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Hi ladies! Congrats babymine! So happy for you and way to go, shelob, on reaching your due date! Hang in there, Ruth! Not long to go and praying all works well for you!! Happy new years to everyone and praying for an amazing 2015 for all of us!

I'm so sorry for not coming on sooner but your right, Ruth! I had the twins at 8:54 & 8:56pm on December 24th when I went for a routine nst! I developed HELLP syndrome, a variant of pre-eclampsia and only thing that can be done is have the babies ASAP and even though I had major contractions/braxon hicks for days before I wasn't dilated so had to have another csection. Conor was born 1st at 6lbs and Abigail was 2nd at 4.4lbs! The tech was way off with abby, weight-wise! :( I had to stay in the hospital for 5 days and the babes in nicu for a week and a half afterwards so it was hell going back and forth from hospital to mil 14+ hrs a day in pain from the surgery but I did it and were still trying to get in a routine. The babes are great and healthy (I am ok now too) but it sure is a challenge with 2! We were right though, Ruth!! 1 of each! :) Bf'ing is hard right now as it's 2 but I'm trying and supplementing so atleast their getting 75%+ of my milk. Is it better now for u, shelob?

How you feeling, Ruth? All the best, hun, if I don't talk before you have the babes!

I'll try and check here more often when I can! Thinking of you all, often.

Well, you asked for it!

At 33 weeks 2 days pregnant while out shopping I suddenly started having regular contractions. I thought Braxton Hicks, but started to get mildly worried after I timed them at 5 minutes apart for an hour. I tried to ignore them and kept busy for another couple of hours before finally calling my midwife. She told me to go to the hospital. They found my contractions showing up nicely on the CTG looking suspiciously like labour. They did a fetal fibronectin test and it was positive. So, they flew into action. I had the first steroid injection (ow!!!), antibiotics, and nifedipine to stop the contractions which were getting stronger. It must have worked as they stopped coming so regularly and I was moved out of delivery and onto a ward where I stayed for four days. Had to quit work obviously but was allowed home on bed rest. All was good for another week until suddenly I started contracting 3 minutes apart. Waited until they had been happening for 4 hours before calling my midwife. Back into hospital. This time they didn't try to stop them, but they slowed and became irregular. Back to the ward. A couple of days later they ramped up again. This time with incredible back pain. Back to delivery. This time 1.5 minutes apart, soooooo painful. Laboured for four hours, midwife certain I was in established labour. She wasn't going to even do a VE she was that sure. I was in such agony and it was no longer letting up between contractions so she felt my uterus and discovered that along with my super strong, close contractions my uterus wasn't actually relaxing. So she did a VE to check on progress. There was none! We were all shocked. Eventually they decided to give me nifedipine again as I was exhausted and those contractions were not good for the baby. I also got sleeping tablets and painkillers. The next morning the contractions were back to slightly irregular and mild. So, back to the ward. After another few days in which I had sporadic back pain and contractions consistently, I had another night of agonising back pain. So bad I couldn't lie down comfortably in any position. Standing and sitting were also agony. And I was exhausted. The midwife was not helpful, barely sympathetic Just kept pushing codeine on me. I didnn't want it as is suppresses respiratory funtion and my baby was already at risk. Eventually a doctor saw me and persuaded me to have it as "you aren't going to give birth in the next 6 hours" during which time it would be mostly broken down. Out of options, I accepted it. Three hours later my waters broke (at 35 weeks 5 days). Flooded the ward room (fortunately private!) The midwife (a different one on now fortunately) whisked me away to a delivery room yet again. The offered me an epidural (which I had been planning to try and avoid) and I accepted right away. I was already absolutely exhausted having not slept in over 24 hours, and not very week for the couple of weeks leading up to this. I didn't have the energy do deal with the pain anymore. But the drama wasn't over. A couple of hours later the baby's heart rate dropped really low. They stopped the syntocinin which they had been giving me to speed up the labour due to fetal distress. The heart rate recovered and shot up too high. It stayed there a good 20 minutes so everyone changed into scrubs and I signed forms to agree to an emergency cesarean section. Baby was distressed and needed to come out. Then, just as I was about to be wheeled out, the heart rate dropped to normal and we were back to vaginal delivery. After another few hours (felt really short apart from me being thirsty and they wouldn't give me any water as we could still end up with a c-section) the epidural no longer seemed to be working. They got the anesthetist in and he gave me a stronger dose. I told him it was just saline solution for all it was achieving! Then shortly after I felt like the baby was about to fall out, so told them. They decided to do another VE earlier than intended and found I was 10cm dilated! Apparently that is why the epidural stopped being effective, my pain levels would have been way too high during transition, which we all missed! Anyway the time came to push so I started. And then the next drama unfolded. I developed an excruciating pain in my piriformis muscle round the hip/buttock area. The worst pain I have ever experienced. Epidural did nothing for it. I couldn't push through it, could barely bear the pain. Apparently it was caused by something pinching a nerve. After 30min of no pushing I realised I had to get the baby out or it would die. So, I experimented and found I could compartmentalise the pain if I lay on my side and had my husband push on the affected muscle. And I pushed. I kept pushing regardless of contractions as that kept me focused and I could avoid letting the pain take me over again. Finally, the baby was out. But we weren't out of the woods. He was blue and didn't breathe or move. He just had a heartbeat. I was told to tickle him and to my immense relief he gasped! I was so overwhelmed with relief. Then there was the minor issue of a post partum hemorrhage and hours of being sewn up. But I didn't care about that, my son was out and alive :)

