April moms- how are you feeling??

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ctrbabe1

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I've just got about 2 weeks until my due date, and I'm starting to freak out a bit. I'm wondering how I'm going to handle the labor and delivery, how I'll get along w/out my dh for most of the time (thanks to QM's strict visitation rules), and how my 4 year old dd is really going to react when the baby is with us 24/7.

Oh, and I'm really, really hoping this baby comes ON TIME because my due date is during the Easter/Spring holiday break from school, and it would just work perfectly with the people who have offered to watch dd for us....

But of course now that I've said that.......

How are you doing??
 
Feeling impatient and tired! I have a c section on 4/11 at the Matilda because of size of baby and convenience. Walking around is getting tough so I'm house bound most of the time. Not much else to say really! I don't feel nervous yet - just sick of being LARGE!!! Take care.
 
Woodk6 has already heard this, but I'm due earlier than originally planned now -- we're looking at April 10 now, bumped up a week early. I'm also tired of feeling large and of the back and hip pain. Oh, and let's not even talk about feeling moody like I'm going to erupt! I'm delivering at QMH too and wondering how I'll be with only being able to see my hubby for only 3 hours each day -- the visiting hours are just bogus!

Have you packed your hospital bag yet? Especially CTRBabe1, since you're also going to QMH, just wondering how you ended up packing your bag and what you put in it. Also, did you write your birth plan for QMH? I'm told I'll get to go over it at my appointment next week at Tsan Yuk. Did you get to do that?
 
Claifox- Actually I haven't packed yet. But it's on my to do list. :) The only thing I have ready to go is a plastic bag (like a large Mannings bag) with the bed pads, feminine pads, baby diapers and things like that in it. I'll probably just take my personal stuff in a back pack, but not sure exactly yet.

I haven't written a birth plan, either, though it's been on my mind quite a bit. When I was around 34wks I asked if they were ever going to check me to see if I was dilating, and they said that at 37wks I would go back to Tsan Yuk and they would check me and also go over my birth plan. Well, I had my 37 wk apt this week, and they didn't do either of those. I asked if they were ever going to check me and the doctor told me they only do that if I go past my due date because there is no real reason to and they don't want to make me more uncomfortable. Hmmmm.

And absolutely no mention of a birth plan. My next appointment is on Monday and I am planning to have my birth plan ready to take with me that day and bring it up if they don't mention it again. I don't have a lot of concerns, but there is one thing in particular that I would really like them to document- absolutely NO MEDICAL STUDENTS to be present for internal exams and the birth! (I have nothing against students, it's just that my dh is one of them and I don't want his classmates to see me like that, if you know what I mean!!)
 
I've just been thinking about this some more, and probably how I will pack is this: I will have 3 bags. Bag #1 will have my clothes/baby clothes/personal items (journal, camera etc). Bag #2 will have bathroom/shower toiletries (towel, shampoo, tissues, shower sandals etc). Bag #3 will have all the other miscellaneous items (diapers, wipes, pads, etc etc.) I think that makes the most sense since they said there isn't room to just take one big suitcase or bag.
 
Good ideas!

I like the way you're breaking up all your hospital neccessities. I think I'll steal from your idea! As for not checking to see if you're dilating, etc... yeah, that makes me nervous too. I think I'll be really pushy about addressing the birth plan since they seemed to neglect it with you. And thanks for making the point about not having medical students around -- I almost forgot about that, but I'll make note of that too in my birth plan. Hopefully QMH will take respect those wishes.

Thanks for all your help!

Cindy
 
Well I had my apt. today, and again they didn't say anything about my birth plan, so before they pushed me out the door, I brought it up. I told them that the last time I went to the maternal health clinic, I was told that a doctor at TYH would go over my birth plan with me, but nobody had said anything yet. The doc I saw today, looked really confused. He started going through my book looking for (I think) any notation mentioning that. I guess it's just not standard. And then I don't think he really understood what I meant by "birth plan" because he started telling me about vaginal delivery and episiotomies and forceps/vacuums, and pain medication available etc... I was like, "Yeah, I know all that, but I have some specific things I wanted to go over in case you need to make a notation in my file" or something like that. So I told him about the no med student thing, and he's like, "Oh, you just need to talk to the midwife at QMH when you check in." And that was that. I plan to take a couple copies of my printed birth plan with me to the hospital so there is no mistake about it!

