MSE Pregnancy Club 28

ThinkPink

I'm leaning towards a mlu as the local one seems much quieter than the main hospital, but I'm going to have a tour of this one during my antenatal, but on the day may change my mind to the other mlu in the main hospital if this is the only way I will get a pool birth.

One thing that I'm unsure about at the mlu is what pain relief you can have, my understanding is is that it is more limited than at the main hospital. I'm wanting not to use lots of different pain relief but my Mind may change when I'm in labour so I'm worried I will then be limited if I'm at the mlu, but these are all things I can discuss with my midwifery

jtr2803

It's a shame here that you can't tour the maternity unit at our local hospital, they only do an online tour.

TP - I would imagine pain relief would be limited to water, gas and air and a lower form of opiate pain relief, either pethidine, diamorphine or meptid.

Ive never seen an mlu offer an epidural, I think it's standard that only hospitals do that because of the anaesthetist having to place it. Our mlu here is lovely, a real home from home. The did agree to risk assess me but I realised there's nothing I can have there that I can't have at home, and transfer time to main hospital is the same so i stuck with home!

It's so different to the horrible eight bedded wards that existed when I had dd 16 years ago.....

psychopathbabble

ThinkPink yes I believe the pain relief is much more limited than in a hospital environment.

Jtr interesting points there... I've said previously on this thread that all we can each do as individuals is do research and talk to people and find out the options for ourselves. Sadly I think some NHS staff forget that I haven't done this before so no idea what options there are... Even things like the regular vaginal examinations are not compulsory (and indeed some believe that these examinations actually hinder the opening of the cervix as it is a foreign object poking round and may stress the mother out which induces the fight/fight reflex instead of maintaining a relaxed and focussed approach) but this information is not readily available unless you go and find it, and have the courage to stick up for what you want when the time comes. Regarding hypnobirthing, it's only really helping you relax and go with what your body is doing using breathing and visualisation... All of these type of things can only help.

I am high risk due to PCOS and hypothyroidism but I still would prefer to be in control of what happens to me and my body and try to minimise intervention.

As long as you do some research and don't just take what the NHS regulations tell you you can or can't do then I think any decisions you make are good ones and right for yourself.

ThinkPink

I know I can have gas and air, and I know I can't have an epidural at the mlu, but I don't want one anyway, but I just need to find out other than gas and air what pain relief I can have at the mlu!! In my mind I only want gas and air but I know I'm such a wimp when I comes to pain I may change my mind when in labour!!

All my midwife appointments and antenatal care in the same location as the mlu so the midwife said that if they don't show me at antenatal she will show me after my next appointment. Once I've had my two antenatal classes I have midwife the day after the last one so I'm hoping I'll have much more of an idea of what exactly I do and don't want.

flutterbyuk25

Thanks ladies. I've had the gel put in about 2pm but so far nothing. I'm expecting it to take the full 24 hrs or more... I'm in a 4 bed room with one other lady at moment, seems relatively quiet here and the MW in charge of me is lovely.

I got very upset about 5am this morning that I wasn't going to be going to the MLU as that was my preference. Didn't sleep too well.

Bored here. Oh is with me, he's watching sport on his phone (which I'm fine with!), I've got lots of magazines, my kindle and a tablet with films on but saving those for tonight when oh goes home and tomorrow if nothing happens then I've told oh to go to work as no point wasting paternity leave sitting round hospital. We've been for 2 walks around the grounds since getting here and will go for another later.

FreddieFrugal

She's put on 3kg just under half a stone between week 11 and week 32. But the larger part of the weight gain happens in the third trimester.

Baby gains average of 1/2 lb a week.


It was funny actually, she weighed herself on the Wii Fit - it was very surprised by the rapid weight gain and told her off - asked her why she thought she'd gained weight and she had to select an option.

Being pregnant wasn't an option!

ThinkPink

Hope all of a progessing well flutter.

First day off tomorrow and unfortunately no nice lay in (I will get longer in bed than usual if I had work but I have the health visitor coming at 9am.

The baby's room and newly put in corridor is all painted and ready for the carpet tomorrow. This should mean we can move all his stuff (all the boxes etc) into his room tomorrow evening and get the rest of the room in our house back plus we can then start sorting everything out, then next weekend we can get the furniture and put it all together and then all his clothes etc can be washed and put away. There's light at the end of tunnel and this makes me happy!!:D

psychopathbabble

I'm currently sitting while waiting for my GTT to be done... Bored and hungry already!

I've been sort of ignoring my diet this last week and have eaten pretty badly... However it's back to work today and back to eating a lot better hopefully! My blood pressure was very low last week but it's quite high this week and there was also a trace of protein in my urine for the first time. I guess it's time to start making sure I am taking proper care of myself including my diet... I don't want to end up causing myself problems if I can help it!

flutterbyuk25

Hope the GTT isn't too boring psycho.

Still waiting! I've had strong period pains more or less all night and lost a huge amount of my plug this morning. Slept ok ish in the hospital. Just kept needing the loo. I will be examined at 2pm and if no further along I'll get the 6 hour drug.

OH has gone to work today but is on standby, my parents are popping down and we'll go for a coffee in the hospital cafe later this morning. Not really sure what to do with myself!

Beckyy

I hope your GTT goes by quickly psycho.

I've been reading up on baby carriers a bit more, was looking at a baby bjorn style one but have read a few things saying they can cause hip problems for baby... however they seem to be really highly rated? Like everything else there is so much conflicting advice!

Also trying to do some more research on BF. There are some really helpful videos on you tube which I've watched a couple of. They show latching etc which is much more helpful than just seeing a diagram in a book. I've also got a DVD from the midwife to watch.

Fingers crossed for you flutter. Looking forward to hearing your exciting news soon!