Giant baby update!

[jabberwock]

I agree with JarBax - it's good to have a plan but important to realise that things can change. The only reason I went to hospital with my first was so I could have a water birth. He was then born just as the pool filled up and I never got in the water, so I would have been much better at home!
I did plan to have my second at home, which was just as well as I would never have made it to hospital. I made it through both of them without any pain relief (and my daughter was 10lb 5oz) but I was lucky that in both cases established labour was relatively short - like piggly wiggly it was less than 6 hours even for my first (though there had been lots of faffing around trying to get into labour after my waters broke and I was threatened with induction. My husband had me running up hills). If it had gone on for 20 hours at that intensity I'm sure I would have felt differently.

[JarBax]

My labour was very short too - between four and five hours.

It was Christams day, my grandparents and family were seated around the Christmas table, we'd just started soup, having opened the crackers. Interestingly I got a stopwatch in my cracker, and used it for half an hour, as I was aware that either I had acute diarrhoea, or was in labour!!! After several trips to the loo for the former, the stop watch let me know that as the contractions were coming every 4 minutes, I was indeed starting labour!!

You have your head screwed on, whilst not knowing what'll happen, I know you will handle it in about as sureheaded a calm manner as possible!

My friend and neighbour is a school nurse (a heart ward nurse at the time of her kiddos). Her daughter was breech, and she made the decision to have a cesarean, even though turning the baby was a feasable possibility. Not a decision I would have chosen, but she has had two by c-section now, and wouldn't have had it any other way.

My cousin is like me - a bit of an 'earth mother', but because of tiny pelvic proportions, has had both her daughters by cesarean too. (The first after a 30 hour labour).

Both made swift recoveries, with minimal discomfort. My cousin would have liked a natural delivery, but realised that the health of her babies came first. She expected to feel more disappointed and guilty that she didn't do it naturally - but their health during delivery was ultimately most important, banishing any other feelings completely.

I know that there was a brief moment when I didn't think I could continue with the pushing business, but when the midwife began to sound a bit anxious, and said that I must push, and NOW - some primal instinct came over, and I PUSHED!!!

I know what I'm trying to say, though maybe not putting it across very well! I know that you really would rather not have a c-section, but know that if that is what is going to be the best for your baby, there is no alternative! I do hope that things go exactly as planned though!!!

[daftscotslass]

As of today I have escaped an elective section which I'm delighted about. Obviously if it has to happen for any other reason then I'll go with the flow but the placenta is now out of the way and the escape hatch is CLEAR! Had to have an extremely full bladder for the scan today which was a pain but worth it.

This will be the last picture of junior before he or she is born!

[Sammy and Peanut]

Awww! Don't forget to post pictures of baby's first day!

[pigsforlife]

How exciting! Is everything ready for his/her grand entrance? Good Luck with everything!

[cavy-cool-crazy]

You can tell you're cooking a beauty there Lorna! You're lucky to have got some clear scans - I know technology has advanced hugely but even the twins scans in 2006 weren't as clear as that!

[daftscotslass]

Thank you! We're getting there with the baby's room - because we live in such an old house (130 this year) there is a ton of aging woodwork to be painted white. We already have an unreasonable amount of stuff - probably enough to clothe the baby for the first 6 months of his or her life!

We've also decided that after the first couple of weeks we're going to use reusable/cloth nappies (diapers) so we'll see how that goes during the initial weeks of exhaustion!

7 weeks on Tuesday - eep!

[bunnys n pigs]

Though I`m not nearly old enough to be a mother , I hate needles and pain .
I wish I were brave ... I would really love to experience cradleing my own newborn one day ... I would adopt and love the child EXACTLY the same as any other of my own but... well it just wouldn`t be the same as having my own ... in the beggining :`(

[JarBax]

Time is creeping on! Hows things with you all?

[daftscotslass]

I finish work 2 weeks today! Handed over to the people doing my cover which was a bit weird but they are great so I have no worries at all - I know them both well.

Baby is no longer pressing on my sciatic nerve which it has been for a fortnight so I can get around fine now. Scary thought that in 6 weeks he or she could be here! Eep!

[Sammy and Peanut]

Just relax and everything will be fine! S/he isn't even born yet and already sounds like she'll be cute!

[Fanch]

Aww, congrats. This must be so exciting!!

[cavy-cool-crazy]

Only a month to go! How are you feeling?

[Astrantia]

Just came across this thread. Congratulations on the babs! The scans are wonderful.

How are things going now?

[daftscotslass]

Originally Posted by cavy-cool-crazy

Only a month to go! How are you feeling?

I know, can hardly believe it! Starting to feel a bit tired now, I finish work on Thursday and pretty chuffed I've been able to go so long! I know I need it now - started to get swollen ankles and one of the kids kindly told me today "you've got fat feet, but that's ok cos you're having a baby".

House is getting there, will post a pic of baby's room when we get the cot up. The room is almost completely decorated, my bag is packed for hospital, eek!

Still managing to clean out the piggies too with a little bit of help from my partner!

[auburnmare5]

Awww! So cute! Congratulations and I hope all goes well!

Best of luck!