The Fathers Thread

firestarter51 wrote: »

If you tell them before the scan they won't show you the tell tale signs and can block it on the pictures too

I think that's at the next scan, right? I should probably know but I was in a bit of a daze for most of yesterday!

Ah i remember the first scan. They get even better as the pregnancy progresses! Just wait until your baby kicks for the first time, its amazing. My wife is due today but no movement yet. So so anxious. Would recommend a private scan at plus 20 weeks!

Wth is this policy in coombe that she can have no visitors after 8:30, not even her husband! I don't get why she has to have to work all these contractions by herself! I am fuming with anger! The security even tried to kick us out of the building completely but first the Garda will come before this happens.

Marty McFly wrote: »

What????? That only comes into play when the baby is born during Labour the father is there for duration.

No they are happy for me to stay in the labour/delivery room but not before that, we re on the stage that the contractions are strong and less than every 5mins and my hearts breaks to leave her alone.

We re still here, the baby takes it's time to get out, soon though. Midwives and doctors were excellent with me staying there, it was that annoying security that insisted to get out, even threatened again to kick the gramdmas who were staying on the ground floor out, really poor, obnoxious and and insulting behaviour. Anyway, all is good as docs/midwives stepped up and helped.

AstraMonti wrote: »

We re still here, the baby takes it's time to get out, soon though. Midwives and doctors were excellent with me staying there, it was that annoying security that insisted to get out, even threatened again to kick the gramdmas who were staying on the ground floor out, really poor, obnoxious and and insulting behaviour. Anyway, all is good as docs/midwives stepped up and helped.

Heard these stories before, one of the main reasons we went for Holles St even though the Coombe is closer to us. My wife was having the worst contractions in the pre labour ward between 11pm and 4am, probably would of lost the head if somebody was telling me I had to leave

One more thing. Stay at home as long as possible! The pre labour ward is hell on earth!

Anyone know what the story is with parking on the day the OH goes into labour? Is there a special rate for those heading to the delivery unit and likely to have their car outside for a day or more?

niallo24 wrote: »

Anyone know what the story is with parking on the day the OH goes into labour? Is there a special rate for those heading to the delivery unit and likely to have their car outside for a day or more?

Not sure whihch hospital you're headed for.
We'll be in Holles St, reliant on n-street parking; and pretty sure there's no allowances made for the fact you're visiting hospital, labour or otherwise.
I'd imagine only possibility of a concession would be if you were dealing with a hospital with their own car park, even then I wouldn't hold your breath

niallo24 wrote: »

Sorry didn't realise I didn't mention the hospital! I am in the Coombe. They have their own car park but its pricey enough if you are going to be in for a while.

In the Coombe you can get your parking ticket validated and it works out 7.50 a day.

Now that the storm has passed and the little baby girl is out and happy I 've really have to praise Coombe. Apart from that annoying security incident that came at a time my wife was in a great deal of pain the level of detail and honest interest from all the midwives, docs and consultants is something that you have to pay several thousand euros in other countries. They have been amazing since our very first visit to be honest. Their genuine interest of your well being is so important to them that and they pass this through. I 've yet to meet a person who is either not smiling or happy to help with anythng. Everyone is happy to answer your questions and guide you. They even spent almost 1.5hours with my wife showing her how to breastfeed, it was such an amazing thing to watch and the determirnation of the midwife to make it happen was so kind hearted.

January wrote: »

If you're in a delivery room then partner can stay but if you're on a ward and not in established labour partners are sent home.

January wrote: »

You may well be but until you reach 3cms dilated you're not in 'established' labour and will be kept on a ward with other ladies who are labouring and then moved when you reach 3cms or start needing intervention such as oxytocin.

Established labour is really a loose term, my wife starting having massive strong contractions around 10:30 in the night and we went in the delivery room at 4:30, it would be at least inhuman to leave her alone when she could barely walk alone.

Chattastrophe! wrote: »

Did you think that her partner and both grandmothers would be present during the labour and birth?

No, they just wanted to be in the same building, how much noise can two old ladies sitting in an empty waiting area do really?

kronsich wrote: »

Can honestly say that labour and birth is the most amazing experience of my life. It was exhausting and completely overwhelming. My wife was fantastic!

I couldn't agree anymore! An amazing experience.

Marty McFly wrote: »

In fairness to the coombe we have been warned numerous times not to come in to early wait until there is at least three contractions per 10 minutes otherwise be pacing the corridors.

On the grandparents Im sure it sucked and was a pain but I know none of ours be near the hospital till after the baby is born.

Have to look at it from the hospitals point of view really they can't have hundreds of people wandering around which would be the case of they let everyone who wanted to stay, to stay.

The problem is that the water broke at 4:40am in the morning and we had to get to hospital, if the contractions had come before the waters we would have been waiting until the last minute, but not everything can go as planned unfortunately.

Best of luck to all dads to be!