I am looking forward to hearing you birth story! Bubs s sure taking its time..

Oh my goodness, congratulations Candie!! Somehow I didn't see your message before I posted mine!! Abigail must have been tiny!!! Glad you are all home now though.

I had strong Braxton Hicks for months and then regular contractions for 2 1/2 weeks before he was born and they didn't look like they had done anything. When I started I dilated really quickly though so I wonder if they did something behind the scenes as it were.

Breastfeeding is going great! I have sorted out my issue of making too much milk and leaking all over the place by only feeding from one side within a 3 hour period. Very pleased to not have to live with giant yucky wet patches all the time now!

I am feeling fantastic today. James slept so well in the night! Over 4 hours in a stretch (only did that once before) then 3.5 then 3. I am so well rested as got about 8 hours sleep altogether :) The best night since I went into hospital before he was born!!!

Now, time for breakfast and a friend and her baby are coming round to go for a walk.

Hi girls,

Sorry it's a bit late notice. Baby Benjamin Brendan was born on 4th Feb at 2358, he was 8lb 8oz. I was induced and nothing happened to begin with so midwives kept trying to send my husband home from hospital. I knew better though and knew when it started it would be quick so he tried to hide from them until 9pm when they told him he must go. At which point I was getting regular contractions which were mild but I knew what it meant. As soon as left the hospital they progressed and I was breathing through them, had to get midwife to put my tens machine on. I begged her to get my husband back or he may miss the birth, she examined me and I was only 1-2 cm but I knew that meant nothing. She allowed him to come back but said I'd have to leave the ward and go into a private room.

So in the private room I was mooing like a cow, throwing up, bleeding down below. I pressed alarm to call midwife and she examined me and I was 4-5cm which she was really surprised at. Hubby turned up at which point I was whisked to labour ward and started pushing nearly straight away and Ben was born! They let me deliver his lower body myself my pulling him out onto my chest which was amazing. At 4am I went home and got into my own bed which was bliss and actually got some sleep!

Each time I've stayed in hospital I've never slept because of the bright lights and noise so it was bliss to come home and get looked after properly.

So all the babies are here..yay! How is everyone feeling? Am so glad to de-bump, I feel much more comfortable. Got sore nipples from breastfeeding now and I've had a cold for over a week now which means I've lost my voice. Every time I cough I wet myself, ha ha! But would prefer to be in this state than still carrying the baby.

Shelob your birth story sounds scary. Hope it doesn't traumatise you. Candie congratulations on your baby twinnies, I bet they are lovely!

Did anyone actually give birth in January then?

xxx

Congratulations ruth1981!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! We all understand why you might have been a little busy over the past few days to be online :) That is amazing you progressed so fast when you got going! And wow, I can actually imagine delivering the baby's body. I couldn't have done that due to him having the cord wrapped around him, and not breathing or anything. Good call on going home so quickly if you felt up to it. I have real trouble sleeping in hospital too, even though I spent so long there. That was actually the first time I had ever stayed in hospital.

Interestingly I am more traumatised by being pregnant than giving birth! I didn't like the diabetes and am scared that a potential next time it will develop much earlier and could affect the baby. I am scared that I will be worried about preterm labour when Braxton Hicks start, and I know it is likely to happen again and often even earlier a second time. Then there are the general aches and pains. I hear you about it being great to de-bump. My ribs felt a million times better as soon as he was born. Unfortunately they are still misaligned and cause me pain sometimes. I need to get around to booking a physio appointment to sort it out. I had some horrible nerve issues towards the end as well, which I would hate to develop again. The varicose veins were a very minor ailment in comparison. My sister had a horrible birth and the breeziest pregnancy so we decided that between us we are the perfect mother. She can have the pregnancies and I can push them out (that at least should be easier a second time, at least I know what to do!)

I am feeling pretty good. Each week gets better. I had 5 hours sleep in a row last night for the third time ever and it was amazing! He has also just gone down for a sleep and managed to settle himself which is fantastic.

