviously a good sign. Try not to stress yourself for the moment as baby is safe and sound where they are now with you looking after them! Hopefully you'll get a scan date soon and you can have your fears eased. Don't be afraid to ask plenty of questions at the next scan, naturally the shock today would have your mind boggled but you have time now, gather all the info and ask the doctors any questions you need.

Doctors wouldn't have baby struggling, they'll know how to help him/her. Better to find this out now and be well prepared rather than have a sick baba and not know what's wrong. Not a nice surprise at 35 weeks pregnant though

Definitely not a nice surprise at all I was told all alone everything was great and now that I'm seeing a different doctor the last two scans she is by far better than the person I was seeing he said nothing and I was out within a couple minutes. This doc keeps me 15 minutes and she found this pretty easy. I can't shake this from my head and I'm annoyed they never mentioned the scan before now it should be routine. I'm keeping away from google though it's evil I know better I'll never sleep again if I read it and 5 weeks is ages to wait for baba to arrive. I was in my own perfect little bubble up until today

Nead21

SS you poor thing. Hope you are ok. That's difficult news to process particularly when you don't yet have all the information on how this might effect your baba. Hope you're getting the support you need.

Thinking of you *hugs*

Synyster Shadow

Nead21 wrote: »

SS you poor thing. Hope you are ok. That's difficult news to process particularly when you don't yet have all the information on how this might effect your baba. Hope you're getting the support you need.

Thinking of you *hugs*

Thank you. Hubby has been great iv had a few tearful moments throughout the day and he's pulled me back from them talked me into a calm state so just gonna try push it to one side until scan comes in the post. Then I'll know what I'm dealing with

holding

Oh Synyster Shadow what a shock for you. Can't imagine how you must be feeling. Like Digs said, they wouldn't have the baby suffering at all, if there was any danger of that they would take the baby out now, or start some kind of treatment right now. They were happy to let you go home, and schedule you for the next appt so hold onto that I would say. You poor thing. Just try and remember that there is as much chance of everything working out 100% okay as there is of it not.

meggysmom

Hi Girls,how is everyone?SS I was sorry to read that your scan didn't go great,I can't offer any advice but my fingers are crossed for you that all will be ok and that you are getting the support and information you need!


I have been feeling great this week,pain free from the spd after lots of rest,no more crutches,just have to take it easy and only light housework,I am sleeping 10 hours a night and have a nap later in the morning too,very tired alright and have sharp pains now and again down low in cervix-ouch!!
I'm back next thursday for a plan of action,I will be at 36+6 then,so if baby hasn't turned then section will be planned,she is so active the last few days I am not sure where she is,although I still feel the hard lump during the day under my right rib,when I'm in bed at night I think she is going transverse but who knows......

Synyster Shadow

I'm gettin support I have my hubby and my dad and even an uncle talkin to me to settle my nerves. Just a waiting game now!

As for sleep amazingly my sleep has gotten better I still wake up but not near as bad I don't get up as early anymore. And when I wake its usually a pressure pain low down. Babies head has been down for the last 7 to 8 weeks and I constantly feel as if baby is headbutting my pelvis. Usually when I'm walking I have to stop for a min I bet people think I'm weird. Iv done more walking and I'm feeling great from spd too think it's because I'm not as stiff

Digs

Glad to hear you're doing better MM, rest is the only cure for it.

Lads what's the secret to your sleeping? I got about 2hrs max broken sleep last night and the previous week not been much better. Between heartburn, kicks, jabs, soreness and trips to the loo I can't settle!! Am like the walking dead during the day. Going to finish up work next Friday, am completely blessed to be able to work from home but haven't the energy for the conference calls and reports and generally having to function etc. The guy who's replacing me is available from next week so will hand over and be done. My boss is happy and the GP has been offering to sign me off from SPD from about 30 weeks so no worries there!! Only going a week early so did better than I thought! Hope the rest of ye ladies are handling work ok.

