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Who is due in May?
Not long to go now. Having Braxton Hicks or any other signs of labour?
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#2
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Who is due in May?
Welches wrote:
Not long to go now. Having Braxton Hicks or any other signs of labour? Sorry, I've never properly introduced myself, although I've been reading regularly and answering occasionally for months. Due May Day with our first (probably a girl). Apart from the usual tiredness and back pains, I had a very easy pregnancy. Yes, lots of Braxton Hicks. From breech at 31 weeks, she's now in the perfect position and engaged. In the last few days, her wriggles are not only uncomfortable, but quite painful on my bladder. Luckily, that never lasts long. We're in Cambridge, UK, and planning a hospital birth, but as natural as possible. My big hopes are on the birthing pool, please cross your fingers that it will be free on the day. We're not getting a TENS machine, as I had two seizures as a small child, and I have the irrational fear that the electric stimulation could trigger epilepsy. I've been doing antenatal yoga since November and have now started perineal stretching. If you have any tips on getting through labour and birth, they would be extremely welcome! My labour partners will be my husband and a girlfriend (not a mother yet, just TTC). After asking her, I got a bit worried that it would be a case of me looking after her rather than the other way round, but the three of us had a good talk, and she ensured us that she would speak up and go home if it gets too much for her. And we have the right to send her home, too, if we want more privacy. Any thoughts? I'm still working and trying to get in a grant proposal by 25th April. If labour starts before that, it's not a disaster, and I'll try again next year. Of course my midwife and family think I'm crazy for not taking it easy yet. But I'm actually not overdoing it, working excessive hours is just not possible. And I still seem to find the time to write long posts :-). My husband is extremely excited, can't wait since the day we found out I'm pregnant. I'm very much looking forward to meet our little girl, too, but was quite glad to have all this time to prepare. With which he was always willing to help when it came to practicalities, but never showed much initiative to get informed or think about what we need to know or do. I guess I should have split this up into several posts, both for getting more answers and for making this usenet group appear more active. Anyway, thanks for listening, and any comments are very welcome. Karen |
#3
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Who is due in May?
We're in Cambridge, UK, and planning a hospital birth, but as natural as
possible. My big hopes are on the birthing pool, please cross your fingers that it will be free on the day. There seems to be an excessively high number of posters from Cambridge, UK, it seems like that's where half the British posters are from! It's similar on other newsgroups, what does that say about people who live in Cambridge? The good news is that the Rosie is well equipped with birth pools, I think there is now 2 in the midwife lead unit and 1 in the consultant led unit, I've not heard of anyone for ages who has wanted the pool and not been able to have it through lack of availability. If it happens that they are in use on the midwife led unit, remember to ask about the one upstairs. A tip from a doula who works in Cambridge is to take a condom in your labour bag, I'm not sure what system they have in place for monitoring, but if it goes wrong, a condom over the wand of the ordinary monitor saves you having to stand right up out of the water. Anne (whose heart still lives in Cambridge, but whose body lives in Bellevue, WA) |
#4
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Who is due in May?
Anne Rogers wrote:
There seems to be an excessively high number of posters from Cambridge, UK, it seems like that's where half the British posters are from! It's similar on other newsgroups, what does that say about people who live in Cambridge? :-) Lively and interested, maybe? The good news is that the Rosie is well equipped with birth pools, I think there is now 2 in the midwife lead unit and 1 in the consultant led unit, I've not heard of anyone for ages who has wanted the pool and not been able to have it through lack of availability. If it happens that they are in use on the midwife led unit, remember to ask about the one upstairs. They now have one on each floor. Upstairs, both the room and the pool are much bigger and nicer, so that's the first room I'll try to reserve. Thinking about it, you must be right about availability. When we went on the tour, both pool rooms were free, and only one of the other ones, although they have a lot more of those. I haven't experienced either type of birth yet, but it really beats me why not everyone would want the pool. A tip from a doula who works in Cambridge is to take a condom in your labour bag, I'm not sure what system they have in place for monitoring, but if it goes wrong, a condom over the wand of the ordinary monitor saves you having to stand right up out of the water. Thank you, great advice, I've already packed some! Reminds me of "Last chance to see", one of my favourite books, where Douglas Adams and Mark Cawardine used the same method to water-proof a microphone to record the environment of the (now tragically extinct) river dolphins in China. Anne (whose heart still lives in Cambridge, but whose body lives in Bellevue, WA) Of course the Seattle area isn't too bad, either. My heart is partially in Friday Harbor (San Juan Island) and in the Olympic National Park. All the best, Karen |
#5
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Who is due in May?
