Due August 2011, third and final trimester here we come!!!!

[KLou111]

Oooooo ladies, an exciting time for us all either already here or speedily arriving.
Can't believe how quick it's all going.

Bubbas will be here in no time!!!!

Klou and winter - I have 5 workshops at the ante natal class and finished the first yesterday. and Im joining a baby massage and baby yoga group too after bubba is 6 weeks!

Session 1 Is this Labour?How do you know it?s labour? When to go to hospital: what to take with you, what happens when you get there.What is normal, what is not, when & where to get help.The important differences between early labour and active labour.The Incredible Machine (that?s you!): how your body knows what to do get your baby born. The father?s/birth partner?s role

Session 2 Keeping pain manageable ? your toolkitsThe DIY Toolbox & The Drug Toolbox: Getting the best out of what is available. Helping yourself: keeping calm, magic endorphins & other amazing stuff about your body in labour. Water birth.Using T.E.N.S., Entonox (gas & air), Pethidine, Meptid & Epidurals. Vaginal Birth: the reasons for ventouse and forceps delivery. Caesarean birth: What to expect before, during and immediately after the operation. Pain relief. Planned & emergency operations.Being induced: Why we sometimes need to induce labour, how it?s done & what happens.

Session 3 Women?s Workshop During this session we look at and practise relaxation techniques, positions for labour and delivery, coping mechanisms. We also chat about your postnatal body & tips to help you through the first few weeks

Session 4 Feeding Question - Breast or Bottle? Making the choice. Breast feeding: Early days, how it works, self-help, breast care.Bottle feeding: Making up feeds, hygiene, common problems. Jaundice.

Session 5 Baby DayNewborn tests and examinations.
Vitamin K. Cord care. Dressing, bathing, everyday care.
The role of your Community Midwife & Health Visitor & other people who can help.New parents: Surviving the first week! Managing sleep, hormones and visitors.

bloody hell anu3 you cover a lot.. I thought I had a lot compared to some people!!

star i am on medication for my gd, went on it a few weeks ago then it wasnt making any difference so have had it doubled but still not got my fasting readings under 5.5 so i suspect they will put me on insulin for overnight next time i go in.. which sounds like such a pain and hastle having to inject, but the medication is just not making a lot of dif really. its weird because i can eat choc and junk and everything and the post meal readings would b fine! but readings when i wake in the morning are always too high
if you only had 4 high readings i would say that is not too bad?

Me too, but last time I saw her she said 'call us if you get three high readings, as you will have to come in and start Metformin'. Now to me, having three or four high readings spread out over 2-3 weeks and at random times of the day (i.e. not all after a particular meal) doesn't suggest any kind of pattern, which in turn doesn't suggest they're getting out of control. So I will need to be convinced before actually starting the meds, esp since I've had a few very low readings as well, sometimes as you say after eating the most apparently bad-for-you foodstuffs.

i would probably just wait and show the readings next time you go in, unless they are 3 high ones close together, personally i would not b calling up for 3 high readings over a few weeks?? maybe i am a bit on the irresponsible side but i wouldn't see that as needing to panic,if you're not sure about going on the med i would just wait til your next apt and discuss, presuming you're going in about every 2 weeks anyway?

Congratulations Teladi for your pink news!

MrsStevo what a wonderful day you had!

Rugby, re meals since the start of my pregnancy I am not able to handle row food. DH is doing the cooking since. I?m very lucky otherwise I would have starved! Now is getting better and hopefully I can start cooking again.

Anu3 your course sounds great! I had the first of 4 lessons last Friday and I wasn?t quite impressed? MW talked more about her personal experience with her 4 children and 9 nephews than specific topics? it was quite boring? I hope it gets better?

The nursery finally arrived and I spent we helping DH to assemble it. It is really nice and now I?m starting washing all the little things for my baby. I really need to get started and prepare the H bag as well?

Today I have my routine apt with a different MW, fingers crossed.
Tomorrow I?m having a Growth Scan + doppler ultrasound and I?m looking forward to seeing my baby again!

BTW Is anyone testing for the Group B Strep Test? As it is not available in the NHS, do you know where I can get it from?

Konatsu, I empathise on the course front. Ours was a bit disappointing last week. We have the next one tonight, so really hoping it improves!

• your growth scan sounds great - I'd love to have another scan now. Look forward to hearing the results.

konatsu i got the testing kit for free from www.tdlpathology.com and then its £35 to get the results you can do the swabs yourself or ask the midwife or doc to do it then you sent it off. Ive never tested for it before and this is my 3rd dc but the midwife told me some local horror stories when i went to my booking so i googled it and got the testing kit, none of my other pg friends have been told about it????

Whats the Group B strep test?!

Rugby, fingers crossed for your next lesson as well!

Never, many thanks! This test is a routine one in my country and it is usually done at the very end of the pregnancy.

Annie456 is an infection that can be transmitted from mother to baby
Here some info www.gbss.org.uk/index.php

Annie, I meant... it is an infection..

Midwife appointment went well, she says I have a happy big baby my scan from 28 weeks shows dates as 1w4d in front of what I am now although our trust dont alter your EDD unless its more than 2w difference!! So on size of baby im showing as 33 weeks now!!

I dont have a UTI thank god, she thinks its just bladder tubes stretching etc so told to drink plenty of water.

Was told they have had cuts at the hospital so there are 2 midwives to 31 beds on the maternity ward now!! So she told me to buzz them if im having trouble BFing as they will take ages to get round to you!! Will definately be making an appearance at the BFing group before im due to get help/advice from them.

Apparently im back there in 2 weeks for my 36 week check and birth plan appointment... going to ring and check that as il only be 33 weeks!