MM I am back in hosp Tuesday and same situation as yourself. Hope madam has turned although i just can't work out the position, I think she flips about all the time. Running out of room my butt, she has a great time moving about in there!!

Just had my first cup of raspberry leave tea, am a sucker for the gimmicks

holding

I've been getting better sleep the last couple of nights too, after a really horrendous week of it. Digs here's what I'm doing differently - I'm taking a couple of spoons of gaviscon before I get into bed, even if I'm not super heartburny, because this saves me getting back up to take it after half an hour. I've been rotating my pregnancy support pillows, for example, I use a bump support one night, and then not the second night, I'll use the huge body pillow instead. I find that using the same support for a few nights in a row means I get immune to it - silly I know but that's how it feels. I've also been spending the first hour of every night going to sleep while sitting up, propped up on pillows. This means I don't start the night out with heart burn, and I can stretch my legs around a bit more. After about an hour I'm okay to lie down. Don't know if anything there will help you. I feel SO much better with a bit of sleep in me. Last Monday night I got none at all, and had to go into the Rotunda on Tues morning for an antenatal class at 9.30, then hang around til a midwife clinic at 3.30, all on no sleep, it was just awful. So glad I'm getting a bit of sleep now.

Digs

Thanks holding, you might be right about becoming immune to the pillows actually so will give it a try. I sleep propped up most of the time as it's easier on the pelvis but the same position is probably not helping. I have the bottle of gaviscon on my locker and am wondering if I've taken so much I'm immune to it also?! One of the days last week my what to expect app suggested almonds, warm milk with a spoon of honey in it and papaya (must be ripe) as natural remedies to heartburn if any of ye ladies fancy giving it a try!!

If one more person tells me to stock up on my now sleep while I can I am going to deck them. Easier said than done, I am acutely aware once baby arrives it will be a precious commodity!

Synyster Shadow

Yeah tellin you that you'll get no sleep from now on when baby comes thinkin you don't know what comes with newborns. I get it too but as I say I have a hubby and he can do a night for me here and there so I catch up on sleep.

I don't suffer from heart burn at all but I was told pepper mint in milk tends to work.? You could try it.

Sleep wise I don't go to bed till 12 and for most nights I'm wrecked by that time very little energy these days. Then usually it's 10 before I'm ready to wake up its weird waking up to hubby lookin at me usually it's the other way round

meggysmom

I definitly suffered from insomnia with my 1st pregnancy,I just couldn't settle near the end and my brain was woorking over time with thoughts of labour,this time around i'm more relaxed about it,definitly the gaviscon before bed regardless of whether heartburn is there or not,i'm not peeing at all at night,no pressure on bladder which i'm assuming means baby is still breech:(but who knows for sure only seeing an ultrasound next week will convince me either way!

meggysmom

Digs wrote: »

Glad to hear you're doing better MM, rest is the only cure for it.

Lads what's the secret to your sleeping? I got about 2hrs max broken sleep last night and the previous week not been much better. Between heartburn, kicks, jabs, soreness and trips to the loo I can't settle!! Am like the walking dead during the day. Going to finish up work next Friday, am completely blessed to be able to work from home but haven't the energy for the conference calls and reports and generally having to function etc. The guy who's replacing me is available from next week so will hand over and be done. My boss is happy and the GP has been offering to sign me off from SPD from about 30 weeks so no worries there!! Only going a week early so did better than I thought! Hope the rest of ye ladies are handling work ok.

Let me know how tuesday goes for you,hopefully all the movement we are having is good [URL]news:)roll[/URL] on friday when you can finish up work,maybe you will find yourself relaxed more and the sleep will follow,but try not to stress about it as it will probably make you more restless,having less sleep for the last month helped me prepare for the arrival of baby last time,it wasn't such a shock to the system when we brought her home from the hospital:)!
MM I am back in hosp Tuesday and same situation as yourself. Hope madam has turned although i just can't work out the position, I think she flips about all the time. Running out of room my butt, she has a great time moving about in there!!