April 2012 babies: Third Trimester: the end is in sight!

[LaTristesse]

Heartburn, haemorrhoids and hairy stomachs; come waddle through the glamorous third trimester with us... !

Previous (2nd trimester) thread here

Initial thread (1st trimester) thread here

Stats thread here

Urgh. I am having a bad week. Diva is super low with her head down and come 3pm I'm so uncomfortable.

We've had two antenatal classes so far, Tuesday's was quite erm, amusing. We discussed instrumental delivery including passing said instruments around. Ouch is all I thought :(

I'm 32 +1 an really can't wait for the Diva to arrive now. Of course I don't want her too early but I am starting to get impatient.

ria hope you're feeling a little better.

Im looking forward to our antenatal classes - I think they might help DP realise this is actually happening.

We dont get a ward tour though, I need to organise this seperately - and I need this. I suffer from Social Anxiety Disorder, and it will help me relax if Ive seen the ward before and know where things are etc.

Holly - Instrumental delivery, forceps particularly, terrify me. :(

Weight gain wise, I think I'm up to about 7-8lbs on? Thats after the stone I lost due to MS in the first 14wks....

.....Although if I weighed myself today, after yesterdays Pizza Hut Stuffed Crust and Odeon Ben & Jerrys, that may have changed....

I'm 31w 5d now, got a growth scan tomorrow.

Celebrated DS's second birthday yesterday with a little lunch party for him and 5 friends and took him out for a meal in early evening with his Godmother.

I seem to have had a cold for over a month now - and it's not just pregnancy rhinitis as I've got a cough and sore throat too. It eased off a bit last week but came back Friday.

We were at Center Parcs last week having our last holiday before baby. DS had a whale of a time and it was very relaxing. Had a lovely mum-to-be spa treatment. The leg and foot massage was heavenly but I felt a bit wierd and self conscious when she started to rub some anti-stretch-mark crap into my tummy and the baby was wriggling away like crazy. DS loved the pool and feeding ducks and bunnies at the back door of our cabin in the morning.

Saw the midwife on Monday - she had a student with her. My fundal height was 1 week behind but that's nothing to worry about I don't think.

I sat down with DH on Monday night and went through our diaries to double-check all the NCT class dates, etc.

I am doing NHS antenatal classes too, so over the next 6 weeks I will be going to classes 3 times a week at some points! Plus 32 wk scan next week, first HV visit in mid-March, trying to fit in visits/lunches with friends I want to catch up with before due date...my diary is completely chockablock! (I work part time at the moment so not sure exactly when I'm going to start scaling back on work commitments, it just feels like a real juggling act at the moment).

Bearcrumble most areas have a normal range of +- 2cm from your gestational age to your fundal height (in others it's 3cm!) so I think you're right not to worry about 1cm. Besides, worrying solves nothing so if there is an issue worrying won't help. And if there is no problem then what a waste of time fretting over nothing! l

GTT here this morning, oh joy. Get the results back tomorrow, GD would be an interesting addition to my list of high risk homebirth against advice attributes!

OMG my back is in agony!! i have to worlds worst back pain ever and coming round to the front trying not to do much today but hard with a 9 month old!
Anyone got any ideas.... :(

Weight gain wise I think I've lost fat and obviously gained baby weight... which is great! More fun - watching my husband trying to say that sentence to me!!

We've just booked ferries to Ireland for baby's blessing when he's 8 weeks old. We had to put him down as Baby on the itinerary! We'll have to get his passport sorted pretty fast - anyone have to get a passport for a newborn before? I hear getting their photo taken can be v difficult?

Sorry to hear about your back pain riamay2011 :(

Exactly, Flisspaps - and I have the growth scan tomorrow anyway. Fingers crossed your GTT is normal.

