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

I smashed my iPhone screen again today (3rd time since being pregnant) doh

It's great to see the thread picking up momentum now we're all getting there. I've been so busy I've not had chance to be on mn much of late but that is about to change as I start maternity leave today! That's maybe why I'm awake at such a ridiculous hour, it's all very surreal but I'm ready for it - nearly 35 weeks and shattered.

I went to the mw this week and the bump only measured 30 cm so I was sent for a growth scan where everything is fine and the baby is estimated to weigh 5.5 lb. was a bit worrying though nice to have another peek at the baby. Midwife then said to me 'oh yes everything looks fine but one scan on its own means nothing so you'll have another in 2 weeks!' Wtf? It always makes me laugh when they do the bump measuring thing as its hardly an exact science is it? I know my bump's small as everyone loves pointing out that it's 'neat' apart from mil who tells me I'm far bigger than last time whilst looking at my hips. Aggghhhhh why do we become public property?

Rant over Hope this is reassuring for anyone else who has similar small bump experience in the coming weeks.

I may never be away from the place now and you may find daily updates about how our nursery is progressing as to date I have done nothing practically to prepare for this baby. On scan day this week whilst I was waiting for dh to come home I had a mild panic that the hospital bag wasn't ready so I randomly threw my nighties from first birth in a bag and scribbled a list for dh to pack if we needed it. Couldn't imagine what he'd end up packing so that will be my first job next week.

Is anyone else close to finishing work? Hope you are all well and enjoying more sleep than me

Morning all. I have been awake since 5 am and I have a looong day at work ahead.. Should be interesting come 3pm!

The Diva is now really active pretty much all day. She still has a kip each morning but that's about it until I go to sleep. I like to think that she's training to be a syncranised swimmer :)

Re weight of babies... My mum had 6 of us and I was the heaviest (smug fat emoticon) at 7lb8oz. The smallest was 6lb3! She had to have her waters broken with all of us too and we were all late, although my brother, who's the youngest out of us 'flew' out
apparently!! Last urgent thing he ever did :)

I'm off all next week to get the nursery started, I'm thinking a nice mint green for the Diva, I got this face from the DH when I announced that! Want to get a start as I have feeling that she's going to put in an early appearance although everyone I talk to says "first babies are always late". If she's not here before her due date I'll eat my hat!

aprilfool completely agree on the comments about bump/clothes etc! It's open season for people to comment when you're pregnant apparently! I've been getting, "ooh, you've really grown in the last two weeks haven't you?" gah! Yes I have, it's called nearing full term pregnancy! Rant over :)

Jealous of April starting ML today. I stop commuting on the 15th but am hoping to work from home as much as possible till the birth. Need the money!

I started leave pretty early: at half term. That's because I'm a special needs teacher, so work is very physical, with some risks, and I didn't want to go off half way through a chunk of work. By the Easter Holidays I would've been 39 weeks...which was never going to happen!

Loving being off. Reading some Birth Preparation Books (Maggie Howell) and sitting on my ball. Still making sure I get up at a reasonable time every morning whilst getting extra rest - between 8-9 suits me.

Currently listening to Desert island discs. Very relaxing.

Oh - and the iPhone story: i recently dropped mine in the loo. Argh!

I back-read so sorry to start the sling discussion again. I had a look on the web so know what out there, question is: we've been given a Baby Bjoern - is it save to use or should be buy something else? I'd like to wait anyway because I'm not even sure if we'd use it once Jr. is born .... the great unknown called "AFTER".

Also, started to read the Baby Whisperer and I'm pretty upset - and baby isn't even here yet! Basically, if you don't have an Angel or Textbook Baby, you and the baby is screwed for live (will be too grumpy to find a GF, will be to touchy to make friends or will either only be sports star or club bouncer due to aggression). And I don't get the EASY method: how do I establish a 3hrs routine. When's he's hungry, he's hungry - no? I didn't know that you can force it on a 2 days old baby that there are set meal times?

I'm 31+1 today and realised, with being overdue and everything, it could be almost another 3 months and I'm already 4kg over the recommended weight gain. I don't eat a lot of sweets so I'm wondering if it's all the fruit? But I'm not a veg fan and I don't take supplements ... so something "good" has to go in.