Also, one thing I thought was odd... The doctor didn't bring up anything about if I go past my due date, how long they wait to induce or whatever. He just said, "If you don't give birth this week, then come back next week for your next apt." So then I go out and wait for them to make the appointment. When they gave me my envelope, the guy told me I have two appointments, one for next week back at the maternal health clinic, and one for a week after my due date for induction. At first I was a bit confused since the doc hadn't mentioned anything to me about it, but then I realized that they probably just schedule it so it's taken care of in case you go past. But it was just odd.

I guess that's what really drives me nuts about this system, is that it's like pulling teeth to get any information out of them. I hate the feeling that they just rush you through and don't really care when you have questions or concerns. They are just there to get you in and get you out, and get their paycheck.
 
I'm due next tues 3/04, c sect at matilda, can't wait for it to all be over. Have'nt packed bag either was planning on doing it at the weekend, trouble is half the stuff I need to pack I actually need anyway.

Feeling very tired but can't sleep - typical, just get into bed and mind starts racing. Humidity is a bit of a killer as well at the moment.

Good luck and best wishes to you all.
 
labor blues...

Hi Katie-ctrbabe1,

I had my 36 week appointment at Tsun Yuk yesterday and thought I'd share with you how different my experience was there. The doctor I saw yesterday wasn't as confused as yours. I did have to initiate the conversation on the birth plan and he said that it wasn't necessary for me to have the birth plan written out because according to him, talking to him about it was good enough, but at the same time, he didn't document anything we were saying! So needless to say, I'm still printing my birth plan out and will tape it to my forehead if I have to...

I was really frustrated because I wanted to see about having an elective C-section scheduled. At the appointment with our private doctor two weeks ago, we were told that our baby's head is quite large, that the baby would come out weighing close to 8 lbs, and not to be surprised if I end up having to get an emergency C-section if I go with a natural birth. I really pushed for the elective C-section yesterday with this doctor at Tsun Yak. The doctor agreed that our baby is a good-sized baby, but he pushed equally back against the C-section, saying that because the size of the baby was due to genetics and not medical reasons, and that because QMH has a gold standard as a teaching hospital and "if everyone had C-sections because they wanted it, then how could they teach their future doctors?," that he didn't feel he could approve an elective C-section.
I didn't agree with everything he was saying and felt like he wasn't listening to my concerns at all.

As for checking up on things like dilating, he said that they don't check to see if patients are dilating until they are in pain. I asked him if he would take a pelvic measurement as a case for/against the elective C-section and he said they would not.

He did finally say that if the baby goes past the due date they have indicated in their records as April 16, then they may consider doing the C-section. But unlike you, they didn't give me an appointment for coming in for another appointment after the due date. They only gave me an appointment for the next time on April 10.

Anyway, that was my experience. I was quite annoyed and came out of the appointment feeling flustered and depressed. All I can think about is how our baby is getting bigger in there and she's still got two more weeks to go...

Good luck with your delivery -- you're getting really close now! I know you'll be super busy and then tired after the birth, but keep in touch. I'd love to hear about your experience at QMH once you're out. Who knows? Maybe our baby will decide to pop out at the same time as yours and we'll be in the hospital together! :-)
 
That seems ridiculous because if you think about it, it would be much more expensive for the public system to have you go into labor for however long and then have an emergency C section. Even though it's a public system, you pay taxes here thereore you really should have a say in how you deliver your baby. Ugh - so sorry about that.

My private Dr also did not check to see if I'm dilated or effaced. I know that in the US it's pretty common to check at every appointment it seems in the last trimester. His attitude is that the baby will come when the baby comes, which I suppose makes sense since I had a friend who was not at all dilated and then went into labor a day later and then a friend who was 3cm dilated (though not in labor) and it took her 4 more weeks to go into labor So go figure.

Millerwhisk - Am interested to see how your c section goes. Let us know when you have a chance. I'm scheduled for 4/11 at the Matilda.

Good luck!
 
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