So I'm nearing the end of my third and most easy going, uneventful pregnancy to date. I remember, during my first pregnancy, during which I was classed as low risk, I felt almost bored a lot of the time. I wanted more antenatal appointments, to be made a fuss of I suppose. After all, it was my first baby, it was all new to me, and exciting, but not as exciting as maybe I thought it would be. I had awful heartburn from very early on in my pregnancy, and at the end my feet were horribly swollen to the point of pain if I so much as sat up normally. Luckily though, I suppose, I had the luxury of being able to keep my feet up on the sofa all day to keep the swelling down.
With my second, well, I had a 9 day old baby by now! From 28 weeks I saw a health professional practically every week. Either my midwife, or a consultant, or a dietician, because of the gestational diabetes I had developed. And it quickly got very irritating.
This time round however, no gestational diabetes, no swelling, much better heartburn, and a normal amount of appointments, which, given two other children to take care of, and fitting things around Robert's nursery sessions, is a blessing.
I am just 3 days away from the big EDD, which incidentally was the gestation that Robert was born at. I have had no signs that things might be about to start, not since I had the runs a few weeks ago. I am however, getting increasingly tired, not just from the ever growing bump, but also the fact that I am sleeping HORRIBLY. It's not just the peeing in the middle of the night... The feeling of needing to pee rarely wakes me. But I do still pee when I wake up in agony where the hip I've been laying on gets numb and puts my pelvis out of whack. My soft V pillow is still in the loft, and may help if I have it down. Ideally I want it down tonight to see if it actually gets me a better night's sleep. I find I stay more comfortable for longer if I lay on my back, which you're not supposed to do in late pregnancy!
I still have lots to get done ready for baby's big arrival. Sheets and newborn hats/bibs/muslins/socks need to be washed. Cot needs to be emptied and raised up to the right level, and got a sheet on it. It would be nice to get the study sorted out too, but I have no idea when that is realistically going to get done now. Emotionally, I am READY for baby to be here. But in terms of things getting done.. Yes baby can wait a little while. I just hope the baby doesn't wait too *much* longer.
Monday 29 April 2013
Wednesday 10 April 2013
36 weeks 6 days - almost full term!
Well I've had an interesting few days. The weekend saw my dad and step-mum come up for a visit, they stayed overnight in a nearby hotel and came back on the Sunday as well. We enjoyed seeing them and we went out for a couple of nice meals. On Monday morning however, both Jonathan and I got struck down by a diarrhoea and vomitting bug. Well, Jonathan just felt sick, and had the diarrhoea, whereas I was sick twice in the morning, as well as the diarrhoea, and felt AWFUL for the rest of the day. So much so I spent a large chunk in bed, sleeping or dozing, and even when I wanted to get up, I was incapable of watching over the boys, as they weren't playing nicely enough for me to simply sit WITH them in silence and stillness which was what I needed. I could have stayed in bed but there was only so much time I could spend in bed! So Jonathan couldn't have a rest and ended up looking after the boys all day. He was getting tired and ratty, and not feeling too well, so eventually I phoned his parents to ask them if they would mind having the boys over for tea and then overnight so Jonathan and I could get some rest and get better. So after the boys left around 5pm-ish, Jonathan went upstairs for a rest, and I stayed up on the sofa, facebooking and resting there, and then eventually decided to try an apple. I hadn't been sick since before lunchtime (that I recall - the day merged into each other) so I thought I'd give it a go.
Anyway, what with the tummy cramps from the illness most of the day, I did notice an increase of braxton hicks throughout the day, and then started to feel a bit concerned that maybe the diarrhoea would bring labour on early! Given that I was only 2 days away from my homebirth date, I was a bit disappointed if it would kick off!
We watched the second episode of the new Game of Thrones series, while we ate some toast, around 8.30pm, and went to bed shortly after finishing watching tv. I slept horribly, my tummy was still cramping, which was keeping me awake, and when that wasn't keeping me awake, Jonathan was wheezing and that was keeping me awake. I tried sleeping in Robert's bed, but didn't sleep well there either. At around midnight, I went for a wee, and when I wiped, I saw blood, with mucus. My bloody show! Eeeep! Or a part of it at least! Holy crap, I thought, but went back to bed and hoped it would all settle down again. Luckily, it did, and finally after I went to the toilet for a bowel movement at around 6.40am, my tummy pains settled and I got the first bit of decent sleep until about 9am. I phoned the midwife early in the morning as well, to talk about the diarrhoea, and tummy pains, braxton hicks and the mucus plug, but she wasn't concerned and said it would be fine to wait it out.