They now have one on each floor. Upstairs, both the room and the pool are
much bigger and nicer, so that's the first room I'll try to reserve. Thinking about it, you must be right about availability. When we went on the tour, both pool rooms were free, and only one of the other ones, although they have a lot more of those. I haven't experienced either type of birth yet, but it really beats me why not everyone would want the pool. I'm not sure why on the midwife led unit it isn't used more often, if you are cleared to go there, then, there shouldn't be any reason why you couldn't use it, so it does seem like you might as well try. On the consultant led unit, it will mostly be because women are "risked" out of it, though most of the time that won't be a genuine reason not to use it, but it seems to me the pool on the consultant led unit is likely only to be used if the one on the midwife led unit is full, or the midwife led unit is closed. Again, according to this doula friend, apparently a lot of peoples first impressions are like yours, but though the room may be nicer, the smaller pool is actually preferred once in use and I can see why, I was planning a home water birth and bought an inflateable pool, I choose the bigger one to ensure enough water depth, but then found that I couldn't be against both sides at the same time and found that I did want to brace myself against something and I wasn't even in labour, so run it through your head again, it seems people feel safer in the smaller evnvironment, you may genuinely prefer the bigger space, but you feelings tie in exactly with what the classic first opinion of the two pools at the Rosie is. I'm not sure how staffing works either, you may want to ask, I'm not sure whether they treat the upstairs pool as an extension of the midwife led unit, or part of the consultant led unit and hence who staffs it. You may want to make sure that something silly doesn't happen, like being told you can't use the upstairs pool because there is no staff available, but that you would have been able to use the downstairs pool. Also, on the off chance both pools are in use, or have a maintenance issue or whatever, which unit you would go to, if planning on the upstairs pool means you are booked on the consultant led unit and not cleared for the midwife led unit when I'm expecting the choice after the pool would be the midwife led unit, would be a bit nuts Cheers Anne |
#6
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Who is due in May?
"Karen" wrote in message news They now have one on each floor. Upstairs, both the room and the pool are much bigger and nicer, so that's the first room I'll try to reserve. Thinking about it, you must be right about availability. When we went on the tour, both pool rooms were free, and only one of the other ones, although they have a lot more of those. I haven't experienced either type of birth yet, but it really beats me why not everyone would want the pool. I totally wouldn't want the pool! Labour's messy, and to be blunt, I don't want to be sat in a pool of it! YMMV of course, and it might not actually be like that, but it's not for me! Lucy x |
#7
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Who is due in May?