Lastly, my pram master plan fell through : I was "promised" a Chameleon for the first few months and would have gotten myself a buggy thereafter. Now she changed her mind and I have to budget in a new pram. Oh well, would have been nice & easy. If things go to plan, I'm getting a 18months old Bee via Gumtree on Sunday (hope the seller holds out that long). That's ok, right? It's not a bad thing to buy a used one? Two of my colleagues here were mortified when I told them because: other children were sick in them, pooed in them, you never know if it breaks etc. etc.? But I thought if we wash it and fix it when it breaks ... it not like a car which will become a death trap if the breaks are not working properly.

Sorry - got a bit long, but somethings lots happens at the same time . better get used to that, too

Morning all, bit of a stressful one so far, DS2 had an allergic reaction to peanut butter so was flapping around trying to deal with him, couldn't find the piriton anywhere.
This is the second one so not sure where to go from here also feeling bad because I have eaten quite a lot of peanuts in this pregnancy, and I know you should avoid them if there is a family history. Though as DH said it's not a history it's now so theres nothing we can do.

Despite best bum in the air crawling round efforts Ped is still merrily breech, and feels like flipping from left to right.

Not sure about subsequent babies being bigger, mine were 7lb 1oz on EDD, 9lb 5oz at 8 days overdue and 9lb at 38 weeks.
My friends were 10lb 10oz two weeks overdue, 8lb 12oz 18days overdue, and 8lb 2 at 39 weeks.

As for second labour being easier, I wouldn't say mine was easier second time round, it was definately longer. However knowing what to expect with regard to pain helped make it much more manageable than DD's birth.
I had a very old fashioned midwife with DS1 who was clearly disapproving of active labour and annoyed that I refused an episiotomy so that didn't help, but equally with DD due to risks with my PE I was pretty much strapped down on the monitor the whole time.
With DS2 I was able to stay at home much longer, and was only lying down for the pushing, I was lying on my side which was much easier, the midwife was only in with me for about 20 mins before he was born, it took her longer to do the paperwork afterwards!

Thaleia Stick the books in the bin No point getting wound up or upset, and no matter what you read, you can bet your bottom dollar your baby won't have bothered. Don't even think about a routine for the first few months weeks because you will only end up making yourself miserable and convince yourself you're doing a crap job when in fact, you won't be. Babies (especially newborns) feed when they need to feed (all the time) sleep when they need to sleep (most of the day time, seems like not at all at night) and they won't wee or poo to fit in with a timetable either. Inconsiderate buggers.

Don't worry about the weight gain either - please. There's a reason why women aren't routinely weighed in pregnancy. How do you distinguish cake retention from baby, placenta, amniotic fluid, increased water, increased blood volume and essential fat stores all pregnant women lay down to sustain them through labour and breastfeeding? Simple. You can't. You might think 'bugger, need to cut down on X' when in fact if it's fluid then no amount of watching what you eat will help :)

Second hand prams are fine, your colleagues are being daft. Car seats are maybe not such a good idea because you don't know if they've been in an accident, but a pram? Give it a wipe over, it's no more likely to break than one you've bought new (and you'll have saved yourself a packet). They're just that they didn't have the sense to think of that themselves

Early Maternity Leave? You lot are lagging behind, I've been off since Christmas - I am quite happy to take the title of Chief Slacker

Thaleia just read your post.

1. Don't read any books, apart from pure information books. Wait and meet you baby first, see how he is and what he likes. He might be really easy going and go with whatever you do or do not do (my DD), he might have his own agenda and set a rigid routine for you (my DS1), he might be refluxy and colicky and want to BF all the goodness from you and more day and night (my DS2).

Books don't know your baby, if you go into this with a set idea in mind and your little one disagrees then you are setting yourself up for feeling like you have failed when you haven't. I haven't read the baby whisperer, though I have watched the programme and she does have some good techniques if you feel you need to try something new. I have used her pick up put down type sleep method for DS2 successfully, but see if you need to use her advice first.

