Due October 2014.

Penny Dreadful

Had a dream last night that I was in labour. It was a really unsettling dream and not because the labour was so awful or anything it was more a feeling of being unprepared, lack of control and that it happened without warning.

It was really unsettling and it took me ages to settle down afterwards.

The odd thing is that we are prepared (well in so far as you ever really are ;-) ) and when the real event happens it's not as though I'm going to be given a weeks notice to put it into my diary either!

I have 3 weeks left to work after this week and over the last little while I've been convinced that the baby will arrive early so maybe that's why it was in my head.

Penny Dreadful

35 weeks:)

I can hardly believe it.

Had the second of my ante natal physio classes in the Coombe yesterday. All of those classes have been very good and informative. We have our full day ante natal class this weekend too.

I picked up the buggy, car seat and monitor from Kealy's on Monday. Its odd to see a buggy in the house. That sounds silly as I have a big pregnant bump at this stage but seeing that sitting there every morning when I go downstairs is making the coming event seem very real:o.

Hope all the rest of your October expectant parents are keeping well?

greenman09

6 weeks to go. Baby kicking away like a footballer. Ante natal class next sat. All quiet here. Roll on October 12th

Penny Dreadful

greenman09 wrote: »

6 weeks to go. Baby kicking away like a footballer. Ante natal class next sat. All quiet here. Roll on October 12th

At this stage it seems dreadfully unfair to have to wait much longer to meet your baby doesn't it?
We had our full day ante natal class last Saturday and enjoyed it. Most of the information I'd already picked up along the way from previous hospital visits and things I'd been told from midwives, physics, etc but it was nice to have it recapped and for myself and my husband to do together. As I'd always heard the Dads to be seemed to learn a little more than the Mammies in Waiting!
Enjoy your day.

I'm 36 weeks tomorrow and can feel the baby is turning getting ready for exit so there is no denying I'm on the home stretch now. The little one was so busy last night that I could almost have powered the house with the amount of energy coming from her!

Penny Dreadful

36 weeks today. This time next week the bump is fully cooked and considered full term!!!
Woke up last night in such pain and discomfort I thought I was in labour. Turned out to only be back pain and horrible horrible SPD in the left of my pubic bone, groin and down to the inside of my left leg as far as my knee. Took 3 hours to calm down.:(
Then for good measure I threw up my breakfast this morning.
The joys of pregnancy eh?

Bump is nice and low now so things are obviously getting ready for exit and the end game! Exciting and terrifying at the same time. Am definitely at the stage where I am ready to not be pregnant for much longer though.

murphy2

32 weeks today! Had a scan on Wednesday and the baby is weighing in about 4 pounds already, measuring a week ahead of itself so I'm hoping that means I might go early!

Had very swollen feet and hands last night but really didn't enjoy the warm weather yesterday so hopefully that's all it was. Apart from the tiredness, I'm feeling good. Nursery all ready and bags packed just in case!

Sorry to hear the nausea seems to be back for you Penny but at least you're nearly there. You'll be finished work soon and will be able to rest and relax before the mayhem of being a parent!

Ticktactoe

murphy2 wrote: »

32 weeks today! Had a scan on Wednesday and the baby is weighing in about 4 pounds already, measuring a week ahead of itself so I'm hoping that means I might go early!

Had very swollen feet and hands last night but really didn't enjoy the warm weather yesterday so hopefully that's all it was. Apart from the tiredness, I'm feeling good. Nursery all ready and bags packed just in case!

Sorry to hear the nausea seems to be back for you Penny but at least you're nearly there. You'll be finished work soon and will be able to rest and relax before the mayhem of being a parent!

I am currently 35 weeks and have scan on Monday. Looking forward to it as my last scan at 31 weeks calculated juniors weight as 5 pounds.... Well ahead of itself!!

Penny Dreadful

37 weeks. I am now a full term watermelon! :-)

Bag(s) packed and ready to go. Car seat in the car, 5 more working days left, baby is turned in the right direction now too.......just the waiting game now.

Hope everyone else is well

greenman09

35w and 3 days now. Bags packed ready for car. Next appt next Tuesday where we get to see baby again in another scan. Room painted cot and everything up. Loads of movement. Just found my self watching the OH belly move for ages last night. Got kicked in the head for my troubles also. At last count it is 32 days to due date.

househunter

The difference on the second one!! - just ordered a double buggy on Monday - still need a car seat for my son as the baby will be taking his. Moses basket not ready. No bag packed. I really need to get my ass in gear!!

Penny Dreadful

househunter wrote: »

The difference on the second one!! - just ordered a double buggy on Monday - still need a car seat for my son as the baby will be taking his. Moses basket not ready. No bag packed. I really need to get my ass in gear!!