"Karen" wrote in message ... We're in Cambridge, UK, and planning a hospital birth, but as natural as possible. Hi Karen I'm from Cambridge too and gave birth in the Rosie to my ds who is now 21 months. The MBU was fab and the midwives lovely. I would highly recommend it. A tip someone else gave me was that if for any reason you have to be transferred from the MBU to the main ward, after the birth ask if you can go back down. There are only 3 beds so it is far far quieter than the main ward. I did that after being transferred and it was great for relaxing and getting to know my baby in peace and quiet. If there is room then they will let you go back there if that's where you started. perineal stretching. If you have any tips on getting through labour and birth, they would be extremely welcome! I used a TENS but good back massage was also essential. My df was good but when we arrived at the hospital the mw showed him how to be firmer - which was better. So get your partner to learn good massage. My labour partners will be my husband and a girlfriend (not a mother yet, just TTC). After asking her, I got a bit worried that it would be a case of me looking after her rather than the other way round, but the three of us had a good talk, and she ensured us that she would speak up and go home if it gets too much for her. And we have the right to send her home, too, if we want more privacy. Any thoughts? Sounds like you've got it covered to me. As long as you are agreed beforehand then you won't worry if she wants to leave and she won't be offended if you want more privacy. Everyone is different so you probably won't know who you want there at what stage till the day. My husband is extremely excited, can't wait since the day we found out I'm pregnant. I'm very much looking forward to meet our little girl, too, but was quite glad to have all this time to prepare. With which he was always willing to help when it came to practicalities, but never showed much initiative to get informed or think about what we need to know or do. My df was exactly the same He is about most things unless it's building software or a computer. He came up trumps when the pregnant lady was yelling though, so that was the main thing. I guess I should have split this up into several posts, both for getting more answers and for making this usenet group appear more active. Anyway, thanks for listening, and any comments are very welcome. Just wanted to wish you good luck! Jeni |
#8
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Who is due in May?
I totally wouldn't want the pool! Labour's messy, and to be blunt, I don't
want to be sat in a pool of it! YMMV of course, and it might not actually be like that, but it's not for me! that was what I said, first time around, but having seen some pool births on video, they really aren't messy, the water volume is great and most women are only loosing a small amount initially. The state of a water is a factor that means most women get out very soon after the birth, but for labouring, no one who's actually done it says it's a problem! Anne |
#9
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Who is due in May?
Hi Jeni, I'm from Cambridge too and gave birth in the Rosie to my ds who is now 21 months. The MBU was fab and the midwives lovely. I would highly recommend it. Thank you for your advice and good wishes. While I've originally only heard good things about the Rosie (at least compared to other NHS hospitals), there have recently been a few horror stories about incompetent and very pushy midwifes in the consultant-led birth unit. I feel safer if a doctor is nearby for emergencies, therefore we never really considered a home birth (we live c. 30 mins away from the hospital, depending on traffic), but one flight of stairs should be close enough :-). A tip someone else gave me was that if for any reason you have to be transferred from the MBU to the main ward, after the birth ask if you can go back down. There are only 3 beds so it is far far quieter than the main ward. I did that after being transferred and it was great for relaxing and getting to know my baby in peace and quiet. If there is room then they will let you go back there if that's where you started. Yes, very good idea. Thank you. The rows of beds, separated by curtains in the recovery ward upstairs certainly did not seem a very quiet place, if there are lots of mothers and babies around. Just wanted to wish you good luck! Thanks again, Karen |
#10
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Who is due in May?
Anne Rogers wrote:
I totally wouldn't want the pool! Labour's messy, and to be blunt, I don't want to be sat in a pool of it! YMMV of course, and it might not actually be like that, but it's not for me! that was what I said, first time around, but having seen some pool births on video, they really aren't messy, the water volume is great and most women are only loosing a small amount initially. The state of a water is a factor that means most women get out very soon after the birth, but for labouring, no one who's actually done it says it's a problem! Anne Maybe the mess should be another reason for me to choose the small pool. Rather embarrassingly, I'm prone to fainting when there is suddenly a lot of my own blood. I hope this time will be different, as it won't come as a surprise, but in the big pool my birth partners would have the added responsibility to check I'm not drowning. I've asked my community midwife about her opinion on the two pools. She said, many women really like the small one, as that allows them to rest their legs outside the water, on the side walls of the pool. I thought you were supposed to keep your kneed below your pelvis during labour and birth to help gravity...? Or maybe that rule only applies outside the water, as there it is quite difficult to keep your torso vertical with legs up in the air. The one thing that still bothered me in the MLBU pool room (apart form its small size) is the low height of the bed. I guess I would just have to bring lots of cushions... Thank you for all your insights, Karen |
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