The boys went to bed fine apparently, which was good. And I did some washing, and a dishwasher load, and tidied up the carnage from the day before. I decided I was just well enough on Tuesday afternoon to drive and pick up the boys. I felt much better from the get go - I got dressed for a start!! And I was indeed fine for the drive - it distracted me from any lingering queasiness if anything! I felt very grateful for the small break from the boys, and it's nice to know that in situations where we're struggling that we do have the support. I reassured the in-laws that it wasn't going to be a regular thing, and how grateful we were. We would have struggled through no doubt, but it helped LOADS to have those 18 hours or so without them.
Anyway, we have now reached 10th April - which is the date that my midwife thinks I'm 37 weeks, (her wheel thing keeps saying I'm a day ahead of what I am!) so I am now cleared for a homebirth as of today! Baby is still wriggling loads, and in fact his movements since the illness seem to have become slightly stronger. I'm not sure if maybe he engaged a little so his legs have more room to kick? Who knows.
Also on other news, I think I know what the baby's name will be. I still want to wait for the birth until I tell Jonathan what I think we should call him. I just feel it would be a bit weird to call him by "name" before he's born. And I know that if we officially name him before he is born, that the name would get used in conversation, at least between us, and I don't feel quite comfortable with that for some reason! Maybe part of me is still a bit doubtful whether or not he's a boy - which is silly, because we SAW his boy bits. True, they weren't as obvious as Robert's boy bits, but still ;)
Anyway, I do wonder if we'll end up with an April or a May baby. 39 weeks 5 days or before, and he'll be an April baby, 39 weeks 6 days or more and he'll be a May baby. Robert was bang on his scan due date of 23rd November, and Christopher was 12 days early (and therefore a September baby rather than an October baby!), but induced.
Anyway, what with the tummy cramps from the illness most of the day, I did notice an increase of braxton hicks throughout the day, and then started to feel a bit concerned that maybe the diarrhoea would bring labour on early! Given that I was only 2 days away from my homebirth date, I was a bit disappointed if it would kick off!
We watched the second episode of the new Game of Thrones series, while we ate some toast, around 8.30pm, and went to bed shortly after finishing watching tv. I slept horribly, my tummy was still cramping, which was keeping me awake, and when that wasn't keeping me awake, Jonathan was wheezing and that was keeping me awake. I tried sleeping in Robert's bed, but didn't sleep well there either. At around midnight, I went for a wee, and when I wiped, I saw blood, with mucus. My bloody show! Eeeep! Or a part of it at least! Holy crap, I thought, but went back to bed and hoped it would all settle down again. Luckily, it did, and finally after I went to the toilet for a bowel movement at around 6.40am, my tummy pains settled and I got the first bit of decent sleep until about 9am. I phoned the midwife early in the morning as well, to talk about the diarrhoea, and tummy pains, braxton hicks and the mucus plug, but she wasn't concerned and said it would be fine to wait it out.
The boys went to bed fine apparently, which was good. And I did some washing, and a dishwasher load, and tidied up the carnage from the day before. I decided I was just well enough on Tuesday afternoon to drive and pick up the boys. I felt much better from the get go - I got dressed for a start!! And I was indeed fine for the drive - it distracted me from any lingering queasiness if anything! I felt very grateful for the small break from the boys, and it's nice to know that in situations where we're struggling that we do have the support. I reassured the in-laws that it wasn't going to be a regular thing, and how grateful we were. We would have struggled through no doubt, but it helped LOADS to have those 18 hours or so without them.
Anyway, we have now reached 10th April - which is the date that my midwife thinks I'm 37 weeks, (her wheel thing keeps saying I'm a day ahead of what I am!) so I am now cleared for a homebirth as of today! Baby is still wriggling loads, and in fact his movements since the illness seem to have become slightly stronger. I'm not sure if maybe he engaged a little so his legs have more room to kick? Who knows.
Also on other news, I think I know what the baby's name will be. I still want to wait for the birth until I tell Jonathan what I think we should call him. I just feel it would be a bit weird to call him by "name" before he's born. And I know that if we officially name him before he is born, that the name would get used in conversation, at least between us, and I don't feel quite comfortable with that for some reason! Maybe part of me is still a bit doubtful whether or not he's a boy - which is silly, because we SAW his boy bits. True, they weren't as obvious as Robert's boy bits, but still ;)
Anyway, I do wonder if we'll end up with an April or a May baby. 39 weeks 5 days or before, and he'll be an April baby, 39 weeks 6 days or more and he'll be a May baby. Robert was bang on his scan due date of 23rd November, and Christopher was 12 days early (and therefore a September baby rather than an October baby!), but induced.
