MSE Parent Club - Part 2

Sami_Bee

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

Oh no, you can't trust TEENAGERS home alone! :rotfl: At least not unless you practice beforehand ...

yes always best to send them to a friends for a sleepover and not tell them you won't be in he house!

nadnad

Sami_Bee wrote: »

Nadnad can I ask, did they try to induce you or was it a choice between induce and c/s and you chose the c/s? (feel free to not answer if u like )

no my consultant didnt try to induce me -i had high blood pressure throughout my pregnancy - she thought she may have had to get Oz out at 32 weeks at one point, and she was amazed i managed to get to 40 weeks. She said inducing me may send blood pressure sky high and she didnt want to risk that. She checked my cervix every day for a week and said there was absolutely no change in it and she expected it to be softening by that stage. Her advice was a section and as i was paying for her advice i thought i better take it!

oh and also Oz was still very high up - lodged under my boobs and appeared to have no intention of coming down! and funnily enough thats still his favorite place to be!:rotfl:

Lu_T

Hey everyone, thanks for all your comments about c-sections. Had a very constructive appointment with the consultant who has agreed to discuss a 'bespoke' birth plan at my 36wk app't.

We both quite liked him actually. He was very frank about everything. Looked through my notes and said I only ended up with a section last time because Imogen had decided to turn the long way round, not the short way round and that there is absolutely no reason why I can't have a vaginal birth this time around, as long as baby is head down at 36 weeks.

I asked about the stats and he said the honest answer is that, because nothing is computerised, the data is decidely dodgy. The trust are investing in a computer system which GPs, midwives and consultants can all access which will keep a record of pregnancy (in the same way the hand-held notes do) and also of births, so he doesn't think the stats are in any way a reflection of the actual state of affairs.

I found him very supportive, even when I was being difficult and saying I wasn't keen on the constant monitoring during labour. I only had to mention it once and he said to make sure my 36wk appt was with him and we'd discuss what was appropriate for me at the time. He also said "because if I write it down, it happens," so I'm hoping I've seen the 'god' of the obstetrics dept. :rotfl:

OH can't understand why I don't opt for the convenience of a planned section but I really want to try to do it myself. I don't feel a failure for not managing last time, it was out of my control and I'd been at it long enough (off & on for 5 days, established for 17 hours :eek: ). I'd just like to think I can do what I'm built for, IYSWIM.

My emergency section last time was a pretty calm affair, but I think this is because I ended up with one because of failure to progress, as opposed to any actual emergency. Imogen was born on Boxing Day to "When a child is born" playing on the stereo, which gave both me and OH the giggles!

Susan - I had considered a home birth but OH nearly fell off his chair when I suggested it, so I think I'll be off to the hospital. Nevermind. I'm happy with the consultant's attitude so we'll take it from there.

My only concern is OH's comment on the way home. When I said I just needed to know that he is on my side and will continue to make sure my care is what I want when I'm past having the discussion (I'm thinking I'll not be arguing much mid-contraction!) and he said something like, "Well yes, but only if I agree with you. I'm not going to just do what you want." I'm saving that discussion for another time. Er no, , you bl00dy well will continue to tell them what I want, that's what you're there for!! Opinionated aren't I?!

nadnad

Lu_T wrote: »

Hey everyone, thanks for all your comments about c-sections. Had a very constructive appointment with the consultant who has agreed to discuss a 'bespoke' birth plan at my 36wk app't.

We both quite liked him actually. He was very frank about everything. Looked through my notes and said I only ended up with a section last time because Imogen had decided to turn the long way round, not the short way round and that there is absolutely no reason why I can't have a vaginal birth this time around, as long as baby is head down at 36 weeks.

