Yay Hot1!!!! Awesome to hear! We are all so close in dates! I wonder who will go first?? Any bets??
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Yay Hot1!!!! Awesome to hear! We are all so close in dates! I wonder who will go first?? Any bets??
Jen - new years day baby
Bella - 11th Jan
HotI - 21st Jan
hmmmmm
Jen- 5th Jan
Bella - 20th Dec
hot1- 10th Jan
I have been having some slightly painful BH... not sure if anything is happening, it has been my opinion that I will go to 42 weeks so it will either be the 20th of Jan for me or in a couple of days and catch me completely unexpected. Bubby seems to have slowed down it's movements too so who knows if that is in prep for birth. I doubt it, but anything can happen right??
Yay! Loulabelle, that is awesome news. I am really happy for you. :)
Oooh, I am feeling excited anticipation for Jen, Bella and HotI - you are all so close. OK Bella, I'll place a bet - you will 'go' before HotI. Of course, Jen will beat you both!
Thanks for all your comments and suggestions re: ferritin. I have started taking a high potency iron supplement, called Hemagenics VegeCare. I took it during third tri last preg too. I make sure that I take it at the same time as I consume green leafys and foods high in Vit C. I have started having green smoothies again too. The funny thing is, now that I know how low my levels are, I have started to feel weak and tired. I must have been in denial before!
Arte - I like the taste of Floradix. I usually have a bottle in my fridge. My MW said it is good for raising haemoglobin levels but not terribly good at raising ferritin levels. My MW hasn't spoken to me about a cut off level. As you know, she has worked in the NZ system, is there a specific cut-off there? We have an appointment this week. I have absolute faith that my ferritin levels will rise in time for my 36 week bloods - well, that is what I am telling myself anyway!
Hi Christy - lucky you. I have never been at a birth that wasn't my own. I would just suggest talking to your friend about what she wants or expects from you, and follow her cues on the day, as what she wants may all change anyway! For me, I never want anyone to really 'do' anything. I like to be left alone. But if I want DH to do something, I want him to do it NOW. Usually, he just holds my hand and offers his claming presence. I want to know that he is totally available to me and not distracted by other demands.
Eutra- How is your precious bub? I LOVE chia seeds. I add them to whatever I can.
Hi to everyone else.
I'm guessing 3 Jan for me. Bella - hmmm, 10 Jan. Hot1 - 11 Jan. Why not?
Nothing imminent here, but I have the next couple of weeks to relax (finally). Just had our photos done, so nothing left now. Really happy with how they went. I'm planning on watching plenty of HB videos this week!
Jen, I really love christmas, but this year I just want it to be over so that I can quit having that pulling at my attention so I can focus on this birth and relax as well. I have a few more things to get for the birth and then I am set
BTW girls my MW had a little laugh when I asked her did I really need a food grade hose for the pool as I have never seen any of my gf's who's births I have been to use a hose like that. Both my MW's and her backup were at a friends mother blessing and really looked honestly perplexed and baffled. So I am just going to get a normal hose. I figure the pipes in my house arn't food grade, so I am happy to just get a normal hose.
xx Bella
the only issue with the normal hose (garden variety) is that they are not designed to transport hot water and some propenents have argued that there is a potential to release the chemicals used to make it when hot.
Ok Cas, thanks for that. My outdoor hose often gets really hot in the sun and we have always drank out of them anyway when we were kids. I will see how hard it is to get a food grade hose and other wise I won't stress.
Ah, very interesting! I hadn't thought of this. We are still undecided on whether to use a birth pool - Our 'back up' midwife has one that we can use; we just have to pay for a new lining ($40). My last labour was 3 hours. I am expecting this one to be quicker. I'm not sure if we will have the time to set it up, and i don't know where to put it either. Can the waterbirthers out there tell me what they think, please?:
Ash, sooo go the water birth!! It is a good idea to have it there just in case - give it a try and hop back out if it isn't your thing. Do you have a spare room or something? A space in your bedroom? We had ours assembled for a couple of weeks prior and just had to fill it when it was time so no stress.