It is amusing we don't seem to actually have January babies. I definitely subscribe to the "due month" rather that "due date" and actually there is a 5 weeks period in which you are considered full term. I think in a potential subsequent pregnancy rather than telling people a due date I would tell them the day by which baby should be born (2 weeks later). If a second one went closer to term I would get annoyed if people were constantly asking if it was born yet!

Omg! Congratulations Ruth!!! So happy for you and you must be over the moon that you had a boy!! Sounds like you had quite the delivery but knew what you were doing! Wow! You're lucky it went so quick and you had him naturally and got to go home!!

Can't believe we all finally had our babies! I'm feeling pretty good but did miss, for a few weeks, my bump and feeling the babies move. How is everyone now?

Abigail was super tiny when born and it was hard not to see the babies for almost 24hrs after being born as I was bedridden but atleast I tried to rest, while I could. My babies are already 7.5lbs and 11.4lbs!! Conor is quite the chunky guy but both adorable! We're having issues with reflux though and Conor has an umbilical hernia! Normal for both when they're preemies! I'm still bf'ing but mostly pumping and giving it by bottle, especially with abby. So happy that bf'ing is going so well for you shelob!! Lucky lady! How are you doing, Ruth?

I hope you guys will stay in touch here even though we may be too busy to talk often! Would love to add you all to Facebook, if you have it or use it! I'm not on it that much but it's easy to stay in touch and would love to see how beautiful all our babes are! :)

Good to hear from you Candie, glad to hear the babies are doing well. Wow there's a big difference in their weight! What is it like managing 2 babies at the same time?

All ok here, enjoying not being pregnant although still have some pelvic pain left over which feels like trapped nerves or something. Can be very painful if I've been lying down or slouching on sofa. Going to go back to Physio if it doesn't improve.

Breastfeeding now going well, pain went after a week and Ben is drinking loads. Trouble is I've started craving sweet things really badly and don't want to scoff too much but finding it hard not to.

I am up for using Facebook to keep in touch if everyone else wants to.

Hope everyone else and their babes are doing well.x

Good to hear from you too, Ruth! I'm so happy for you that things are going so well with Ben but am sorry to hear about your pelvic pain! I hope you find relief soon! Funny you should mention craving sweets! I have been too and I do NOT have a sweet tooth! I find I crave chocolate most of all. So weird!! It's gotta be the hormones from the pregnancy and/or bf'ing! I'll send you a msg with my Facebook info and can send it to anyone else who's interested.

Afm things are going okay here. Sleeping a little more certain days and babes are starting to stretch feeding from 2 to more like 3/3.5 hrs, thank goodness! Still pumping and giving by bottle and rarely putting Conor at breast unless to soothe as he never really drained me well and Abigail just plain hurts me so no there. To top it off I got my time of the month already! Figures my body wants to be fertile again! LOL! Heck no!! It's finally starting to warm up here and I went out for my first walk with them a couple days ago and plan on going ok today! Snow is melting and temps in the positive! Comon spring!!

It certainly is much harder with 2 babes at once, Ruth! I have very little time to do anything and have my 3 yr old home too as our at home daycare dropped us so even less time! I find I still have digestion issues as I still have quite the pouch in my mid-section but look good everywhere else. Anyone else with this?? Or is this cuz of twins or my 2nd/3rd child?? Don't remember this with my 1st and I only gained 30lbs with this pregnancy!

I hope everyone is well and still plan on coming here if no one wants to stay in touch via Facebook!

Take care!

Yay! Lovely to see your twinnies Candie, they are soo cute! That's the beauty of Facebook, to finally see the babies we've been talking about for so long, and to see your face to know who I'm talking to.

It would be good if we all stayed In touch but I guess everyone is very busy with baby stuff now so not always possible.

I've still got a tummy Candie, have been trying to cut down on the sugar this week otherwise it's only going to get harder but I'm still craving it.

Looking forward to spring too, it's started to get warmer here some days. I don't mind the winter but I didn't enjoy the snow this year as it was all too close to my due date.

How is everyone else? Hope all the babies are behaving themselves?

Xxx

Sooo nice to finally see you too, Ruth! Ben is very cute and your daughters are adorable! How are things going? Are you sleeping well yet? How do the girls like their baby brother? Any jealousy?

I hope babymine and shelob you're both doing well!

Things haven't changed much with me. They have their good and bad days and yesterday was one of the worst yet. Has to be a growth spurt... They cried for hours during the afternoon and both slept a total of an hour during the day which is crazy low!! Also wanting to eat every 1.5-2 hrs!! Ugh! Hope it doesn't combine with their rsv vaccine this Friday and make it worse! Other than the last day or two their really very good and are smiling all the time, giggling at times and are overall happy babes! :)

Good for you on kicking your sugar crave, Ruth! I'm trying too and hopefully these tummies go away soon!

Ta-ta for now!