scoop Posted August 11, 2006 Share Posted August 11, 2006 Heartily agree with Liose's recommendation for flip flops if you do end up at the Jessop - it is SO HOT that you won't want anything else - and that goes for dressing gowns too, anything thick or warm is far too hot in there. I agree it is very hot at Jessops, my baby was born in December, but I was still sweating like a pig. My mum bought me some spagetti strap nighties from Primark for about £3 each, they were really cool, easy to flip the straps down for feeding, and the worst bloodstained ones were disposed of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doodle Posted August 11, 2006 Share Posted August 11, 2006 Glad I have found this thread. I'm due in 3 weeks time (same as Liose :-) ) I've packed my hospital bag, but I'm sure there are things that I'm missing from it. Anyone have a list that want to share - including the tips like the fan (must find mine little fan out and pack it). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scoop Posted August 11, 2006 Share Posted August 11, 2006 If you'regoing to take any electrical items, you'll have to have it checked for safety bby the hospital works department before you can plug it in. Give em a ring, they should be able to arrange to do it in advance if you can get someone to take it up there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daoistcowboy Posted August 13, 2006 Share Posted August 13, 2006 Hi there, I am logged on as my partners log in at the moment. I gave birth to my first baby two and a half weeks ago. It was incredible... I had a home birth and I was in labour for only 5 and a half hours! I had gas and air but I was already 9 cm dilated by the time it arrived so only had it for half an hour or so before pushing. We had planned to have the birthing pool but labour was so quick that by the time we realised I would need it soon, it was already too late! Yes it hurts but you get a respite inbetween each contraction. Also when you start pushing it doesn't hurt as much and is actually satisfying to be doing something at that stage. You go into a worl of your own when you're in labour, and you deal with the pain because you have to, you can feel strong and in control in labour - it is possible! My biggest tip is that humming during early contractions helps you focus. I don't mean humming tunes, I just mean one long note - you can focus on the sound you are making and before you know it the contraction is over. Later on, the humming becomes louder and more forceful (possibly with some growling!) but it feels really great to express yourself in that way as you go through the contractions. Importantly, stay calm. Oxytocin is the hormone needed for most of labour and if you get worked up and produce adrenalin, the adrenalin actually works against oxytocin and makes labour longer. As you go through the transition phase, your body produces adrenalin. This is when it is easy to get worked up / panic etc, but don't. Just remember that each contraction you do is one under the belt that you do not have to do again. In the days when I was waiting for labour to begin I kept repeating positive affirmations to myself like 'I love my body, my body is calm, I love my mind, my mind is calm'. And kept telling myself that the process is a beautiful and natural one and that I will be so proud of myself afterwards. Yep, so anyway best of luck - sorry about the essay! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
samc Posted August 15, 2006 Share Posted August 15, 2006 Im wondering if any first time mums ever had a short labour..the shortest I know of was 12 hours.. You might be opting for the hospital move! Stab my eyes out with a sharp pencil... My first labour took 2.5 hours. I was 7cm's dilated when we got to the hospital so no drugs allowed for me. Take music to listen to when in labour. And take biccies to munch when up in the early hours breast feeding little one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sall242003 Posted August 25, 2006 Share Posted August 25, 2006 My only advice to anybody expecting a baby is DO NOT HAVE AN EPIDURAL!!! its the most horrible experience ive ever had, being stuck to the bed for 30 hours and not being able to move (BLOODY AWFULL!!) Gas and Air is great though! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zebra Posted August 25, 2006 Share Posted August 25, 2006 I had a c -section. It was planned as such (two breech babies) but I went into labour before the date I was meant to go in and I'm glad. It was pretty laid back but I was terrified and I mean absolutely petrified. After the pain had died down afterwards and I'd had some morphine eventually it became easier to deal with, I was just scared of coughing etc but, to cut a long story short, waters broke 6.30ish, babies arrived 10.13 and 10.15, job done. Scar is tidy, I don't think about it at all anymore and am considering more kids. So, even if it all goes against your ideal birth, c'sections, even when classed as emergency (as mine technically was as unplanned for that time) are not the end of the world Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YummyMummy Posted August 26, 2006 Share Posted August 26, 2006 I had morphine and an epidural, slept for about 4 hours of my 5 hour labour after being induced and never felt a thing. Everyone can share there their experiences and individual feelings on things but thats all they are, so you should keep an open mind about everything and just do what is right for you and your baby which only you will know when the big time finally arrives!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babychickens Posted August 26, 2006 Share Posted August 26, 2006 babychickens's 12 steps to a good labour; 1. sack tony blair. only joking. 1. don't worry, concentrate on relaxing your insides (tense shoulders don't affect how relaxed the bits are that need to be relaxed), and concentrate on breathing - it really helps - no pauses in between breaths, and do them faster than you'd normally breathe. 2. water birth! sounds a wee bit hippy, or so i thought, but just getting in to the pool at the jessop took so much of the pain away it was amazing - i had been on the verge of demanding an epidural, but then didn't need one, so i'm glad i gave the birthing pool a try. i didn't even notice some of the contractions. i found it useful too that as i was sat in a warm pool full of gory bits of my own debris, the larger bits of debris proved useful focal points during contractions. gross, but true. also, for a water birth, i think they have to have a midwife with you the whole time, so you're going to get plenty of attention if you need it. while the one to one midwife teams try to encourage water births as they can usually provide at least one midwife to stay with you, the other non one to one midwives tend to discourage it due to staffing issues, but you should have the birth that you want irrespective of that. 3. if you were sick lots all the way through your pregnancy, chances are gas and air will make you hurl. 4. if you're getting tired towards the end, ask the midwife to tell you when to push and when to breathe. they won't necessarily do so unless you ask them to - something to do with policy. 5. the pain is bearable, you don't need an epidural if you don't want one. paracetamol and codeine together make quite a difference but will leave you falling asleep between contractions. this is no bad thing! codeine will also leave you unable to poo for several days, which is not exactly comfortable. 6. the policy is to stitch second degree tears up, but ask your midwife if she'd have stitches for a tear like yours - often they wouldn't, and i figure they know best, so you can turn the stitches down so it's one less thing to look after. 7. have someone bring you a decent lunch afterwards, the food at the jessop sucks. oh, and lollipops for during - just something for a bit of extra sugar to keep you going. 8. you don't need to scream and shout about pushing a baby out, you're wasting your energy. use that energy to push or breathe instead. unless you really want to shout about it, obviously. 9. have the camera ready for the look on the father's face about 10 minutes after the baby is born! assuming he's still awake, that is. 10. give your fabulous midwife a hug, but don't bleed on her! 11. don't expect to love you baby straight away. apparently some women do, but instead concentrate of feeling proud of yourself that you've just gone through one of the most important events in your life, and succeeded. wallow in your partner's attention a bit, too, that's quite nice! 12. don't worry, it'll be reet! and especially don't worry about losing all dignity, the midwives really don't care, and neither will you once you're heavily into business. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EstherQoP Posted August 28, 2006 Share Posted August 28, 2006 It'll probably be one of the hardest days work you will ever do. No point denying the fact that it is very painful. I gave birth to my son 9 months ago and im so glad I was in hospital. Ive only ever had a headache or a toothache before so it was a bit of a shock. The epidural was good. Couldnt have managed without it. Only thing I wish I had mastered a little more was my breathing. All the best x Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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