My last two births have been water births (was desperate to be in water with DS but had insulin controlled diabetes so they wouldn't let me). I haven't torn for either of them, and my last baby was a 10 pounder.
Thinking back, the hose we used was a clear tubing, not the normal garden hose.
definately don't stress! if it's easy to get go for it and if it aint, don't stress! it's all good! and bubs doesnt stay under the water for long anyway (too scrumptiously joyous to not bring them up quicksmart and revel in their gorgeousness :loveshower:!!!).
i'd always have the option Ash. some women like to labour in water and birth 'on land'. i liked to labour 'on land' for the earlier labour stuff and then once it became pressure waves i hopped in the pool. for the last week and a bit we had it semi-pumped up and all ready to go (with the plastic tableclothes from the $2 shop and old blankets from op shops set up underneath...we used old blankies as it was still cold in melb when we had DD2, so great to help keep water warm). all in all it took DH 20 mins max to finish the pumping and fill it enough for me to jump into (ok, no jumping..rather heaving hahaha). i loved the weightlessness that it gave and took alot of the pressure off the waves, allowing me to regather my thoughts and birth space ITMS.
We've borrowed the pool and hose (which is a food grade one) from a fellow HBing mama. I just had to buy the liner and tap fittings. I'm planning on setting it up this week in the dining room (unfilled). I don't know if I'll use it much, but it's there. And I think I'd prefer to deliver in it at least, given what I've heard of the benefits to me. We'll see, soon enough!
M/w visit today. Baby has moved a bit further down, so I doubt she'll be going any other way now! I keep hoping I don't go into labour at the end of the night, when I'm tired. DD was here today and has decided she would like to cut the cord, so we talked about that with her.
I'm really feeling the need for some physical space right, ie do not like DD jumping all over me! I wonder if I'll want to be left alone a bit in labour?
Jen, I prefer to be alone in labour. I hate people hanging around watching me, just wanna do my own thing.
Jen I am feeling the same. Starting to feel the need to retreat from people. It is hard cos it is Christmas and I kinda can't really. No doubt when Xmas is over I will batten down the hatches and try to get some personal and physical space. I hope ur dd is kind to you and stops jumping on ur belly. My dd say "careful, mummy's tummy" right before she leads on it or puts her full weight into it... Sigh. Oh well this baby is going to be used to it I suppose.
Poor DD is only trying to sit beside me on the couch - I just can't bear all the close activity! She's been so nicely behaved that it makes me feel guilty.
A friend was supposed to come by with her kids this afternoon and I was very pleased when she cancelled. The need to retreat you mention Bella is exactly what I'm feeling. Thank goodness I've strictly enforced just me, DP and DD for Xmas Day here. We will visit MIL, but not for long.
Physically, I'm good though. No aches and pains and even the pressure on my bladder is not bothering me now, even though her head has further engaged.
How are you doing, Bella and Hot1?
Hi ladies. Just wanted to send those in becs belly buddy's a huge hug. I know we all know the realities but it's just never nice to hear them so close to our own births. Much love ladies and belly rubs to those beautiful bubs of yours
What has happened tegam? Which BB group?
Never mind tegam, that is my BB group. Bec hadn't posted for ages.... So so sad.
Thanks Tegam. We haven't heard from Bec for a while, although this explains why. :( Sounds like she's had a very challenging pg and now to have to say goodbye to her angel. :cry:
Thanks for thinking of us. TBH I'm so self-centred at the moment that I'm genuinely sad for her, but it's not making me fearful for myself. I've spent so long this pg blocking out the negativity in my own mind that it has become habit. I won't let my mind go there.
I'm sending out Christmas cards today and then I can clear away the dining room for my birth space. As soon as I get my work finished this morning! Is great to be sitting in my office in my PJs though. And I just found out yesterday I'm going to be auntie to another beautiful niece, so it's girls all the way in my family!
Jen I am so glad to hear that you are in such a fantastic place/space. Good on you ;) not long now .... Well for us not heavily pregnant, still might seem awhile to you girls ;)
Thanks Tegam.
