Due in August Thread... Part 6!

[ishopthereforeiam]

Hello ladies, come on in grab a , and/or ... rest those puffy cankles, sore bumps and aching backs and let's hope this thread sees the arrival of some babies!

Congratulations missjemima and welcome baby Felix!

West and ham I didn't know engaging was measured in 5ths! If I'm reading the notes right mine was 'brim' at my last appt at the weekend so does that mean only just starting to engage? What with that and the fact that I'm measuring a bit small I think I should prepare myself for going overdue! Will be upping the RLT from next week I think, but not quite yet as I have to be 37w for homebirth.

Just been to a baby first aid class this morning which was useful. I've done first aid before but it was good to have a refresher and put things into the context of babies and children.

Settling down with lunch and the Tour de France now with plans later to clean the bathroom and wash down the walls in the nursery ready for painting.

Congrats to MissJ welcome to little Felix, is a lovely name :)

I have next MW appt on Monday, looking forward to seeing her again as she's always re-assuring and full of good advice.

DS is going through a cute-but-potentially-bad phase at the moment. He keeps coming over for a hug or a kiss and telling me that he he is "mummy's baby". Didn't do that before, is only in past week or so, so I'm thinking he must be picking up on the fact that there will be an actual baby in the house soon. He's not quite 2 and a half yet, so he is still young, but any mention of him being a "big boy or big brother" are quickly shot down by him.

(33+5)

DSIS IS IN LABOUR!! I was spending the day with her but her BH turned into contractions that were getting worse and worse and closer and closer. Her DH is home now and he has taken over I'm so glad that I was able to be there for her and that she is FINALLY having her baby

That is brilliant frilly! Wow there's babies coming everywhere and it's not even a full moon! Hope all goes well and you become an auntie very soon.

Haha oh no west that sounds uncomfy! Mine does the opposite and likes to kick when DH touches bump... the fact he says "come on baby, kick mum" is a little remiss though ha :)

Does anyone else's baby like to stick a certain bit out all the time? Mine likes to stick it's bum out and I'll have this odd little round lump protruding hehehe

Yeah I think brim means just starting to go into pelvis panpipe. Mine was brim 4 weeks ago and is now 4/5 didn't take long and still 4 weeks to go. Apparently though it doesn't make much difference to when the baby will come and doesn't mean it will/won't go overdue though.

Go frilly Dsis... PUSH! let us know any exciting news!

FYI dates are really high in iron. They also are mentioned in the bible 50 times and can be 7cm long. Not that I've been wikipedia-ing my food or anything >stuffs mouth full of dates

Ham, yes I have a heel that sticks out at the top but also will sometimes be pushed out of the side which feels a bit like a stitch.

Glimpers where are you having the baby? I can't believe they won't let you use the MLU at 10.1 iron. At my hospital 9.5 is the cut off. You are not that far off anyway and you will catch up.

Marmite hope you are feeling better.

ham glad the itch is nothing serious an hope it clears up soon. Btw, my baby also likes to stick her bum out.

panpipe well done for the first aid, it is so essential, I am scared to death of babies choking as I saw my niece choke once. Hope you never get to use your skills, but it must be a source of peace of mind knowing that if it comes to it you are ready.

I had really really reduced movement since yesterday so when I went to my appointment the consultant sent me off to get a scan done. All was well. But turns out the baby's estimated weight is 3 kilos 210 grams (7 pounds 1oz). I am 36+4 and at this rate I will have a 10 pounder . would be lying if I said I wasn't scared a bit of giving birth to a massive baby.

Can someone tell me how does the MW check how engaged the baby is? I looked at my notes and there is nothing about being or not being engaged.

Congrats Frilly's sis! how exciting!

Ham - hadn't realised iron supplements could cause sickness but that explains the bad reflux / sick in mouth (sorry tmi!) last night...

80s - i think elective c/s depends on your local hospital policy. Worth asking on your next visit. Someone at work gave birth to an 11 lber on gas and air(!)...

needles so odd that you mention DS' change. DD (18mo) has become super clingy in the last week and a half, I know she knows it's all about to change! We've been trying to ease her in by leaving baby things around and saying they're for her brother / the baby etc. She was never that clingy before but now cries when I leave her at nursery (never did before!) and always wants me (not even DH!) to pick her up which is exhausting with this bump...

Warzone can't remember this time around but previously midwife put her hands very low to feel how low down the baby is into your pubic bone area i.e. to see how engaged the head is. They always seem to count it in 5ths so 1/5th is head is down but not locked in yet, 5/5ths is head is right down there!

