MSE Pregnancy Club XV

Fitzio

Evening all. Had quite a productive day. Took DH's car for a service, spent some time with my parents, then had Parentcraft class this evening.

This week's class was about labour. Everyone in the class is on their first child, and the MW is definitely not promoting home births for your first. I can understand her arguments against it and I personally agree that it's not something I would want at this stage, but it's definitely put across as a no no. I think if anyone did fancy it, they would be too scared to speak up. She is nice as well, but it's very much being talked at instead of any discussion. She also asked if anyone fancied a water birth and recommended that it wasn't great for a first baby. No-one spoke up.

Then she mentioned using the pool for pain relief (which I am seriously considering) and stated that it takes a while to fill up the pool, so it's better just to have a bath instead if you want water for pain relief. Again, it's put to you in a way that it would be annoying to the midwives at the hospital if you turn up and say you want a water birth when you just want to labour in it and they have gone to a lot of trouble. Better to tell them you want water in labour and they will run you a bath. :rolleyes:

The second half of the class is taken by the phsyio who kept mentioning water births, so I ended up staying back and told her what the midwife was saying. She was the total opposite and said just to lie and say I wanted a water birth when I phone hospital so they have time to fill it, then pretend I have changed my mind!! I don't want to lie to anyone, but I would like more information on labouring in the pool. I imagine it's a fair bit bigger than a bath and would therefore give you room to move a bit. I think being in a bath, there isn't that much space! And they don't do a tour of the hospital here, so I am not really any further forward with the whole thing!

We did some relaxation and massage techniques and breathing exercises which was good though. I definitely think they are worth going to, but I just wish they were a bit more interactive and that people were encouraged to speak a bit more. It's the quiet class syndrome where everyone sits and listens and at the end when she asks if anyone has any questions, everyone sits quietly. I'm no expert, but I think a good trainer/teacher would realise that someone must want to ask something!!

Fitzio

Following my mammoth post:

Jillie - Hugs to you. To be honest, I think at the end of the day "whatever is best for mum and baby" should be at the top of everyone's birth plans. The best laid plans....

Aless - nice to hear from you. Was wondering if you were back yet.

Helen - glad you are getting a bit of a break, and good your work are trying to think of alternatives.

Glam - nice bump. I suddenly have lots of stretch marks! They are all under my belly button though, so hoping they would still be hidden with a bikini. Although I have cellulite for the first time. Has OH put the cot up yet?

Nanc - hope you get your maternity pay sorted out. It seems strange that your company are doing it that way. It's obviously not ideal, but are there any tax implications if you get paid it all at once, or is it just budgeting your spending that's the problem?

Jospey - congrats and welcome!

Can't think of anything else! Sorry to those I have missed. I have been catching up in stages at dinner time and after PC class, so I always forget people when I do that. x

jennynoo

Can anyone tell me if the child benefit it taxed? I think I will still earn above the minimum for tax in my year off but not sure if it's just my maternity pay that is taxed or the maternity pay and child benefit.

jennynoo

helen81 wrote: »

Anyone bought a Tummy Tub bath? I.m quite fancying one but they are quite expensive. Should I just bath him in a washing up bowl in the kitchen sink?! Gosh, it's way too long since I did all this, I feel so out of touch!

My sister had one and said it was great but she has just given it to me, her son is only 3 and a half months, so it obviously didn't last long!

jopsey

to fitzio
I can't comment on trainer /teacher ,but I had a water birth and it was my first child ,I felt no pressure to use pool after it being filled and am deffo going to opt for this again ,like everbody told me just go with an open mind and see what suits you ,it worked for me.

PrincessPlaty

Wow Glam that is quite an impressive bump you have there!!! :j

Fitzio

jennynoo wrote: »

Can anyone tell me if the child benefit it taxed? I think I will still earn above the minimum for tax in my year off but not sure if it's just my maternity pay that is taxed or the maternity pay and child benefit.

List of non-taxable benefits and Child Benefit is on it:
http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/manuals/eimanual/EIM76100.htm

PrincessPlaty

jennynoo wrote: »

Can anyone tell me if the child benefit it taxed? I think I will still earn above the minimum for tax in my year off but not sure if it's just my maternity pay that is taxed or the maternity pay and child benefit.

no its not hun

jennynoo

Bear_family wrote: »

Managed to finish cross stitiching my 1-10 numbers for the nursery today and already started on the Country Companions height chart for my next project, hopefully it will make me sit down and relax when i go on Mat leave Thurs rather than trying to clean the whole houe or something daft.


Bx

Hi Bear, I like the idea of doing a cross stitch height chart but though it probably wouldn't be very accurate as the fabric always seems to stretch in weird ways. Did you consider that or would you disagree?

Glamazon

BeenieCat wrote: »

does anyone else feel like their baby is kicking directly onto their cervix? i swear i'm gonna go to the toilet one day to find some toes sticking out :rotfl: It's a strange feeling.

Yep - get this all the time! It's very weird!

jillie1974 wrote: »

thanks tia
hadnt hought of a non smoking/smoking clothes option for him..
mind you thats if he lasts all the way to the actual birth lol!!

when i first went in on the sat, they hooked me up to a machine that checked my BP automatically every 15 mins, it was also monitoring baby at the same time, but i will ask about not being hooked up constant so i can move freely

I think this is a CTG machine - I will be hooked up to one throughout labour hence not being able to move about much. Can sit on ball, on bed, on chair but that's about it!

Fitzio - No, he hasn't! Just showed him your post and he said 'I've done everythin else though!' Which he has, bless him!

So moses basket is ordered with 3% cashback :money: can collect on Tuesday next week, am also lookin at gettin a TENS machine as well. Will buy rather than hire as hiring seems so expensive.

We have one birthing pool (more like a big bath) at our hospital and it's just off one of the rooms. They always keep that room until last - when you ring up to tell them your coming in, you tell them you would like to use the pool so you get that room and as soon as you are in established labour they will fill it. It takes about 20 minutes to fill and you have to be about 5cm to use it.

Nanc - Searching_me on the parent thread got paid all her SMP in one go might be worth a PM to her.

I feel really confident about breast feeding now and now what to expect - I will continue to think of it a huge bonus if I can.