Just a quick one from me. Bub is officially head down! Have to do some binding to help bub to get in to the pelvis rather than just hanging out front in my tummy.
Went through my birth notes from DD1's birth and it was quite interesting, having someone explain some of the finer points helped things make more sense.
Midwife doesn't think i will have a christmas baby but within a month baby will be here.
yay hot1!!!!! what fantastic news love!! So pleased for you :)
Just lurking (hopefully will have legitimate reason to be in here in a few weeks ;) ) but wanted to say to Ash: My labours have never been over 3 hours (2 inductions, 1 natural) and my last one was a 2hr waterbirth! So quick births can still get to use the tub/pool. I actually think it enables us to use it to its full extent because us precip ladies generally dialate to 4-6cm pretty quickly. My midwife had a 5cm to use the tub rule and I was 5cm by the time I got to the birth centre. Ds3 was born about 1h45m later in the water!
hi girls,
Well I'm not sure what is going on with me. I have been having so many BH it is starting to drive me a bit batty! I know they arn't real contractions cos other than a bit of discomfort they just arn't intense enough. The last two nights, they have continued thru the night. They are light enough to sleep thru mostly but they do make me feel my bladder more and so that wakes me up iykwim? I just want this to stop so I can get a bit better rest. Although maybe it is just preparing me for my labour? ie a long labour that I need to be used to the regular wake-ups for? I don't know, but I needed to have a whinge. They are coming about every 5 mins this morning...... with my DD I had about 5 weeks of prelabour or prodromal labour so I am not reading into it. Mind u with DD I would only have them this often if I tried to encourage them by going for a walk. I suppose some might say that caring for a 2 yr old is almost as much work, LOL. I am not really ready for it to start just yet anyway. DD arrived at 42+2 and I am only 39+2 now so I don't really think it is likely, which being the case I wish my body would just chill. I wonder if it is a sign that I am calcium deficient or something??
I saw my MW yesterday. She is happy with everything. Says I look bigger this week than last. I am not surprised TBH. With the amount of chocolate I have eaten, I think that the bubby has probably put on a fair bit of fat!
Anyway, I hope that everyone has had a lovely christmas with their families. We did :) DD is at a lovely age for starting to really understand christmas and was so excited it wasn't funny.
Hope the other girls who are waiting and nesting are feeling ok... hotI? Jen?
Still here. Starting to feel very uncomfortable by the end of each day. I feel as though the baby is so low and putting so much pressure on my cervix that just walking upstairs at the end of the day will make her fall out! 40 weeks this weekend.
For the record, so far I've discovered that neither gardening, hours of shopping, waxing, massage, or sex bring on labour. ;) And most of those I've tried more than once!
Still here too! My tummy is so far out the front i don't know if bub is able to hit the cervix. i am strapping when i am at home, and just wearing belly bands when ii am out. Getting uncomfy everywhere, my hair doesn't hurt :lol: DD is struggling to find any lap to climb on and probably getting over me telling her 'gentle' when she bangs my tummy.
I am glad that bub is still in there, cos i know breastfeeding and looking after a 40 + weeker will be easier than a 37 weeker , but hoping that these weeks go quick.
Lots of nesting happening. Got our room all cleaned yesterday and will set up the hammock later today. Got DDs room cleaned and some of her stuffed toys bagged up for the op shop. Bathroom sparkles.
Defrosting chest freezer today so i can do some cooking. Also hoping to plant the lemon and tangello trees i got for christmas.
Bella - i had prelabour for 3 weeks with DD. Had a few signs last week but nothing since, so could be awhile before anything happens here.
Jen- i am actually going to try most of those things this week, gardening today or tomoz, massage next week....
Anyone doing RLT or EPO? in my calm moments, i don't want to do any induction methods, natural or not, other times i just want bub out!
I did epo with dd. and I was very ripe everytime that the midwife checked me, but it didn't make labour start for me. As far as 'natural' induction methods go, I'm like u hotI. They tempt me from the perspective of wanting the baby to come when I want it to come, but that is it.
