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I am :)
-We did a hospital HB program last time, so no chance of having the same midwives again for this pregnancy for continuity. Our doula was there when I had DD and will be there this time.
-Extra support if DH needs to tend to DD for a period of time.
I also have two midwives and as this is my first baby I didn't feel the need for the extra support of a doula.
Welcome Dolly.
At this point I'm definitely having a Doula. I'm not so sure about the Midwife yet - I won't know until December until we move back to Townsville.
Having a Doula is definite as I don't have to pay for her. I work with a group of Doulas and although I've been away doing my Degree, we don't charge each other to support each other.
I had an OB app through the MGP I'm getting my antenatal care through and they are trying to class me as high risk :( The reason is because of what happened with Reid.
I mean they can say what they want because I'm not birthing with me so at this point I'm just nodding and smiling. If they make me high risk and won't let me continue with MGP, I'll just withdraw my care.
I wonder if I'm being a little hard headed sometimes but I trust my instincts more than there judgement.
LN - Hoping your in your birthing/mama element
Hi girls,
The group of midwives i go through it is standard to have 2 midwives. i loved having the two at the birth as one was able to do the 'business' stuff (organising the table with the bits and bobs and do the doppler etc) while the other could be there for the emotional support for myself and DH.
(and on that note...a quiet, yet very excited Hello :hello: Dolly!!)
Jenn: see, next time buy the pool and then you can gaze at it for as long as you like...like i do hahahaha.
Ladyneon: oh you poor poppet :hug: going post-dates can be a big challenge, each day feels like a week :hug:
Sara: Having just had to bear witness to the insanity of hospital protocol i can only imagine the uphill battle you have to face to get straightforward, simple, healthy pregnancy care and support :hug:
AFM: well, am 'officially' dealing with a threatened pre-term labour...waaaahh! i need like 2 weeks...just 2 weeks more! c'mon baby we can do it lol. but yeah, did mean a trip to the hospital. interesting. they were all nice...but the protocol procedures are insane. i had to have a long, drawn out discussion about the group b strep swab. apparently their protocol is that they do the swab as standard when they do the internal to determine active labour, infection etc. i had to (calmly because i am a champion :lol:) explained that i am not opposed to the test if it is determined that i am having the baby that day (being preterm i can appreciate that she is at higher risk of infection due to body temp and feeding issues etc), BUT that i do not consent to the swab a moment before we know for certain that she is coming. the reality is that had i of agreed and it came back positive yesterday then no matter what, even if i had to transfer at term they would ONLY use that result and automatically put me on IV antibiotics...and who knows, by that stage i might not no longer even be positive...it is just such an insane, ineffective system (just not tailored to the individual ITMS, it is just a screening process for the masses and what a waste of money...each of those tests cost money and not to mention the ABs...). urgh. ok, rant over lol.
cassius :hug: maybe just practise a few times "i do not consent" in case you need it. although it sounds like you did pretty well yesterday! Stay in there for a few more weeks little bubba!
:hug: Cassius. Hang in there a little longer little one. Good on you for standing up for yourself. Now I don't want to hear any more of this early labour just full term labour!
Big hugs Cassius. Have you thought about getting some magnesium? I've been getting some pretty intense BH and was going to get some to hopefully settle them.
I hear you re: the policies. They're already talking about me needing to have IV access and a managed 3rd stage just in case.
As I said before, they can say what they want. I feel I'm educated enough to know the rights and wrongs of what they are saying.
Keeping everything cross little miss stays put!!
LN, hope you're too busy birthing right now to check in. ;) Won't be long now!
Cassius, hope you're not busy birthing right now! My sister had a swab at 27 weeks and no retest! IV ABs from early labour, cascade of intervention, you can guess the rest. Fx you do not need to see them again.
Sara - high risk? I would trust my instincts too. VBAC is supposedly high risk too. Pfft.
Just bought my midwives each a Keep Calm I'm a Midwife mug for HB Awareness week next mth.
And who asked about doulas? I had two m/ws and my doula, who is a friend. My doula did what I guess your partner might do if birth was his thing. Lol Not sure it's my DP's thing, but in any case, she was amazing. I might not bother if there's a next time, now we know what to expect. It was over so quickly!
Argh! I'm having pre-labour right now. Proper pre-labour at 28 weeks. Nooo. Don't want another 3 months of this. Had it for two consistent weeks with DD and that was enough. I'm getting over gastro so I figure that's the reason, plus DD2 has been flipping transverse, head up, head down, all around town today. Gah.
maybe give your mid wife a call pz, I had gastro with dd and ended up in hospital to stop labour. gastro works like cod liver oil to start labour.