Like ishop said warzone just feeling with her hand really low down. In my notes there is a catagory called "fifths palpable" which was always "free" and now is "4/5ths" since baby engaged. My MW has been checking where the head is each time I go and telling me what position baby is in.

Going to in-laws for dinner tonight. Kind of can't be bothered feeling dead tired but will have a nice time when there I'm sure. I want to sleeeeep!

Yay for frilly's sis!! Can't wait to hear of another baby on this thread.
warzone I am in Swindon and apparently it's their policy I wouldn't mind but my levels were a lot lower when pg with DD (between 8 and 9) and they never said anything about it being a serious issue, but then the MLU wasn't there then so it never became a factor I guess. Which hospital are you with then?
Not too chuffed at hearing the iron supps can make acid/ reflux worse, am on Zantac and going through a 500ml bottle of gaviscon a week as it is
Oh well, not long to go I guess, although on my notes from my appt today baby isn't even engaged off to eat biscuits to make me feel better

Warzone, they start to check for engaged around 34 weeks I think... Measured by feeling for baby's head near ur pubic bone. Is your baby head down yet? There is a section on your notes where they write it in. Ask your midwife next time you go in. I can definitely feel its different, feeling a bit saddle sore and there is more waddling going on... also loo trips have shot up.

I'm now lying down on the sofa as I realised hadn't felt LO much today. So ate a chocolate bar and had some orange juice (sugar fest)... he then started kicking me so bad in my ribs that it bought tears to my eyes

ham and warzone my bump is another one that likes to stick its bum out, especially first thing in the morning! There's a definite sticking out to the left a lot of the time.

And hurrah frillysis! She must have been completely fed up bless her!

ham sorry to burst your bubble but if your notes say 4/5th palpable then your baby's head is only 1/5th engaged. Palpable means how much of the head they can feel above the pelvis. The reason they measure in 5ths is because each 5th is roughly a finger as babies head is roughly the size of an adult hand (assume female as this can vary a lot).

God so tired this afternoon and only went to town and back. Must be my hill that's killing me. Poor ds gets sooo neglected.

ishop yes, DS is wanting only me at the moment, poor DH is pushed away. I sort of thought it was cuz I'm a SAHM and DS is so used to be being around and doing everything for him, but 'glad' to know your DD is the same despite her going to nursery and being used to others around.

He was always an affectionate boy, but now he's getting very kissy and wanting to watch himself in the hall mirror and mirrored bedroom sliderobes while he hugs me (By the way, this is DS I'm talking about, not DH!!)

Glimpers I'm not sure if this is true or not, but I was reading in a book that for first time mums the bump engages weeks before labour starts, but for subsequent labours the baby might not engage till hours before. That could be why your baby isn't engaged yet.... or he/she is just holding back to annoy you

MissJ - congratulations. Hope my labour is as quick. Felix is a lovely name - doesn't it mean happy?

Ham - appalled about your bile results taking so long and not coming back last time. Normally mine is back within a hour or two (though when I actually had OC they missed it and forgot to let me know - classic) I'm amazed they would say it takes a week. Is yours a small hospital? Mine's a big city one with own labs which may be making the difference. Its a good sign your other function tests are clear though as a lot of my liver functions were/ are abnormal or as my consultant calls it "deranged". Have they given you anything at all for the itching at least - I've been prescribed anti-histimines and consultant told me it's quite safe to take priton if that helps to know.

Today's the first day this week I've managed to do more than drag myself through school run and / or hospital appoinntment and sit on the sofa itching, scratching and aching. I managed to go out for lunch with friend and we went for a walk afterwards and it was so lovely to spend time with a human being. Then managed to take DD to her swimming lesson after school which was great because she got her stage 3 certificate - very proud of her as she has really really struggled with swimming in past.

Wow Missj congrats!!! Hope mine is as quick!

And Frilly can't wait to hear about DSIS. It's all go on here at the mo!!!

Not much happening this end except had a gp 34 week appt and am measuring 2 cm small which is fine, and it's head down, which I'm delighted about after DS2's breech position! Think it is back to back though but not worried yet as have a consultant check in 2 weeks and am gonna make them scan me to check positioning as am paranoid (DD1 was a back to back birth). Am getting bruised from all the kicking tonight, think it liked the choc bar I just ate .

34+3

just checking in to say 'night and all of a sudden I am so swollen! my legs and ankles all of a sudden have got huge (!) - water retention starting/increasing perhaps?

Wow. A few days away and I miss yet another baby announcement! Congrats! Hopefully I'll catch frilly's sister's news.