I don't think any induction method is truly natural. When ur body is ready to have strong effective contractions, it will go on its own. When it isn't ready to do that, u r going to just tire yourself out forcing it to do what it isn't ready to do. Last time because I got to 42 weeks, I tried everything and was knackered by the time labour started. Also I think emotionally it wore me out. I was worried about not going into labour and how I wouldn't be able to go to the birth centre if that happened. All that stress was terrible for me and assisting labour to start. So this time it is a chill pill for me. Even if I go to 43 weeks, I don't care! If I feel worried I am gonna go get a massage and have a bath. I ordered a bunch of lovely herbs from blissful herbs the other day, some lovely ones for bathing in and other ones to drink. It is all about trying to enjoy these last few weeks of baking this baby for me.
Oh and I should add I am doing rlt, but not to induce labour, just for uterine health. And not everyday. Just when I make up a pot of nettle and other stuff tea. Just to be healthy.
I have a pg tea with RL, but I'm only having it for uterine fitness too. I've been having it for the last couple of months, when I'm home alone. Not often atm!
I'm not really doing anything to induce labour as such, just getting through all the normal activities. And finally enjoying the pool, with the sunnier weather! Totally into the whole idea of baby picking her own birthday too. Preferably a January one. ;)
Sounds like we are doing similar things! I am having RLT to 'tone my uterus', but the rest of the things are just cos i want to do them, not neccessarily for induction.
Well we don't have long to wait till we can be sure of those jan babies Jen! Oh and did u know vbac mummas tend to gestate longer with their first vbac than with others? Apparently because we are that bit more worried I think. Not that u and I probably have that much stress since we r hbing.... I think that takes lots of pressure off.
Got a call today from the hospital that that I booked into ages ago, asking of I was still pregnant, lol! I said yes and she just asked if I and baby were still ok, whether or not bubba was still moving lots. I said yes to all and then she asked if I was still birthing with them. I said yes cos I didn't really want to discuss it and that is where I will transfer to if necessary. It was nice cos she didn't ask to invasive questions. Just checking I think cos my chart is in birth suite now. Could have been much worse I think.
Well, since this likely to be my only VBAC, I probably won't be testing that theory! ;)
I think I might be starting to lose some mucus. But I'm not sure, so I guess time will tell. I've never gotten to this stage, it's all unchartered territory for me. I'm hoping at least it's a sign that my cervix is doing all the right things!
I'm visualising a stargazer lily opening up when I imagine what my cervix is supposed to be doing. Anyone else got some visual techniques that they have found worked for them?
We've cleared away the Christmas decorations and all the excess stuff from the dining room. Tomorrow DP Is moving the dining table and getting the pool out. I've finished my share of the gardening and I don't have any more jobs lined up around the house.
Bella - pleased to hear the ph conversation went okay with the hospital. The ob I saw at my back up hospital told me she didn't expect to see me again (as in, I wouldn't be back at the hospital) and all the best, so I'm not feeling too stressed about that scenario either.
My m/w is coming in the morning for my weekly check-up. Other than that, it's a pretty relaxed waiting game around here. My mother has taking to ringing me daily, but that's probably got as much to do with hoping I don't give birth until she arrives on Sunday and general enthusiasm than checking up on my progress.
hi girls! i ahave been mia with all the xmas stuff, but back home again!!!
so awesome to see you guys so close to bringing these babies earthside! i am so so excited!!!
i took RLT whenever i remembered but that was it...i wasnt too keen as DD1 came a couple of weeks early, so didnt have any previous experience with long baking. and with a HB the time limit is much more natural and less restrictive, so i reckon that plays a big part in letting us all relax and allowing these babies to initiate for themselves :)
HotI: that does sound like some serious nesting going on! woo hoo! i wish that i had of had a hammock for the girls. i reckon they both would of loved them...
Jennifer: i was a very textbook visualiser...i had in my mind the images from the sheila kitzinger book where she had illustrations of the baby engaging on the cervix and it showed in each frame the cervix thinning and dialating. i loved using that for all my BH and early labour. but yeah, that might be less relaxing a visual lol!
Good luck for your upcoming home births Jennifer, Hot and Bella!