Oh PZ, i feel your pain...like literally :ROFL: hopefully with some rehydration and some rest ('cause it's so easy with a toddler hahahaha) it will calm down a bit. like Sara mentioned are you on mag/cal?
Sara: yeah i take a mag/cal supplement already. they think that i am just overdoing it (easy done with small kids to look after IYKWIM). Sounds like they are just giving you a generic 'for the masses' birth procedure - it is not tailored for you, so hopefully with loads of boring-as discussions and firm resolved it can all be worked around.
HotI: it felt so good not giving my consent!!! like, seriously therapeutic! i started to feel the usual pressure and uncertainty, but then had a moment of 'my body, my baby' and realised that it wasnt being offered for the good intentions of me or the baby, but simply as protocol. not good enough reason for me!
and of course had to tread lightly as a homebirth transfer it is in the back of your mind that if you seem to be too 'vigilante' that you can be reported to DHS. so i had to face alot of questions about if they did 'let me' go home that night and i went into labour what would i do...ahhhh well, i am HERE in the HOSPITAL arent I??! So i had to reassure the head OB that i would in fact return if i went into labour before 36 weeks. far out. they really actually believe that people that homebirth will risk their babies to do so :wall:
Yep I take cal/mag for restless legs. It's calmed down a little but still quite sore and tight/heavy feeling. DH had to go to uni tonight which is the worst timing ever, but I'm taking it super easy.
Cassius, which hospy are you booked into? I still haven't booked in, I really need to lol. Hospital transfers suck, I hope never to do it again. I'm glad I'm not in a restrictive hospital program this time, my reasons to actually transfer this time are significantly smaller than the list from DD. It does feel awesome saying no huh? I did a lot with DD, they wanted me on the bed, on my back with monitors on me. I ripped them off and got up and made a cave in the bathroom :lol: Still, looking forward to not needing to do that this time!
I hope your little miss can stay in for longer!
PZ: am booked into the womens :) thankfully my IM does it all for me automatically so dont need to think about it lol. are you sure that you are not already booked in?
Weird! Cos we have the same IM. She has told me to book into my local (Sandringham) a few times now and I keep forgetting. I don't really know what to say to them when I call?
hmmm i wouldnt know what to say either lol! i wonder if you have to do it because maybe it is only at the womens that she can do it directly :think: it *might* also be because of my PTSD that she does it for me? i cant remember that far back to DD2s early pregnancy lol.
ok, let's brainstorm...i guess, call up, say that you are planning a homebirth with a group midwifery practice and have been advised to organise a 'transfer booking' with the hospital'. they might ask you "what on earth is that" lol. and from there i would say something like: 'it's where you guys (the hossy) has all your pathology, ultrasound results on record so that in the case of a transfer it is all on record'??
if they do know what you are on about, i guess they will guide you through the process...ie giving you a patient number etc. they keep a wee little file with your records etc. they will need the IMs details (ie the business name, her phone number and address)
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Wow that's actually really helpful! Thanks babe. I reckon you're right as well, I'm sure N did mention that the women's is the only one she works with directly :think: Guess I should get on with it soon! I'm a little shocked to find myself in the 3rd tri tbh!
hahaha, me too! i cant believe that i am like 34 weeks pregnant...when did that happen :rofl:
Hi Ladies,
Thank you all for your help as to what to do with my DS around the birth. I'm feeling much happier to go with the flow and have my sister there to take him away or entertain him if he needs it.
I met my midwife today and she's lovely. As I'm going through the hospital-homebirth program I will have to put up with the stricter rules around transferring and playing it extra extra safe but we're rationalising it that the savings in money and the fact that it's my second birth means it's worth the conservative management and protocols. My midwife is lovely and was excited to meet me. I'm still not feeling any reality around being pregnant but I'm sure the excitement will come ;)
We are also having our Doula from my son's birth and I'm excited to reconnect with her again. The continuity of care we have from her is so awesome.
Breastfeeding my toddler is sporadic but not fun atm. My nipples are so sensitive and sore when he's attached and I'm yelping every time he wants a feed. I'm ok with him weaning but a bit sad that the final feeds mightn't be very pleasant for either of us. He tries so hard to be gentle and gets upset when I cringe :(
The weeks are flying by and I'm already nearly 14 weeks! Feeling generally well unless I forget to eat regularly.
Thank you for all your expertise and welcome :)