1. What a pain about the Cameleon. Normally I would say that buying a second hand buggy or pram is fine, of course you can wash it, do these people not use the same pram for more than one child? BUT there have been issues with the wheels of the Bugaboo Bee and some have been recalled so I would proceed with caution. It's probably all on the Bugaboo website, so please check it out before you buy.

Bugaboo have a really good guarantee which is worth a lot, so if you can afford it I would try and get a new discounted Bee.

X post with Fliss sorry!

Had a rather uppy-downy week here as had the 32 week scan a few days ago - all fine with DD, but the room was so hot and airless and I dislike being flat on my back so much I ended up feeling v queasy and we didn't get a proper look at her once they'd done the growth measurements. DH said I went very pale and he had a cardboard bowl thing ready for me to throw up in...so as soon as the 'official' bit of the scan was over, we got out into the fresh air.

They say the baby is harder to get a proper look at once it's bigger, don't they, anyway? We didn't get any pictures of her this time which is a pity.

The experience made me dread being in hospital even more - the rooms are so stuffy and airless I'm not sure how I'll cope. I certainly can't sleep in a room that hot so if I end up staying in overnight after giving birth I'm resigned to having a sleepless night one way or the other. Perhaps if I am THAT shattered I'll just sleep anywhere, but I'm not usually a 'sleep anywhere' person (never sleep on planes, trains, back seat of car etc).

I only work part-time and don't commute far so not really sure when I'm going to stop. From next week I'll be doing NCT classes twice a week AND the official NHS antenatal classes, so will try and judge based on how extra tired I am after doing all the classes on top of work.

I can second the advice about the weight gain. I was a bit to weigh myself after a lovely half term away to find I had gained 4lb! In 1 week!! To be fair, I had many full english breakfasts, plus a couple of meals out, cream teas, and my mum's amazing cooking. Oh yeah - and a baby growing inside me!

So since then I've been trying to be more sensible about what I eat. Nothing wrong with eating porridge, wholegrain toast, lots of fruit and veg, home-cooked food etc instead of greasy fry ups and supermarket meals! I went a bit far though yesterday, when I tried to go from breakfast to lunch without a mid-morning snack - and nearly fainted when slicing bread! Low energy and a bread knife...not a good mix. Who knew 3 1/2 hours between meals could affect me so much!

So now I'll eat whenever I'm hungry, but am trying to stick to the stuff above - I just had marmite on toast to tide me over and am making a homemade pizza for dinner. Lunch will be a cheesy omelette. I'm also banning myself from the scales!

It's difficult, though - even though I've only put on a stone (due to losing lots at the beginning with HG) I'm the heaviest I've ever been, within a few pounds of DH, and my maternity trousers are tight after dinner. Quite reassuring that baby is measuring fine, or I'd be doubting myself.

Will we ever learn?

marshmallowpies I get similar when I go the the consultant clinic as it's so hot.
They usually have fans on the ward near the beds, and the heat can depend on how many people are there as well. I had DS1 in the middle of an August heatwave but was the only Mum staying in overnight, I had the bed near the open window and a fan and all the attention from the midwives, it was great I ended up staying in 3 nights!
With DS2 it was December, snowing outside but tropical on the ward the heating was broken so couldn't be turned down. Every bed had a fan, but the ward was full of Mums, newborns and visitors. I was desparate to go home and wished I had asked for 6 hour discharge.

I got really hot and funny on our hospital tour the other day. Thinking I might pack a hand held fan as I am prone to being sick when I get too hot/haven't eaten enough. Although I think the rooms are air conditioned. And the post-natal room (which is private) has french windows. The insurance company has to pay for 2 nights post-natal so I think I will probably stay in. We have to pay a portion of it even with insurance though so we'll see how we're doing.

I get weighed at every appointment but as it's in pounds and my initial weigh-in was in kg I just ignore it as can't be bothered to figure it out. I'm eating pretty okay I think. We bought a blender the other day so I've been having lots of smoothies!

I went out for dinner with some other pregnant ladies the other night. One of them seemed to be reading every book going. And going on every single course - childbirth, newborn care, breast feeding. As well as pre-natal yoga, swimming etc. I felt exhausted listening to her! Having said that I do fancy a swim so I need to find out where the nearest pool is.