And I think you are doing great poppy :)

I've started getting the itch now... we isn't concerned yet so not worrying myself but I am booked in for a scan today to check if I have excess fluid. Hmm oh well. I still feel very comfy with this pregnancy. Hoping it stays that way.

And I also haven't been told anything about baby being engaged.

Not we! Mw as in midwife! Phones are too intelligent for their own good.

Ug, I'm tired! One more getty up!

Ahh confused now susie ... it does say 4/5 in the box called "fifths palpable" but the MW said it was really low and 4/5 and I asked if it would drop any more and she said only a tiny amount which made me think it was only 1/5 lower to go... will ask in two weeks which way she means!

I've read that about subsequent babies not engaging til right at the end too needles for any yet unengaged.

"deranged" ontheedge they could put it nicer than that!! Apparently they only do bile tests once a week and at a different hospital so have to wait. They told me in hospital my iron was fine but then my MW today told me it was borderline so that may account for feeling so crap so maybe that will explain it. As for the itch who knows, it was better yesterday as much cooler. They gave me piriton but it didn't help, just knocked me out!! Congrats on your DD's swimming success :)

ishop keep an eye on the swelling, if you puffed up all of a sudden it can be sign of pre-eclampsia... check you've not got any of the other warning signs just incase!

Feeling better now and out to play giant snakes and ladders today... part of volunteering at museums I'm doing to try and make myself employable (plus get to play oversized board games!!)

Dunno ham my mw said his head was in a bit and then she had put 4/5 ths I was shocked and said his head can't be that far in that's why I looked it up and found out it was the opposite it what it said if you know what I mean. Notes should be explained better I think dunno why your own medical info is always a state secret or seems to be. Most people are intellegent enough to understand!

Arrrg itchy this morn but eyes and throat so I know mine is just hayfever! Still annoying tho!! And my sinusis hurt yesterday which I know is hayfever related!

frilly and news from your sis all seems to have gone quiet?

Oh yeah 2nd babies are suppose to engage at the last minute which is why I think mine might be a bit early as already starting to go. But ds was 10 days early so if missj is anything to go by I will expect the same.

susie I know they never tell you anything unless you prod them!!

Has anyone on here claimed Maternity Allowance? Any advice? I'm going to claim it as work (very very) part time but not eligible for SMT as it is a fixed term position, even though renewed yearly. I'm a bit concerned as my hours vary very significantly as it is a job mentoring students and I rarely work in non-term times! I feel as though someone on our thread applied and got kicked back and then appealed and go it... :)

Thanks ham - that's a good point. last mw check my blood pressure was normal... have def got swollen legs, face, hands etc but thought that was just usual as had similar with dd (couldn't wear rings etc in the last month)... did have blood in urine but think that's ok as protein in urine is more of a worry for pre-eclampsia.

watching OBEM and a c/s why do this to myself! would rather not know what will happen!

Hi everyone, hope everyone is good today x

Ham I need to look into maternity allowance as I'm freelance and want to take 2 weeks off completely as maternity leave. So I'll be researching my eligibility in next few days.

2 weeks sounds so little time but I guess as a freelance working at home part time I can try and fit everything around work too and so I might be doing bits and pieces in the night and then DH might take LO for a few weekend mornings and I can do a bit more work. Although the mw yesterday scared me slightly about how much work there is to breastfeed and I guess the washing and all the other things that I don't know about until it happens. So realistically taking 2 weeks only, is a complete silly plan!

Mw yesterday said that LO is 2/5ths engaged and has written in my notes 3/5ths. The scan last week said she was 1/5th engaged and so she seems to have done another 1/5 in a week. Perhaps 3/5ths next week as seeing another mw again!
Also measuring exactly 35 weeks, bp higher but all okay. However I am still growing to grow a few more cms and not quite sure there's any more give in belly!
I was told to start practising trying to manually express breast milk and also saw my specialist nurse who has dropped off an electric breast pump , wow, it's all getting very close now!

ishop my swelling started at 33 weeks and has been better if I drink more water, slept a bit the night before and have been active. I'm getting bad for sitting in one spot and then regretting it as my hips then ache and then feet are all puffy. One thing that has helped is putting my feet up on DH at night. Not sure he likes it, although he says he does, and then he gets to tickle them too! ha ha, it's lovely. He's now threatened to give them a pedicure as he can see them and I think they need a bit of TLC! Hmm, Dh with scissors on my feet, aghhhhh!

Hope your hayfever is not too bad susie!