I found him very supportive, even when I was being difficult and saying I wasn't keen on the constant monitoring during labour. I only had to mention it once and he said to make sure my 36wk appt was with him and we'd discuss what was appropriate for me at the time. He also said "because if I write it down, it happens," so I'm hoping I've seen the 'god' of the obstetrics dept. :rotfl:

quote]

its so good to have a consultant you feel is right for you. In all honesty thats part of the reason I went private - so many people i know were messed around and saw someone different every time. My doctor is a lovely woman I saw her at least every 3 weeks throughout my pregnancy from 8 weeks, and whilst some people would find this too much I found it very comforting. She kept a very close eye on my blood pressure and towards the last weeks of pregnancy i was seeing her at least once a week, she also arranged for a mid wife to come out to my home to take my blood pressure a few times to save me leaving the house! Also towards the end of my pregnancy rather than going to her house for appointments i went to see her at the hospital as it was closer to my home. She has a reputation in the hospital as a doctor who is not to be messed with and everyone jumped to her attention so that was reassuring too!

Lu_T

Going private can't have been very MSE - if you don't mind me saying. Do you mind me asking what it cost? I wouldn't have thought about it for the whole pregnancy, but wouldn't be averse to paying for an occasional appointment if I thought it absolutely necessary.

Off to bath the monster now, then OH's making toad in the hole, yum!

Js_Other_Half

Lu_T wrote: »

Going private can't have been very MSE - if you don't mind me saying. Do you mind me asking what it cost? I wouldn't have thought about it for the whole pregnancy, but wouldn't be averse to paying for an occasional appointment if I thought it absolutely necessary.

I know this is directed at Nadnad, but she is in NI. Several of my friends there have had private consultants, although everything else is normal NHS. The friends who've done it have spoken very highly about it - they felt reassured and listened to. They also said it wasn't as expensive as you'd think...?

janey_uk

Lu_T wrote: »

I asked about the stats and he said the honest answer is that, because nothing is computerised, the data is decidely dodgy. The trust are investing in a computer system which GPs, midwives and consultants can all access which will keep a record of pregnancy (in the same way the hand-held notes do) and also of births, so he doesn't think the stats are in any way a reflection of the actual state of affairs.

I am not a consultant obstetrician, however there is in fact ample detailed data on births, which is compiled by the NHS regulator 'the Healthcare Commission'. The most recent publication was early last year and was called the Maternity Services Review - it was the biggest review of the whole area for donkey's years. It is available online on the HC website.

My local Trust did very badly in it and spent considerable effort blaming the person that filled it in for them, the 'unfair questions' etc and requests for masses of data. Never mind that many Trusts did very well and were able to easily document everything they did and were asked for

I read it before I had mine last year, and questioned the unusually high level of c-sections at my local trust when discussing it with my GP. She asked 'where on earth I got that idea from' and was rendered speechless when I started citing the most up-to-date government research she hadn't read yet! The next appointment her tone was strangely less patronising! (I had to read it in detail as part of my job - not quite that big a nerd... yet!)

Curious_George_2

Lu_T wrote: »

Imogen was born on Boxing Day to "When a child is born" playing on the stereo, which gave both me and OH the giggles!

when they were prepping me for the epidural at my C section the song playing over the radio was Comfortably Numb by the scissor sisters,
it made us giggle too!

a bit of useless trivia for you - 'when a child is born' was number one when i was born

Sami_Bee

Well had my 1st "parentcraft" class tonight - almost missed it as only checked when they were at 4 this afternoon whoops! I had to go on my own as hubby is working in the isle of white at the moment, it was all about breast feeding and run by a NCT BFing councilor she was really nice and gave us her contact details which I'm glad about as I'm quite worried about it!

Nadnad - I'm jealous of your going private! OH's Granddad had his knee replaced last year in a bupa hospital and it was such a nice place, more like a friendly hotel not a "scary hospital"

SusanC_2

Sami_Bee wrote: »

Well had my 1st "parentcraft" class tonight - almost missed it as only checked when they were at 4 this afternoon whoops! I had to go on my own as hubby is working in the isle of white at the moment, it was all about breast feeding and run by a NCT BFing councilor she was really nice and gave us her contact details which I'm glad about as I'm quite worried about it!

Sounds better than our first one. The first thing they did was have us practise labour positions. Would have been good if they'd told us before hand as i's not really practical when you're wearing a skirt. We then had to fill in some sheet of what we did in a day at that time and what we would do in a day after the baby was born. The midwife went on about how bad it was and how girls are horrible and basically painted a grim picture. Finally we watched a video about how if you are stressed then it is bad for your baby.