I haven't read any baby books yet (just a couple of childbirth/pregnancy ones) but did get one about breastfeeding out of the library yesterday that has loads of pictures in. And we haven't done any classes. We'll figure it out I'm sure!

Not sure if this book is available in the UK but I found it really useful: Natural Hospital Childbirth. It's obviously based on the US medical system but still think it's a good read.

Sorry longest post ever! There's so much in my head now we're in the 6-week contdown.

Evening all... Grumpy here this week as the bloody thrush has put in a reappearance (3rd time this pg, had it pretty much constantly last time). MW insisted on a swab to confirm it (which annoyed me - had to wait 4 days for the result which left me itchy as fuck and so sore from all the scratching!), and then had to fight to get the GP to prescribe my treatment - she said I should get something over the counter - wtf?! I have a maternity exemption certificate, why would I pay £15 over the counter?!

Thaleia, re the Baby Bjorn, if I remember correctly you're having a boy, and using them to carry a baby forward facing isn't meant to be great for little boys groin areas due to the shape. I found DS loved ours but once I found that out I stopped using it. Maybe see if you have a Sling library or Slingmeet group near you - you get to try different kinds and borrow them to try at home...

I am v excited that my nearest sling library is literally 15 mins walk from my house! Definitely going to go to Slingmeets too, but won't be buying a sling before birth, want to wait to go to the library to try different types on and see which ones we like or see which ones make baby scream blue murder when she's put in them

We are going to look at buggies tomorrow, though. yawns
I hate the idea of being presented with too much choice - reading the reviews just leaves me totally befuddled. Have told DH he needs to look at them all in depth and present me with the Ultimate Choice. I get the final rubber stamp of approval but he gets to do the research and the legwork..

laTrist I had thrush at the start of my pregnancy. Tried to buy treatment over the counter & was refused when I said I was pregnant. They said if they know a woman is pregnant they cannot sell them treatment by law.

I was so convinced i'd found my perfect sling in the babybjorn miracle carrier and now i am totally confused. I think i really will get a lot of use from a sling as we walk alot but I don't want anything thats bad for the baby. He is a boy, so the whole thing about hanging from his crotch is an issue.

Then i thought about the babasling after a recommendation. what do people think to that? will it be bad for my back to carry him on one shoulder???

Going to the babyshow tomorrow at the Excel, hoping to have a nice waddle round and look at all the stuff!!

I'm 32 weeks now, feels like an age to go, but really, only 8 more weeks, get a bit of a panic when i think about it, lots to do, but the baby is not going to care whether ive done them or no so I am trying to relax!!

Nice to hear how everyone is doing!!

hi ladies, i have a bit of pram trouble we ordered a i-candy cherry paid up front and we have quickly recieved the pushchair. But not the carry cot. We were origianally told it would be here after the pushchair about another 2-3 weeks. Because they are in short supply! The company rang the other day and now have expected delievery for 25th march! with my due date 28th march i getting a worried may be close, or come early and have NO carry cot.....

Im going purchess a sling when baby is here, and i have my sister's ball all blown up in the nursery. Are most of you them before, or just for the labour?

Hi again, really interesting to read how everyone is doing. Second baby and being back at work means no antenatal classes for me and I'm out of touch with other mums.
V envious of those relaxing on mat leave. I finish on March 22nd and am due April 15th, but expect Bean II to arrive at least a fortnight early as DD did. People at work have started checking on me regularly if I'm working on a room in my own "just in case"! Only worry is that I seem prone to over stretching/SPD type issues, and pulled a muscle in my back looking after DD the other day (so DH is carrying her up/downstairs etc for me when I'm home at weekends). Work is mentally tiring but looking after a 10 month old is physically tiring so I'm worried how I'll cope with her when I AM on mat leave.
Bean is v active, much wrigglier than DD was and I think my bump has dropped a bit, but don't know if Bean's still breach which is a worry.
Got to start looking for a second hand double buggy too (nothing wrong with second hand IME, DD got much nicer things second hand than we would ever have been able to afford new) - any ideas?
Oh, and I'm not weighing myself either, I daren't as I'm still carrying weight from DD as well as whatever I've put on this time :(

I'm going to be first to put a bet on as to when DS2 will arrive...
I'm saying he will be 2 days late like his brother, and be here 6 weeks today

Cubtrouble I've bought a babasling for this one, as long as you alternate shoulders I can't see it would be a problem.

