Merry Meet

Ladypandora - I just wanted to ask if you got a maternity corset made for you hee hee just kidding I personally think that the gothic wardrobe and appearance is beautiful wow you are close to meeting your little boy welcome once again and I am sure these fantastic ladies will give great advice!

I'd love a doula, but there is only one person allowed in the labour ward with me. ( Great on the keeping crazy granma out side, not so good on the doula for assistance aspect)

Plus I don't actually think our First Aid covers a doula. Quite a pity, cos I really do like the idea.

I fully agree with calling an ambulance rather. Nothing worse than someone who panics with you.

May I also suggest looking into a doula. They are there to guide you throught the birth. Just a thought.

How so, what choices did you make?

So far, if all goes well we opted for a natural birth with water therapy as pain relief. The hospital only has one birthing bath, but all the labor rooms have showers, so if the bath is occupied I can still use the shower. Even though I absolutely adore piercings and tattoos, bring a surgical needle near me and I flip out big time, so epidural is only an option if I am really dying of pain. (Not so helpful if you have to vaccinate animals for a living )

We are trying to keep a balance between my religion and his, as well as our seperate preferences in everything we do. I fully believe in the harm yee none do what thou wilt motto, and luckily my family have come to realize its not the end of the world to be different.

I already explained to him that, if he is not home in Feb, and something happens, I will calmly phone the ambulance and get my ass to hospital, (I prefer the ambulance to my rather insane and panic prone mother driving me) and I will only phone him if it is an utter emergency. No need to have him and my friends speed all the way from Joburg and risk a car accident just to get to my side. Luckily I am quite capable of staying calm in the craziest of situations (well usually I am )

Being Goth makes no difference but yes people do tend to judge.

I am not married and am not religious and we chose to have a baby much to my mothers dismay.

Live your life as it pleases you as long as you don't do harm to others. Well this is just my personal philosophy.

The fact is that we as women all try to control the one thing in life that is beyond our control which is falling pregnant and the actual birth. Hell even raising the child doesn't always turn out the way we intend it to.

I think you should make your birth choice keeping your partner in mind, but have an open mind to all eventualities. I wish I had. I would have been a happier mommy.

To make the morning sickness even worse, my wedding was right in the middle of it. I kept thinking I was going to hurl on my poor dad in law, the dominee.

I am going for antenatal classes but I think they scarred my poor hubby for life Even I saw waaaay more of the female body than I wanted to ever see. I quite like the fact that I can't see past the huge breasts and tummy as is, so the videos shown were a bit graphical, even though I know exactly what to expect.

I quite like being in control of everything and obviously I am far from being in control right now. The hubby is going to be away for a weekend in Feb, and that freaks the living daylights out of me. What if baba decides to come that weekend? And its the same week my doc is in Switzerland. Great timing for the two of them. lol

Plus then there is the issue of me being a Goth and not a Christian. So I have the additional problem of people automatically assuming I am going to neglect my child. I already have two friends, whom are both fantastic mothers, that have been reported to social services just because of the way they look. Obviously it is not something that can be avoided, and I just have to deal with it as it comes but I still find it quite stressful.

Daunting??? Freaking terrifying if you ask me.

I find with labour information and support is key.

Firstly sorry about the morning sickness. Mine only lasted 3 months and I thought I was going to die. 5 months would have killed me so well done on getting through it.

there are wonderful people here who can set your mind at ease.

We have a lady here called Nefertiti who teaches Hypnobirthing. I have seen women transfromed through her teaching and they have gone on to have wonderful births so maybe read up a bit on that.

Her link is on the right hand side. Beautifully born.

If you haven't done an antenatal class you should maybe consider finding a great midwife who gives classes.

I felt so empowered after the class and went from being a bit scared about labour to being excited about it.

Yay on you having a boy. xx