MSE Pregnancy Club 28

BadlyWrittenPoem

ABetterLife wrote: »

Is anybody else REALLY scared of labour? really scared I won't be able to cope

I would recommend googling "positive birth stories" and "positive birth videos" so that you can read about/see some lovely births. Also, if you can get past the "hippyishness" of it, I'd recommend "Spiritual Midwifery" by Ina May Gaskin which from memory is roughly half birth stories. Also, and this applies to anyone else on this thread, I'd be happy to pm you my birth story from last time which was a lovely birth.

con1888

For people on the lookout for nighties, I got some from Matalan for £5, they button up. They aren't maternity ones or anything but I just got a big size in them

lushlifesaver

I'm still not scared about the labour even though every seems determined to make me that way! All I get asked is 'are you scared yet?' Or I get people saying 'oh you should be' 'its so painful I hated every second' why are you so calm when its the worst pain ever' grrr seriously?! I'm going in expecting more pain than ive ever thought it possible to experience but I know at the end we will get handed baby girl and I won't care about any of it :-)
Mini rant over

First day of maternity leave, I've managed a nap of about 40minutes on the sofa (shhh don't tell bf hehe) and done a load of washing although now it sounds like the washing machine is playing at being on its last legs :-\ now going to get the washing on the airer and get the dogs towels and blankets on to wash put the clean dishes away and do some washing up...then I may have a cup of tea before I tackle the next couple of jobs!

ema_o

Hey ladies, I can't get out of the habit of lurking lol! I am still here Had my scan on Friday and best guess (although baby was a bit shy) was it's a girl. Both sis and SIL very excited about that, I have to keep managing their expectations that it could still pop out as a boy!

In terms of getting baby in the right position - I was (wrongly) told baby was breech last time so spent my life trying to find comfy positions to move him! I think the best was we turned one of the armchairs around so I could lean forwards on the back of it kneeling and watch TV like that - better than slumping! Think we have nice low chairs so it might not work for everyone. I'm sure I also remember reading that swimming is meant to be good for positioning.

Robots - I find the best time to get OH to feel baby is if he's watching TV. I manoeuvre a cushion under his elbow, stick his hand on bump & hold it there. He doesn't like waiting around in uncomfortable positions so it might just be that. I also think it's more real for us now, whereas for men it's a lot more real once baby actually arrives.

RobotsinDisguse wrote: »

- but I'm rather confused about my husbands reaction if I'm honest. I did the above while he was at work, in case it was broken. But he wasn't fussed to try again when he was home.
The other day when I felt baby move & kick I took his hand and put it on my belly but he took it away about 5 seconds later as he couldn't feel it! I said it hadn't moved just then but he wandered off.
Last night I put his hand on my bump again, but he took it away saying he'd sooner hold his book 2handed
He was, if I'd admit it, more into the idea of a baby than me (less to give up), so what's changed? I know when we were facing scary downs test results (1:30) he stopped saying hi or rubbing my tummy, but the Amnio said no serious genetic issues... Can I help him bond or is this normal? should I leave him be?

Definitely think seeing positive birth experiences helps relax you for labour - and being relaxed (and keeping moving) helps it hurt less. Mine wasn't bad and most women I know had a positive experience. In my post natal group there were about 25 of us - we went round & said how our births had gone and there was only 1 which had been an emergency C section so that's a good way of thinking about how likely it is.

Em x

Lara44

Hey All

Robots - my OH isn't super excited either, he just keeps saying it's very different for men and I guess that's true. But sometimes I feel a bit miffed because I just want someone to get excited with! Our friends brought around their 3 week old baby on Sunday so we got big cuddles. It has sent my hormones into broodiness overdrive but I think he got a bit scared by how tiny and fragile she seemed. I hope your OH gets more into things as the pregnancy progresses too. At least we can all be excited together here.