Seeing as it's now getting pretty close, thought it might be handy to have the stats posted on this thread as well - which can then be magically updated as the April babies start to arrive (they could potentially start arriving any time in the next couple of weeks and be 'term'!)

I've also added myself, and I know there's one other poster who has said she would like to come and join us over here :)

30th march/ 1st April newmummyvicky
1st April caramel
1st April Empusa (27) Herts
1st April aprilfoolsbaby, 1 DD - 3.4 yrs
2nd April mumofwilliam, 1DS - 11 mo
2nd April LaTristesse (36) Kent, DS - 18 mo
2nd April squiggles2311, DS - 16 mo
2nd April Dollybird99
3rd April preggerscheggers, DD - 10 mo
4th April Sugar26
4th April Flisspaps - DD 2yo
5th April BeyondLimits (25), DS 10m, Newport
6th April BiscuitChart
7th April scratchviolet, DD - 19 mo
7th April AprilAl
7th April thinkoutofthetoybox, DS - 2.2
7th April itsgoodtotalk, DS - 2.8
8th April happydaysahead, 2 DS's, 1 DD
8th April spannermary (34) S Yorkshire
9th April StrandedInStLucia
9th April Cutelittlecatlover, DS - 21 mo
9th April Rowleyswifey
10th April vintagenancy
10th April splurs
11th April HollyPockett
11th April Essexmumma, 1DD - 16 mo
11th April SandyChick, DS - 4 yrs
11th April JemJar
12th April Kat2504
12th April Acceber, DD - 2.1 yrs
13th April whenskiesaregrey, DS - 2.1
14th April spout, DS - 2.1 yrs
14th April Piggymad
14th April SurpriSes, Kent, DD - 2.1 yrs
14th April mammyemcbe, 5DCs
15th April cheaperthantherapy, DD - 13 mo
16th April MrsY (27) Kent, daughter - 2.5 yrs
16th April Zwitterion, DD
16th April digitalgirl, DS - 3 yrs
16th April bushymcbush, DD - 3 yrs
16th April Bearcrumble (38) DS 18mo
19th April CubTrouble
19th April themightyskim,
21st April mackrelmint (29) London, DD-13mo
22nd April WhenDoISleep, DS - 2.6 yrs
22nd April Thepuddingchef, DS - 5 yrs, DD - 3 yrs
22nd April MichaelaS DS
22nd April totallygone
23rd April Bumpatron (38), DD 13 mo
24th April Gimmegimmegimme, DS - 4 yrs, DS - 23 mo
25th April Thusnelda (40) London, DD - Sep09
25th April KittyAnne
25th April helibee (28) DS- 4yrs
26th April JellytotZ, DD - 1.10 yrs
26th April Twittle, DS - 13 mo
26th April MeconiumHappens
29th April JackieJay (29) London
30th April Nordicmom (36) London, DS - 6,5 yrs
30th April Cosmicmouse, DD - 2.1
30th April elizabethtailored
April Thumbelina79
April Slinkysista DC
April Momface

tinwe also feeling slightly underprepared this being my second. Most of my friends that have needed double buggies have gone for the phil&teds sport.

fliss thanks for finding the list.

Vicky have you checked whether you can get the carrycot on eBay? Then maybe cancel the carrycot purchase from the other supplier and get your money back? Most people only use them for a few months till baby is big enough to sit up in the pushchair.

My moby arrived yesterday [excited face]! Need to wash it and study the wrap techniques. We were supposed to be getting all the baby clothes down from the loft this weekend but dh is still painting so will prob have to happen next weekend. I am shattered and ds has a temp so we're snuggled up on the sofa watching toy story 3 for the billionth time.

Anyone else waking up to discover they've been sleeping very comfortably on their back?