How far along are you? I'm sure you'll be grand...... Especially compared to us first time newbies!!!!!

househunter

Will be 36 weeks on Saturday.
This just prompted me to start packing! To be fair to myself I have most of the things i need for the hospital bag - I just need to pack it

The little babygros and vests look so small - but it seems like such a short time ago that i was packing for the first one. Starting to feel so excited!

househunter

New buggy arrived yesterday - yay! Finally feel like i have something in place for number 2

Penny Dreadful

Our little bundle of joy decided to put in an early appearance and was born on Monday night at 23:06. All three of us, proud parents and their little girl were discharged from hospital today and are all snuggled up at home.
So I guess I am now a September Mammy in action rather than an October mammy in waiting.

Ticktactoe

Penny Dreadful wrote: »

Our little bundle of joy decided to put in an early appearance and was born on Monday night at 23:06. All three of us, proud parents and their little girl were discharged from hospital today and are all snuggled up at home.
So I guess I am now a September Mammy in action rather than an October mammy in waiting.

Congrats! Great news!

greenman09

Congrats penny. I'm on 23 days left. And that's if we don't run over. Good luck with all.

Penny Dreadful

greenman09 wrote: »

Congrats penny. I'm on 23 days left. And that's if we don't run over. Good luck with all.

Thank you. Yes, it was a little unexpected all right! Best reason ever for not going to work on a Monday morning anyway.
Coombe staff were great. Everyone says it but it's because it was true. From the first phone call to the Assessment Unit to the baby being born everyone was working for me and for us. The help and support is great, most especially when you get upstairs to the delivery suite. I didn't need a doctor present during delivery once the epidural was administered and the midwives were amazingly fantastic.
The delivery was quick, safe and straight forward and handled superbly.
There was an incident involving me about an hour post delivery but that was entirely unexpected and caused by a sudden onset infection I caught a few days before but didn't know and a reaction to a particular drug. A doctor was called in then when things got a bit hairy and he was superb- cool calm confident efficient and sorted things quickly and well. I have a little crush on him now!
Again everyone including the midwives were superb.
You'll all be in the finest of hands and the very best of luck to all of you. Actually getting to meet your baby and see the little person whose kicks and habits you've come to recognise on the inside follow through with them on the outside is only fabulous.

Ticktactoe

Penny Dreadful wrote: »

Our little bundle of joy decided to put in an early appearance and was born on Monday night at 23:06. All three of us, proud parents and their little girl were discharged from hospital today and are all snuggled up at home.
So I guess I am now a September Mammy in action rather than an October mammy in waiting.

Congrats! Great news!

Fagashlil

Huge congrats to you! Good to hear it all went well, hope you and baby are doing well.

(At least I know there's 1 less person looking for the birthing pool now!!)

murphy2

Big Congratulations, that's brilliant news! I'm so happy your little girl arrived safely and you're both doing so good.
Glad to hear you had a good labour experience also.
Enjoy every minute with your bundle of joy!

Merkin

Congrats on your new bundle Penny!

Marz66

Congratulations Penny, delighted for you! Glad you had a good labour experience.

2 weeks to go here.

Lucuma

Penny Dreadful wrote: »

Our little bundle of joy decided to put in an early appearance and was born on Monday night at 23:06. All three of us, proud parents and their little girl were discharged from hospital today and are all snuggled up at home.
So I guess I am now a September Mammy in action rather than an October mammy in waiting.

Congratulations Penny! Bet you weren't expecting that! You were officially full term though weren't you, had you the hospital bag packed?! Did you go into labour at 38 weeks? Hope you've had a chance to get some rest since the birth, it's hard to come by in the hospital ! :-/

73trix

Wow, congrats Penny. That's fab. Been following you as you were only a week behind me. Can't believe all these early babies. Especially with first timers! You are officially in Sept club now. First girl after 5 boys!! Did you have a VB or section? What did you call her?

househunter

Awwww wow, congrats Penny!!! Soooo exciting!!

Penny Dreadful

Fagashlil wrote: »

Huge congrats to you! Good to hear it all went well, hope you and baby are doing well.

(At least I know there's 1 less person looking for the birthing pool now!!)

One out of the way all right!