One thing I've wondered about regarding a home birth is whether the midwife can insert a catheter if you haven't been able to pee for a while. That's what happened to me when in labour with DS - I don't think I'd ever gone 15 hours without feeling the urge to pee before!!!
Haha Cassius, I didn't see those images, although I did read her Rediscovering Birth book that had some great pics and statues.
Thanks EmmaJane. Not sure about the catheter, I think they encourage you to pee as often as possible. I haven't heard it mentioned amongst my HBing group.
M/w visit today and she thinks it's unlikely I'll make it my next visit (Wed) without a baby. I woke up at 4am this morning (as I have been every morning this week) and was so uncomfortable and tight it took me almost an hour to get back to sleep. Which is unusual, because I am always more relaxed and feeling least like the baby is anywhere near coming then.
Everything looks good. Baby is so far down (fully engaged) and pushing on my cervix that my fundal height is only measuring 35cm. :o I've shrunk a cm down since last week. So my feeling that she's practically falling out by the end of the day is not far wrong!
DP has pumped up the birth pool and we've turned the dining room into my birthing room. My doula is bringing around a mattress and bean bags to complete the space. I'm clearing the memory on my camera tonight, plenty of space for birth photos then.
I'm more excited than anything else right now. I feel like there isn't long and we'll do well. Just eager to experience it all properly.
How exciting Jennifer! Is it naughty of me to want to bet your bub will be here by tomorrow night? :D Just that your experience reminds me of the morning before I went into labour for real...
Eeek how exciting so many baby's will be here soon!
Emmajane: yep HB midwife can put catheters in. I almost had to have one but I sat on that toilet and concentrated all I could to wee.
I have midwife visit next week, but I'm going to her to save me paying for her travel cost this time. And next Thurs I have 20week ultrasound.
Yep, my midwife can put one in if needed.:
Poking my head in here.... :)
I'm due early Aug, means nothing to me though, my babies come early and I never get any pressure to hurry things along, which is nice. However you never know how these things will go :) I am in the process of chatting to a couple of midwives and will meet one in a little over a week, its a little different to what I expected, because I am living in country Victoria for 2012 and I already had midwives picked out in my mind long ago lol! But now its all changed and a little more work and thought required (back-ups, hospitals etc), however there are loads of lovely IMs. Very excited to finally be able to plan a birth I have always wanted, even though this has all been very unexpected.
Not sure how much time I will have to pop in here and chat, I often used to read this thread before it all happened, but with so much going on with the move, early pregnancy and family dramas etc I don't have alot of time right now. I will do my best, I am sure I will really benefit from it especially now I will be more isolated.
One thing though I am really struggling with hormones, things that upset me REALLY upset me now. Have had about 3-4 big meltdowns, morning sickness has been cruddy too (nausea and burning in my stomach, sometimes together) and I feel badly for my partner who is going through alot already as it is.
Seems there are a few HB babies on the way, looking forward to hearing some yummy stories. Thank you for sharing your experiences!
Welcome Kelly :) I was wondering when you would pop your head in here :) Nice to see you. I hope that you find the support you want and deserve :)
Don't stress to much about the meltdowns and hormones. They happen. I think partners forgive if you are willing to just say sorry when you have it together again, if you have over reacted. I know my partner feels more important at times when I am vulnerable. It is part of their make up to want to protect us girls. Especially when we are carrying their babies. so just forgive yourself, and ask him to help you cope and bear with you. From the few things I have read you post about him, it sounds like he is supportive.
I hope your ms clears up fairly soon. I used those travel bands on my wrists this time, the acupressure ones, and they helped heaps. As well as having lots of regular low gi foods. Hope it clears up really soon :)
Jen, just wondering how you are going?? I think if I don't see posts from u daily I am gonna start to wonder if you have birthed. So excited for you honey!!!! Looking forward to your BA.
AFM- well I noticed my first stretch marks yesterday evening :( I know some women wear them as marks of honor.... to be honest I would prefer to not have to! but apparently I will have to suck it up. I just hope I don't get too many more. I really am carrying all out in front. Nothing to me atm but belly! Oh well....
xx Bella