October Babies! (continued)

[strawberrymom]

I remember with ds1 they measured him a good half pound smaller (was born next night) and heard that those measurements are often off, so hard to tell. I have gained the least amt. with this one, but they already think she is bigger than ds2.
I think I am starting to lose my mucus plug. How long has everyone gone after losing theirs? That has always been my first sign, but I know it doesn't necessarily mean that.

[Navywife620]

Anyone have increased bowel movements. I have the past week or so sometimes I am going 5 times a day. And It is a painful tummy ache before I have to go. I asked my doctor about it and she said it was probably because the baby was pushing on my intestines and things just have to move out faster. It is just rather annoying.


I have also been feeling more pressure today and having just an off day. Hopefully a good nights sleep will help.

[strawberrymom]

Yes on all the above navywife. Hope you can get some good sleep.

[motherofboys]

I was supposed to have a midwife appointment this morning. She phoned me just as I was trying to get shoes and coats on everyone to go out to school and asked if she can combine my 36 week appointment with my home birth booking (even though I had previously been told they wouldn't do this and couldn't possibly book it before 37 weeks) so she is coming tomorrow afternoon to my house.
This is fine, but has messed up a few plans, and she could get here and discover he is still breech and I can't have a home birth anyway. I don't know why they couldn't just do the paper work at my appointment today, I've given birth in this same house twice already so its not like they can claim its not a suitable place for birthing.

[xokatietatie]

I'm done with my two appointments for the week. October 7th is no longer the tentative induction date but the official date!!! It's scheduled and everything now. 18 days until I meet my boy! I've got four more appointments left, two with my regular OB and two with the prenatal specialist, and that's it. It's crazy to think we're all in the home stretch!

[LolaInLove]

Hey ladies! It's been a while....I've been really busy and just realized that I haven't logged on a for a bit. I am so excited to hear about everyone's babies arriving! It's so not long now!

Strawberry, I always go into labor within 2 days of losing my plug, which is why I'm on official obsessive toilet watching for it. I had my girls late (40.3 and 41) but it was 11 and 8 years ago, so no telling what will happen this time around. My midwife says it's almost like I'm a first time mom again, but very much hoping I have a shorter labor. I keep having lots of BH contractions, which I never had with my others until the week they were born, but I'm only 36.5 weeks now, so who knows. Lots of the vag pain too!

Hope everyone is doing well and taking it easy!!!

[LolaInLove]

Meant to ask: what are things that helped you all get labor going? I am going to start doing something next week....because I'm attempting another VBAC, the hospital will make me have a c-section if I'm not beginning labor by 41w, which freaks me out because I don't want to do that at all. Obviously, the sex part I know about (and my DH is not a big fan right now because of how big I am and he worries he's hurting me and baby). What's this tea? And has anyone had success with the castor oil or whatever that is?

[strawberrymom]

Red raspberry leaf tea helps to tone the uterus and make labor faster,but not to start labor. I have read most people who take caster oil just get diarrhea. Diet wise some people swear that pineapples,lemons, and dates have worked for them- never tried these myself so? , but can't hurt. Last time the thing I think finally worked for me was sitting on a bean bag(or most use exercise ball) legs spread out. Also excessive walking. The last 2 are encouraged during labor too, so I think it makes sense that they encourage gravity and starting labor. You might also ask your dr once full term to strip your membranes.

[motherofboys]

Caster Oil is supposed to be VERY dangerous.
The tea as Strawberry says is more to soften/ripen the cervix and help with the speed of labour.
I've been hearing a lot about Evening Primrose Oil doing the same thing?
I've also hear Clary Sage Oil in the bath can help bring on labour (never tried it myself)
Sex as you say, lots of walking, a sweep from the midwife/doctor.
Pineapples but apparently its only fresh pineapples and you would have to eat several whole fresh pineapples. Not sure I could manage that LOL
Also spicy food is supposed to help.

I can't say how well any of these work. The only thing I've ever had is a sweep from the midwife, and also the day before labour I had done A LOT more walking than usual. But I don't think that would really work unless baby was ready to come anyway.

Good luck I hope you get your VBAC.



Katie, how exciting! You have an official date to meet your baby! I wonder if you will be first?
I can't wait to start seeing all the newborn pictures! To think this time next month I'll either have my baby or be over due is so exciting!

[motherofboys]

Well the midwife finally got to me. After cancelling yesterdays appointment, and saying she would be out between 2 and 2:30pm today, she phoned at 2:30 to say she was running late and just leaving the office and did I have to pick my others up and should she re-schedule. Luckily DH was on his way home from work at the time and was able to pick the others up.
Two of them turned up and they did not seem keen to be booking a home birth. Kept coming up with little issues like "will you be pushing the sofa back?" "erm no as that would block the doorway which I was told last time wasn't an option in case of an emergency" "Will you be moving the vivariums out of the room" "Do they look like they move? Can you not see the size of them?" (OK so I didn't say that bit but some things are bloody obvious aren't they?) "What is parking like here?" "Not great at night but the last two times I gave birth here the midwifes had no trouble finding somewhere to leave their car and one of those times I had given birth by 5:55am"
She also told me there will definitely be two midwifes present for the birth (funny that my last two births the 2nd midwife didn't make it) and that I should provide a hot water bottle so that when they felt it was getting near to the actual birth they could wrap babies clothes around it to warm them. If they bothered to ask about my previous deliveries they would know that there wasn't time for any of that. Last time the midwife didn't even get time to examine me, she was in the house 20 minutes going on about "its at this stage you wonder why you went back for more isn't it?" then sent me to pee on the stick to check for protein etc and I came waddling back saying I couldn't pee and his head was coming, she didn't have her gear out of the car or her gloves on or anything.

Sorry for the rant but I just really didn't get a good vibe from them, hopefully neither one of them is on duty when I do go into labour.
Still he is now head down thankfully and was 2/5s engaged. And as long as he arrives between Thursday and 29th of October I can have him at home LOL