Lorrainbow, we had DS's passport done when he was a few weeks old. I think it was Timpsons (the key cutting, shoe repairing place) we went to, but they laid him on a blanket and took the photo downwards. Just remember no hats!

riamay poor you sounds like you are having a bad time. If I were you I would go back in, just phone and say you are coming in as you are in severe pain.
I have only had my waters break spontaneously and loss of plug in my third pregnancy and DC3 was born that day. Though my friend had partial water breaking and a show and didn't give birth for another five weeks.
WRT your cot divider question, if it's the kind I am thinking of I wouldn't get one for two DC of different ages. Not so bad with twins but my youngest is 14 months and roams around his cot when asleep and awake. I wouldn't trust him to be in there with a small baby.

Was wondering how you were doing Bearcrumble hope the scan goes well.

Hope the GTT is negative Fliss.

My BP is raised, so I have to go back and get it done next week, I have also had a headache and some visual disturbance which is worrying MW.
MW said to take it easy, which is almost impossible during half term with 3 DC.
I am increasingly stressed about the lack of progress with DS2's room, I don't think it is going to get done in time for DC4's arrival. I really don't want to have DS2 and DC4 in our room together. DH is annoying me with his laid back attitude to it all, he is really busy at work as well just now which isn't helping.

We did DS's passport picture ourselves using Passpic. They were brilliant, cheap and really easy! Can't recommend them enough

Hi all
Just found out due to my DH's job he will not be home around the time of the birth, so I have 2 choices give birth a week early or hold on for 2 weeks - anyone any ideas of how I can manage this?

Sorry Remi - I don't mean to be insensitive and I do hope that all is ok with you

Oh Ugly that sucks, I'm so sorry... Is this your first (sorry, can't remember)? If so you could well go over anyway. Unfortunately though it's very much a case of 'baby will come when baby is ready', short of booking a CS in you don't really have much control over when you give birth...
Is there anyway round it? What does your DH do?
If not, if it were me I'd be looking for a back-up birth partner in case the bub comes when your DH isn't around. Mum, sister, friend, or maybe a doula?

Ive have less that 6 weeks now, had bad heartburn too, drinking even more milk and gav by the bucket!
Not sleeping too well at night late was up between 1-3am baby moving around digging in ribs. Not that much kicking, but i cant sleep with all that going on!

Checked hospital bag today and all good to go, hope it come sooner than later!!!
get a little feed up now:-(
pick up pram and babys room is now ready. Not much else to do on MAT leave, other than clean house. ill think ill do that tomorrow!

Been a little clumsy today smashed 1 bowl and droped some baked beans, we were having with our tea on the kitchen floor. Im blamed been pregnant to hubby!!!!

Thanks La, sadly there is no way around it - he is in the forces so what they say goes :( And yes this is our first so even harder for us.

Mum has always been my back up partner, and I think secretly she is very happy!

I know I can't realistically do anything about the date and we have decided that ELCS is not an option.

My biggest concern is that he won't be the first person to see our baby. I need to tactfully keep family and friends away for anything up to 2 weeks. I don't mind close family, my mum, his mum or siblings etc but all the people that come out of the 'woodwork' who we don't see for months on end and haven't bothered even to ask how the pregnancy is going but will insist on being one of the first to meet baby ugly!

We also have a very untactful friend who I am really worries will make comments about how bonding within minutes of birth is vital and without it my DH and baby will not 'bond'. I know my DH doesn't believe this and we aren't the first people that this has happened to but still worried about how comments can be hurtful.

Sorry just being very emotional today.

Would you be able to film the birth for him? Or do some video conferencing / webcamming between the 3 of you as soon as? And how about when you announce the birth just adding in that you'd like to save other visits until after your DH has got back? I would expect most people to be respectful of your wishes at this time, and there aren't many occasions in your life you get to call the shots! If it comes to it just tell people it's not convenient to visit yet!

That sucks Ugly :( I think filming the birth is a great idea and if you can do a video call that would be brilliant too.

People can be a bit nutty when there's a new baby on the scene and think they have some kind of right to visit. Be firm!

My MIL was most put out that we said no to a 3-week visit to see baby! I think she's over it now and frankly 2 weeks is more than enough. "But we're the grandparents". Um well we're the parents and we want some time alone.

Thanks La
I don't fancy filming it but we have thought about getting dongles so we can be on SKYPE as soon as possible. Are they allowed in hosiptals?

