Homebirth General Discussion #7

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.

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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!!!

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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

:baby: Babies Born :nappy:


eutra_phalia - baby boy born November 20 :babyboy:

Sara - baby boy born sleeping 16w3d November 22


:pregnant: Babies On Their Way :bellyrubs:



Jennifer13 - January

Bella29 - January

HotI - January

Beansbeans - January

*Ash*- February

loulabelle - February

...Em - May

Cricket - May

ladybirdflies - July

BellyBelly - August

It's january tomorrow.... I want a ba :)