As it turned out because my waters had broken at home and kept on coming ( there was no holding that particular flood back!) I wouldn't have been able to use to pool anyway because of the increased risk of infection.
I had wondered before hand if the pool wasn't available to me how I'd react and it was just fine.
It was an option I no longer hand and getting bothered by it wasn't going to change anything so I went with another plan.
My waters broke at 7am, contractions started at 2pm and the baby was born at 23:06- all quite quick really.
I used a TENS machine for few hours downstairs and it helped so I was glad to have it. When the contractions came stronger and faster it wasn't enough then so I asked for pethadine.
It does knock you for 6 and I napped between the contractions but as they came thick and fast it was a cat nap if anything.
I went from 2cm to 7cm in the space of about 2 to 3 hours and was taken upstairs to the delivery suite then.
It's actually a nice room. That might sound odd but it was a calm environment, the midwives were superb and I knew that this was the last room for me- it was going to happen here and I liked that. This was it, we were going to get to meet the baby and then we'd be out the other side of everything.
I used gas and air only for a while but the speed at which my baby wanted to arrived meant that when the midwife asked if I wanted an epidural I said yes please but I want to be placed on my side to deliver not on my back.
No issues with that and the anaesthetist was in with me in a few minutes. The man was a genius, I felt absolutely nothing until ..... Well I felt nothing. He was so efficient, gentle and quick at getting the epi administered I think I asked him if he'd come home with me! Oddly enough he declined my lovely offer.
Epi in and things slowed down a bit but not majorly and I had a light enough dose in that I could still feel the urge to push when necessary and the slightest edge of the contractions. It was good because it helped me to link in with what the midwives were saying to me when I needed to push and when to not.
Also because I could feel enough to do as they instructed I required no assistance with delivery (e.g. Forceps, ventouse) and needed no stitches.

We also asked for delayed cord clamping and again that wasn't a problem and we had skin on skin and a little feed for the baby straight away.

I had "planned"on being mobile for as long as possible and I wanted to use only gas and air and the birthing pool. Turned out the best laid plans meant little or nothing to the baby and I just went with things as they happened and it was all fine. The midwives made me feel totally confident in them and their ability to work with me to get this job done and I gave over to what was happening and it was all fine.

Penny Dreadful

73trix wrote: »

Wow, congrats Penny. That's fab. Been following you as you were only a week behind me. Can't believe all these early babies. Especially with first timers! You are officially in Sept club now. First girl after 5 boys!! Did you have a VB or section? What did you call her?

Thank you. It was a VB- 9 hours from first contraction to holding the baby in my arms. No stitches either which I am still shocked at!
We had a little girl (3.22kg/7lbs2oz) and called her Amy.
Considering that she was 3 and a half weeks early she was a fine size of a child, I don't think delivering her would have been as gentle on my nether regions had she stayed put for much longer!

Penny Dreadful

Lucuma wrote: »

Congratulations Penny! Bet you weren't expecting that! You were officially full term though weren't you, had you the hospital bag packed?! Did you go into labour at 38 weeks? Hope you've had a chance to get some rest since the birth, it's hard to come by in the hospital ! :-/

I was 36+6 so officially she was one day premature.
I had everything packed and ready to go. Lots of my friends were teasing me about the "organised fun" and my having everything bought and in the house ready to go. Turns out I needed to be just that organised!

The hospital was so so noisy I thought I was going to lose my reason. Coming home to my own house, so quiet and peaceful with a lovely normal temperature and lighting was like entering an oasis of calm.
I've been resting lots since we got home and I'm feeling better and stronger, more like my old self day by day.

Lucuma

Penny Dreadful wrote: »

One out of the way all right!

As it turned out because my waters had broken at home and kept on coming ( there was no holding that particular flood back!) I wouldn't have been able to use to pool anyway because of the increased risk of infection.
I had wondered before hand if the pool wasn't available to me how I'd react and it was just fine.
It was an option I no longer hand and getting bothered by it wasn't going to change anything so I went with another plan.
My waters broke at 7am, contractions started at 2pm and the baby was born at 23:06- all quite quick really.
I used a TENS machine for few hours downstairs and it helped so I was glad to have it. When the contractions came stronger and faster it wasn't enough then so I asked for pethadine.
It does knock you for 6 and I napped between the contractions but as they came thick and fast it was a cat nap if anything.
I went from 2cm to 7cm in the space of about 2 to 3 hours and was taken upstairs to the delivery suite then.
It's actually a nice room. That might sound odd but it was a calm environment, the midwives were superb and I knew that this was the last room for me- it was going to happen here and I liked that. This was it, we were going to get to meet the baby and then we'd be out the other side of everything.
I used gas and air only for a while but the speed at which my baby wanted to arrived meant that when the midwife asked if I wanted an epidural I said yes please but I want to be placed on my side to deliver not on my back.
No issues with that and the anaesthetist was in with me in a few minutes. The man was a genius, I felt absolutely nothing until ..... Well I felt nothing. He was so efficient, gentle and quick at getting the epi administered I think I asked him if he'd come home with me! Oddly enough he declined my lovely offer.
Epi in and things slowed down a bit but not majorly and I had a light enough dose in that I could still feel the urge to push when necessary and the slightest edge of the contractions. It was good because it helped me to link in with what the midwives were saying to me when I needed to push and when to not.
Also because I could feel enough to do as they instructed I required no assistance with delivery (e.g. Forceps, ventouse) and needed no stitches.