Thanks vintage
A 3 week visit from the inlaws sounds hell at anytime nevermind straight after a baby!! Or is that just my warped opinion of inlaws?

I do like La's suggestion of when announcing the birth letting people know that visiting would be best once DH is home.

Thanks for listening to me moan

ugly I'm sure that a forces dad is one of the few reasons NICE guidelines say it is acceptable to induce for non medical reasons, will look over the guidelines tomorrow when I'm not on my phone, other than that, baby comes when baby is ready!

OK - this is from NICE Clinical Guidance July 2008

Induction of labour should not routinely be offered on maternal request alone. However, under exceptional circumstances (for example, if the woman?s partner is soon to be posted abroad with the armed forces), induction may be considered at or after 40 weeks. p36

So you could request early induction but early induction is associated with higher EMCS rates and higher assisted delivery rates (forceps and ventouse). If he's gone before you reach 40w though then this piece of information is as much use to you as a chocolate teapot.

You could go 42w+ naturally anyway, whether you'd want to induce just for going 'overdue' is your decision. You could give birth spontaneously at 37w too - there's never any way of knowing!

notso Thanks for thinking of me. Sorry to hear about your BP - what is it reading? It's annoying but wouldn't be the end of the world if they are both in with your for a week or so... but I do hope your DH is able to find the time to sort it out. Try not to fret about it though, it will either be sorted or it won't. Just look after yourself and stay as calm as possible. I agree that a three week visit from the inlaws would be impossible (but I guess I can see in vintagenancy's case it has to be a longer visit as she's now in America. We stay 2 nights with them once a month or they do the same down here. That's it. I hope they don't have any funny ideas about staying longer when baby arrives. They didn't with DS. Although MIL is now making noises about him staying with them on his own. I don't know how she expects a 2-y-o to get from London to Norwich - teleport?

Uglymush I'm so sorry that he might not be here for the birth, fingers crossed you'll go overdue as it's your first. Yes, you can take dongles into hospital - I did with DS. Feel free to tell tactless friend to shut her gob - any rudeness on your part can be blamed on hormones.

So yes, just back from hospital - growth scan was fine. Baby's weight is currently estimated at 4lb 8oz (which is bigger than DS was at birth!). My mum had him whilst we went so we went out for lunch afterwards - DH's card got declined so I had to pay . Treated myself to half a guinness.

GTT came back clear. That must call for a cake or three to celebrate. Not so great that this is apparently just a big fat baby, estimated at 9 1/2lb - 10 1/2lb by term, but given the reported accuracy of growth scans on previous MN threads, it could be anywhere between 7lb and 12lb by term anyway

Three weeks with the inlaws Even DH can only manage maybe four days tops before he needs to Get Away (and his parents are LOVELY) and if they come down when baby is born, they'll very kindly be staying in a Travelodge.

Hey ladies
How are we all today....
I am feeling a little better didnt sleep very well and was soaking in a hot bath this morning at 6.30 due to back not getting any better.
I sell baby products on ebay and i had to go to the post office AGAIN today and it felt as if i was climbing mount everest! It was such hard work! I only had 4 parcels..... lol
I have a scan on monday at 11.30 so will be updating you all on progress. I am 34 weeks today! I laboured with DD at 34 weeks 9 months ago so i am getting anxious now!
Baby is so low down that i can feel it unching my hip bone! It literally feels as if its going to pop out!
Hope were all ok, now its ONNNNLLLYY BBBLLLOOOOOOODDYYY FFRRIIIDDAAAYY!!
XX

Glad things are going better riamay.

I am 33 on Sunday and feeling BIG! In fact, I may be outgrowing my maternity trousers...of course it could be because my DH and I have been away this week (his bday and start of half term = mat leave!) I've eaten FAR TOO MUCH. Need to stop this curve of pigging out before too long or I'll pile on the pounds over the next month.

Naughty spannermary.

Getting ready for baby to get here soon - will be checking out prenatal Davina DVD, walking around the village, freezing food for after the birth and buying babygros! How's everyone else preparing?