Due in December/January/February 2013/14

[I Love Ladybugs]

With both of my boys, I laboured as long at home as possible and in the case of DS1 was booked at 5pm, had him vag. at 7:30....whereas DS2 was born within 4 hours, but he was an urgent C-section due to being footling breech. My MD who is amazing....and I would follow her to birth this boy under her care!!! She better not have birthday plans come his birthday.

Happypixi...a water birth sounds amazing!! My friend in NZ who just had her 5 girl loves her home and water births!!!

[Waiting4Daisy]

Ladybugs that is the cutest going home outfit I've ever seen! What a doll he will look. Love red on little boys (but my crew are strawberry blondes so don't wear it well).

Happypixi I thought about water birth but hubby not keen so will be a pretty natural hospital birth. I'm in the uk so they rarely intervene lol, practically had to beg to be induced with ds1 when I was ten days overdue with SPD

[afy]

Lady bug the outfit is so so adorable, I just love this baby shopping part I think it will prob relieve any disappointment once I find out, shopping for the babe will deff make me feel better.

If you' ladies are interested in hypnobirthing I would really recommend the book by marie mongan it's excellent. I really really want to go natural and just let me body take charge, especially after having my DD with an emergency c section as her heart beat dropped.. And I'm worried I know New York has the most highest csection rates in the whole of the United States and unfortunTely I hve no choice but to give birth there! I really wanted to stay in the UK but DH isn't too happy about that.

What tips would you ladies give to help with easy fast labour? I know they say exercising really helps, that's what I'm trying to do, walk and walk everywhere!

[I Love Ladybugs]

Waiting for Daisy....my two boys could not be any more different in looks and personalities....lol, I am very curious what a third boy could turn out like!! My DS2 is my tiny blond boy, the oldest has darker hair than I...and looks just like his daddy when he was little. I am guessing that our newest boy is going to have dark hair and blue eyes just like my DS1 How similar do your boys look there..Ms. Waiting for Daisy??? Thanks for compliment about the outfit...it cheers me up just looking at his few new to him clothes!

Afy...thanks!! I had fun making the hat....and the shopping is what I really need to do..more so for certain age/size/styles than others....but since DS2 is destroying size 18-24 month pants right now, I will have the right to do some shopping for my new boy!!!!!!!!!!!! As for tips for an easier labour....I think that until you really need to be at the hospital, I would stay at home. That way I was able to complain to DH and avoid those hospital gowns for one minute to many. Of course, I walked everywhere until both boys arrived and had the goal of running through this pregnancy until my right knee gave out around the 9 week mark. Yoga is just not cutting it!! Good luck!!!

[Soar]

Ladybug-adorable going home outfit with a cute hat and all! So sweet!

I will be having a c section again for the 3rd time. I have high BP when pregnant and I also had a failure to engage pelvis with my DS1 and it was the same with my 2nd. So c section it is for me! I have always wondered what a natural birth must feel like and am a little disappointed I won't get that experience but I know it's best for the baby to have a section since I have so many complications working against me for a natural birth. I will live thru all of you that get to have a natural birth. It must really be an amazing experience.

[Emily]

Happypixi i dont think i will labour at home - probably not advisable in vietnam LOL. Will look into hypnobirthing anyway as there are usually things you can apply to your own situation.

Gorgeous outfits ladybug!

Dreamofpink i played football the day before i went into labour with DS2(only other boy mums will read this and not think that I am mental) i really think that keeping active is key to sooo many things in pregnancy and labour - not that most of us have any choice with other children!

For a quick labour Afy my doula friend recommends getting the baby into the right position well before the birth - so rather than watching TV lying down on the sofa get a birthing or exercise ball and sit on that as it makes you sit correctly.

[meeks32]

After going 12 days over and having a 48hr labour with ds1 (ending in emergency caesarian), I can honestly say none of the 'tips' did me any good. I think baby will come when they are ready and as fast as your body can handle. I tried everything to bring on labour. I was walking (waddling) for an hour a day plus being consciously active at home and work. I tried sex, hot curry, that horrible oil, watching TV and working on a exercise ball, you name it. All those things did was give me heartburn, a bruised pelvis and a sore va-j-j!!!!
When I finally went into labour (ironically, sitting on the couch for once at 9pm), I tried everything to move it along fast. Walked around pretty much constantly, bounced on the exercise ball, relaxed and used my calmbirth skills (hypnobirth), etc etc. didn't get into the bath until 30hrs when my water broke in bed. Went to hospital at 36hrs and was only 3cm dilated despite being assessed at home by my midwife as being in active labour at the start (36hrs prior). I'll cut the rest of the story out since its horrifying and not helpful, suffice to say it was 48hrs, 2hrs of pushing before an emergency caesarian (at which point all I could say was "no,I think I can keep going" lol).

My opinion is try a few things but stop if they make you uncomfortable. All those things I did only made me feel worse and didn't seem to bring on labour or make it progress any quicker!!

[Emily]

Oh meeks that sounds bloody awful! A few of us joked on another thread that we should start a horrendous birth stories thread as therapy! I went into labour on the sofa too! I have a feeling that the hour-long football match had something to do with DS2s early arrival as i could feel him bouncing up and down on my cervix!

I totally agree the tips are there to help but if it is causing discomfort etc then dont do it. My sister was very late with both herboys and got lectured by just about everyone about what she should and shoukdnt be doing. She was about to murder the next well intentioned 'helper'! Actually that is one of the things i love about my doula friend ( apart from the fact that she is hilarious and sooooooo chilled out) - all her advice is "you could try .... How would you feel about .... Etc) she totally gets that everyone is different and that sometimes we want to try stuff out to keep our minds busy and other times we just want chocolate, the sofa and a movie!

[thehappypixi]

Sounds like a good mix of delivery options!
I'm surprised Australia don't allow homebirths though!!
It is a very special thing to birth your baby, and I do very much feel for those of you who can't

For me, the water of the pool made it very comfortable to get into a nice position, and it hurt less when the head was born. Plus, I could reach down and deliver him myself!

Royal baby is on the way this morning here in the UK, hope she has a easy delivery and the world isn't too keen to intervene. Poor girl, labour is hard enough without the eyes of the world on you!

[Emily]

Sounds like a good mix of delivery options!
I'm surprised Australia don't allow homebirths though!!
It is a very special thing to birth your baby, and I do very much feel for those of you who can't

For me, the water of the pool made it very comfortable to get into a nice position, and it hurt less when the head was born. Plus, I could reach down and deliver him myself!

Royal baby is on the way this morning here in the UK, hope she has a easy delivery and the world isn't too keen to intervene. Poor girl, labour is hard enough without the eyes of the world on you!

I know! I really hope she is still able to scream/ cry if she needs to.