Emz - I hope your little one made an appearance of its own accord already

Lushlifesaver I can't believe your naughty friends telling you how painful labour is - big meanies!! I'm still far enough away to be in denial. It's hard when the experience is so different for everyone. At least it will be maximum a few days out of our whole lives. (((Hugs BetterLife))) I am sure you will do brilliantly

chelseablue

30 weeks today :eek: Something very scary about that!

fireyfirenze

BadlyWrittenPoem wrote: »

I would recommend googling "positive birth stories" and "positive birth videos" so that you can read about/see some lovely births. Also, if you can get past the "hippyishness" of it, I'd recommend "Spiritual Midwifery" by Ina May Gaskin which from memory is roughly half birth stories. Also, and this applies to anyone else on this thread, I'd be happy to pm you my birth story from last time which was a lovely birth.

I just googled positive birth stories and found a lovely thread on mumsnet. thanks for the suggestion, whenever iv read people's birth stories before they always seem to be horrific so although it's nice to be prepared, I think it's nice to know there are some positive births too, even if it still really hurts

I think what's scary about labour is the not knowing, you can watch as many obem's as you want but you don't know how you personally are going to cope or what's going to happen!

thankfully it's a while off for me hehe.

25 weeks today

squ1rrel5

con1888 wrote: »

For people on the lookout for nighties, I got some from Matalan for £5, they button up. They aren't maternity ones or anything but I just got a big size in them

I got a couple of nighties from Matalan yesterday too - they've got loads in but they were all £6 in my store. One of them just has a few buttons on it, but I tried it on with my nursing bra on underneath and there's plenty of room to whack my boobs out!! :rotfl:The other one has buttons right the way down so even more convenient. I bought a matching dressing gown to go with the first one so I can have it in hospital if I need to stay in at all (fingers crossed I won't).

I have my 40 week midwife appt today (at 39+5) - guess we'll start talking about sweeps and inductions as I don't think baby plans on showing her face any time soon! Let's just hope she's still in the same position as last time and hasn't sneakily turned over in the last couple of weeks.

Lara44

Good luck Squirrel!! I hope baby makes an appearance soon.

Anybody using a pregnancy yoga DVD that could recommend it? I'm getting a few aches and pains but can't stretch to the cost of classes here. Or anybody swim regularly that find it helps? Thx

samtoby

ABetterLife wrote: »

Is anybody else REALLY scared of labour? really scared I won't be able to cope

I was so scared with DS I was just 19 and didn't have much support apart from my Mum and she wasn't at the birth.

My waters went in hospital - I had been poorly with a bad tummy and they wanted to keep an eye so I was admitted for the night was definatly fate in my mind. I was in a pre labour ward with lots of other ladies and when my waters went they were all very excited for me.

The midwife was called and she said it would be a long time and examined me but by this time I was over 5cm dilated so she gave me gas and air - barely touched it though was concerntrating on breathing. She was trying to get a labour suite but all were in use and I was too far gone to be moved.

I had DS in the ward, curtain closed around me with lots of women in earshot with in that hour. Far from what I wanted or expected but I wasn't scared of the situation, just scared of the physically stage of pushing.

It was the worst pain I have ever encountered but I have to say that it was like a light switch, once DS was out it went and his little face looking back at me made me realise it was all worth it and I had nothing to fear.

There were some negatives of a fast labour and that had to be dealt with after, but then there are negatives of all sorts of births, but ultimatly its not called labour for nothing.

Prior to childbirth I could have cried if I bruised my finger tip. I was terrible. It definatly made me stronger.

I often find that reading others' birth stories gives a good variation but afterall, how do we know each others limits. My friends are all horrified I gave birth in a ward but then the next person could have been greatful for even getting to a Hospital. We all have expectation and fears and its hard to measure as we are all different people.

Visiting a labour suite is a good way of guiding yourself in, seeing the surroundings - I will be greatful if this time I even get to a suite.

Try not to worry too much and definatly look at some positive birth stories