Friday 5 April 2013
36 weeks pregnant! Home birth set up appointment
So yesterday I was 36 weeks exactly, and I had my appointment with my midwife Beverley for my homebirth set-up. I was left feeling a little rail-roaded if truth be told. The usual antenatal checks were fine, with 90/60 BP (my highest isn't usually more than 115/75), clear wee, nice head down position on the baby, heartrate fine, measuring bang on for dates, and so on.
This was all done towards the end of the session. She went through the stuff like how is the access, where I was planning on birthing, is there hot water available, clean warm towels and clothing for baby, etc. And then came the "this is what will happen in xyz situation". Birth must happen between 37 weeks and 41+3 weeks or I'll have to go to hospital. Birth must happen before 42 weeks or I'll be induced. Birth must happen within 24 hours of my waters breaking or I will be induced (with a drip). If my waters break and there is muconium present I must birth in hospital. I must have 3-4 hourly vaginal examinations during my labour to assess the progress of labour. Oh and even if none of these happen, if the midwives are already out on a home birth, I must go into hospital.
Some of the emergency things - fine. Cord prolapse, hemmorage, fetal resuscitation (been there), severe tearing, so on. I just felt like I was tensing up though during the situations I "must" give birth in hospital, I did stand my ground (to an extent) with some of them, but others I just nodded along. I, of course, want a healthy baby at the end of it, and I would of course transfer in a true medical emergencies, but some of them seem to be just for the staffing's convenience, or fear of litigation.
I asked what would happen if my waters broke, showed some muconium, but I gave birth shortly after? Would the baby and I have to transfer? And she said they would do observations on the baby 4 hourly if baby seemed well. If baby seemed to be having trouble breathing then we would transfer.
The whole manner in which this was all delivered seemed rather like it happened quite often, and that I'd be damned lucky to get a home birth. It made me feel less confident in a home birth (I wonder if that's the point??), but right now, as someone said to me, take everything they've said and stick a "It's policy to" in front of it - and that I have the right to go against the policy if I choose to. For example, it's policy to be induced if labour hasn't started within 24 hours after waters have broken, or it's policy to offer vaginal examinations 3-4 hourly during labour. I hope I can find the strength within myself to do this - and to do it right. And to trust myself to differentiate my wants and my needs, and listen to my needs and the needs of my baby if they contradict my wants. I hope they won't - I hope my wants and my needs co-incide and that I get the birth I have always wanted.
This was all done towards the end of the session. She went through the stuff like how is the access, where I was planning on birthing, is there hot water available, clean warm towels and clothing for baby, etc. And then came the "this is what will happen in xyz situation". Birth must happen between 37 weeks and 41+3 weeks or I'll have to go to hospital. Birth must happen before 42 weeks or I'll be induced. Birth must happen within 24 hours of my waters breaking or I will be induced (with a drip). If my waters break and there is muconium present I must birth in hospital. I must have 3-4 hourly vaginal examinations during my labour to assess the progress of labour. Oh and even if none of these happen, if the midwives are already out on a home birth, I must go into hospital.
Some of the emergency things - fine. Cord prolapse, hemmorage, fetal resuscitation (been there), severe tearing, so on. I just felt like I was tensing up though during the situations I "must" give birth in hospital, I did stand my ground (to an extent) with some of them, but others I just nodded along. I, of course, want a healthy baby at the end of it, and I would of course transfer in a true medical emergencies, but some of them seem to be just for the staffing's convenience, or fear of litigation.
I asked what would happen if my waters broke, showed some muconium, but I gave birth shortly after? Would the baby and I have to transfer? And she said they would do observations on the baby 4 hourly if baby seemed well. If baby seemed to be having trouble breathing then we would transfer.
The whole manner in which this was all delivered seemed rather like it happened quite often, and that I'd be damned lucky to get a home birth. It made me feel less confident in a home birth (I wonder if that's the point??), but right now, as someone said to me, take everything they've said and stick a "It's policy to" in front of it - and that I have the right to go against the policy if I choose to. For example, it's policy to be induced if labour hasn't started within 24 hours after waters have broken, or it's policy to offer vaginal examinations 3-4 hourly during labour. I hope I can find the strength within myself to do this - and to do it right. And to trust myself to differentiate my wants and my needs, and listen to my needs and the needs of my baby if they contradict my wants. I hope they won't - I hope my wants and my needs co-incide and that I get the birth I have always wanted.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)