We also asked for delayed cord clamping and again that wasn't a problem and we had skin on skin and a little feed for the baby straight away.

I had "planned"on being mobile for as long as possible and I wanted to use only gas and air and the birthing pool. Turned out the best laid plans meant little or nothing to the baby and I just went with things as they happened and it was all fine. The midwives made me feel totally confident in them and their ability to work with me to get this job done and I gave over to what was happening and it was all fine.

I'm envious of your short labour time, mine was 28 hours....I had 18 hours of irregular contractions before I got to 3cm, most of that was at home. Then I had a further 10 hours of regular contractions before she was born. The net result being that when I was put in my room with her both me and hubby were absolutely exhuasted having missed 2 nights of sleep and then had to look after her straight away! It was a bad start sleepingwise.

My labour was very similar to yours otherwise - I also used teh Tens machine and got a shot of pethidine. It's funny how we all react differnt ways though coz the Tens did me the whole way through, although I'd say for the last part of the pushing phase it was more of an psychological crutch than anything else! And I couldnt' even lie down after the pethidine not to mention sleep! It made me high as a kite for 2 hours though, all I wanted to do was chat to the midwife about her travels in Australia etc (!). I can't believe you didn't have to have stitches!! That's amazing for a first timer. Had you been doing the perineal massage? The stitches are a pain and just another thing to be trying to deal with when you have enough on your plate already so lucky you! Sorry to hear about your infection and the reaction to the drug though, which drug was it?

I agree with you about the hospital being noisy, and I had my own room but cleaning ladies and people coming in and out just bang away and don't seem to try to do things quietly at all. Plus it was absolutely BAKING in there, I had to get hubby to bring in a desk fan and I had it going the whole time. My room was a real sun trap.

Penny Dreadful

Lucuma wrote: »

I'm envious of your short labour time, mine was 28 hours....I had 18 hours of irregular contractions before I got to 3cm, most of that was at home. Then I had a further 10 hours of regular contractions before she was born. The net result being that when I was put in my room with her both me and hubby were absolutely exhuasted having missed 2 nights of sleep and then had to look after her straight away! It was a bad start sleepingwise.

My labour was very similar to yours otherwise - I also used teh Tens machine and got a shot of pethidine. It's funny how we all react differnt ways though coz the Tens did me the whole way through, although I'd say for the last part of the pushing phase it was more of an psychological crutch than anything else! And I couldnt' even lie down after the pethidine not to mention sleep! It made me high as a kite for 2 hours though, all I wanted to do was chat to the midwife about her travels in Australia etc (!). I can't believe you didn't have to have stitches!! That's amazing for a first timer. Had you been doing the perineal massage? The stitches are a pain and just another thing to be trying to deal with when you have enough on your plate already so lucky you! Sorry to hear about your infection and the reaction to the drug though, which drug was it?

I agree with you about the hospital being noisy, and I had my own room but cleaning ladies and people coming in and out just bang away and don't seem to try to do things quietly at all. Plus it was absolutely BAKING in there, I had to get hubby to bring in a desk fan and I had it going the whole time. My room was a real sun trap.

It was the syntocin that I had the reaction to. That could prove a problem for any future pregnancies if I need to be induced ( as it's what is used as standard for induction) and also to deliver the placenta again.
I was discharged from the care of the hospital to my GP because I had no stitches etc but as the dust settled and I thought back on things I decided to have my 6 week check up in the hospital. I want to discuss what happened with the consultant and get a handle on it. If I am intolerant of syntocin / allergic to it then I need to know that for the future and see what the alternatives to syntocin are.
The midwife assured me that everything was charted fully and that it wouldn't happen again but I need to understand it for me too. Also given that she also said she had never seen a reaction like that before it would suggest to me that there isn't necessarily an alternative solution in place already.

I was lucky with the labour and the fact that I seem to have gotten off lightly in terms of the physical stress to my body I.e. No tearing or stitches etc.
I didn't do the perineum massage, I had thought about it but one quick you tube video saw me back track on that one rapidly! I did a lot of ante natal yoga though and it focused a lot on the pelvic floor both making it strong but also supple so I think that it stood to me. Also at 7lbs 2oz and almost 4 weeks early maybe my little girl did me a favour, imagine if she'd gone fully term or even over!! There is a lot of weight and growing that a baby could fit in over that time. I think I'd be feeling things a lot differently :-)