Oh and I may have to have another scan later on as no1 can figure out how baby is laying. She thinks breech still as it was in my last scan but the placenta is making it difficult for them to feel for baby at the min.

Anyways enough about me, hows everyone doing?

2 midwifes to 31 beds.. wow.. thats not great
im sure it was not as bad as that when i had my other 2 ds but even at those times, it seemed like midwives were pretty stretched in the postnatal wards
bfing group sounds a good idea, then you will have the contacts ready for if you need help afterwards. with my ds1 i was having trouble bfing him, stopped at 3 weeks because just couldnt get it established really, i think if i had the contacts in advance of where to go for help and support then we might hav been able to keep going with it, i had no idea who to ask for help with it at that point as had already been discharged by midwives and never really saw anything much of hv team. i think i will check if they have any bf support at my childrens centre too incase i need it this time

I know thats what I thought! Surely there has to be normal nurses or something on the ward, what if something happens and the 2xMWs are tied up with it..

Maybe im just fretting over nothing! Going to enquire about a water birth when Im there next as ive been discharged from consultant care so there is no reason why i cant other than our hospital being a rubbish one.

Wow 31 beds, we only have 4 delivery rooms, 1 water birth room and 4 ward beds at our local hospital!!!! Think that's why they encourage home births.
Swansea is down the road, which would have more beds, but I'd rather have a home birth or cross my legs lol!!!!
Found a local breastfeeding group down in town which meets every Friday afternoon, so am happy now :)

Klou thats good, im using as an excuse to get out and socialise with people. Ive just booked my hospital tour, there is only 1 tour before im due Got to wait till 8th July!! I was hoping for one sooner but oh hum Il just have to wait.

hi guys a quick update on measurements i was 28wks and measured 33 cm now im 30 weeks and measure 35 cm so midwife said as im having a c section anyway they will review me at 36 weeks (bloodsetc) and if babba is all good they will book me for 38weeks soo excited everyone keeps saying im sure you got twins in there but i think that maybe they got my dates wrong but hey we will soon find out lol hope you all well x

Quick question about Iron levels -

Just been reading through my notes, my iron level was 11.5 (with me taking multi-vits) and the range they aim for is 11.5-14.5. Could this be why im so tired? My level at booking was 12.5....

Just wondering if its worth me topping up iron levels or not

I had anaemia towards the end of my pregnancy with DS and I have never felt so tired. It was awful, really draining. So could be worth investing in some extra iron - Floradix tonic is a good all round supplement that doesn't make you constipated like the iron tablets do, or try Spatone.

lilyraesmommy glad you got some resolution - must be exciting to know your LO will be here soon.

Been to the chiropractor today, which was fab, really makes a difference, afterwards felt great and went shopping and rearranged my room to fit the pool in!
2 weeks left in work (yeah) feeling like its all going very quickly now!

Hi everyone,
I wrote a long post yesterday then lost it and couldn't be bothered to start again!
I saw the midwife yesterday, all ok and measuring 31.5cm at 31 weeks. She did say the measurement was completely inaccurate though and would bear no resemblance on the size of the baby Last night DP and I went to an antenatal physio class which was good - all about positions for labour and they taught the DP's massage techniques Our other antenatal classes start in about 2 weeks and sound similar to everyone else's. There's also a 3 hour breastfeeding workshop
Congratulations Teladi on your pink bump. I can't wait to find out now! I think if I had to have another scan for any reason I'd struggle not to find out! A woman at my aquanatal class had an amnio early on - she didn't want to know the sex so they wrote it in an envelope for her and she's still not opened it!! She's now 30 weeks! That's some willpower!
WinterLover a HB of 11.5 is fine but if you're symptomatic then your midwife might want you to take supplements.
MrsStevo your baby shower sounds lovely. I hadn't realised anyone did them here but it sounds great. I'm having my hen do in July so my friends have got enough to pay out for at the moment!
Take care ladies and bumps x

Goodmorning girls!

WinterLover, re Iron Levels I?d definitely go for the tablets. I was a borderline with my levels and I took Floradix from the beginning of my pregnancy, it didn?t work and my levels dropped anyway. Now I?m taking the iron tablets+vitamin C (to increase iron's absorption) and I?m going to be retested at week 34. I?m also eating more pulses, spinach and fibers. With a diet with fibers you should not have side effects.

SelinaDoula, the chiropractor sounds great! I should find one nearby and give it a go.

bettyboo83, my DH too learnt massage techniques at his course for fathers to be and I?m really enjoying them. Wow 3 hour breastfeeding workshop is a lot, keep us updated on what they say.

I had my visit yesterday with a different MW - after I spoke with the Community Manager- and I?m really satisfied! I had almost 2 hours visit. She went through my Notes and had to filled all the missing bits that her colleague didn?t do.
She finally measured me: 31+2 weeks 31cm and it should be ok.

Today I?m having a Growth Scan + doppler ultrasound and I?m looking forward to seeing my baby again!

Hi all,

how are my pregnant friends?
winter - I have low iron (again) still low, the doctor's put me on tablets of some sort or other, I have to have one 3 times a day. not sure they will do my bloods again or not thou, but it seems an ongoing problem i've had all my life, not overly worried, but taking the tablets as after needing a transfusion with DS i'm keen not to go down that route again.

My anti natal classes start today, have one today all day on sat and then another 4 more before the baby arrives, and in fact need to get booked in for a visit around the local hospital as I have no idea how/what/when etc. had better call. DP home in less than a week YAY so he can come to the last 4 - which I believe start him off with breast feeding - sounds like he'll miss the labouring ones thou. :( but not sure on the order they do things here - I assume it will be the labour on the full day session.

other than that not a lot is happening here. finally caught up with all of my course work/assignments so fingers crossed for those. anyhow must keep up with the thread more. hope everyone's ok.