April 2013 part six...what does the third trimester have in store?

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Whoops 30+5!

aw thank you all for the reassurance, I just feel so silly. Especially this week, its like everything started to come into place & I'm really happy but I feel like a little toddler getting over excited then getting over tired & crying!

Edin I'm going to be near Edinburgh I think, assuming all goes well with the flat we found. Just over the Forth bridge. We are only renting but its right next to train station (that links to London!) & a small high street. Hoping to go to the royal infirmary if am allowed to pick although its an expensive cab ride away so I hope I'm not one of those people with 20 false alarms before proper labour!

Faith I know what you mean about the bump preceding you, I keep bumping mine into things as I forget how far out I stick. At some point in this pregnancy I will have a very valid excuse not to wash up as I'm standing too far away from the kitchen sink.

29 weeks!

jacqueline so glad to hear scan went well-you must be on a real high. I'm bricking it for mine this afternoon but every time I think about it bambino gives me a v robust kick-like to think s/he is telling me not to worry :-)

On hospital bag-I've not even thought of that yet though a lovely friend whose 2nd is a few months old has kept me all her left over 'bits' I'm likely to need, which is fab. Was waiting til we can finally unpack and sort nursery-have various bits (ex most of the early days clothes) sorted but the bedroom needed to be painted first. DH had started but progress was slow with work etc so we resorted to getting a guy in to do it. He literally just left so we're ready to roll! Really looking foreard to seeing it all come together :-)

Aaaah 'left over bits'!! Just realised the possible double entendre...mean spare nightie, disposible pants, pads, lansinoh etc. Sorry pregnancy brain :-)

oooh good luck with growth scans those having them, I didn't see! How exciting to get an extra look now.

I'm off for my anti D in a minute... its going to be my bum isn't it? gah, there is someone on pregnancy forums I noticed who seems to have about 2 anti D a week, so I keep telling myself it won't be that bad.

username I have my anti-d this afternoon too, after the scan. Didn't realise it's on the bum. Haven't had an injection there since I was a kid! Good luck :-)

username and always I had my anti-d a couple of weeks ago and was very nervous about it being in my bum so I asked the midwife and she said I could choose were to have it. I had it in my arm and it hurt a bit when it went in but was absolutely fine after, unlike my whooping cough which I had weds afternoon and is still achey!

Is anyone going to a birthing centre instead of labour ward? My hospital has both and I don't know what to choose (I'm low risk so can go to either). This is my first so haven't had any bad hospital experiences yet, but I'm a bit scared to (I was terrified of hospitals till I got pg and had to go for appointments). Any recommendations?!

29+5 (ahhhhhhhhhh nearly 30 weeks!!!!!!!)

Thanks birdbrain. Tbh I just don't like injections (does anybody?!) but it's more the embarrassment factor with the bum of having to lean over and show a cheek! I guess pregnancy means getting used to handing over your dignity quite a bit!

Hi all,

Gad my 28 week appt today (week late due to car shenanigans last week) BP, urine and HB all fine

Measuring 30 cm, and had my GTT too.

Popped to Boots for a prescription, got some maternity pads and witch hazel and dummies.

Great question birdbrain, I need to choose between midwife led unit or ward, anyone have any advice? My concern is not being able to transfer if I want/need/can have an epidural!

29 weeks today
6.5 weeks left at work!!!

Well, as someone who doesn't have the choice because I'm high risk, I can tell you that I'd definitely go MW led if I could. Your chances of medical intervention shoot up just because your are in the more medicalised environment. That means you're likely to end up with more drugs, more fetal monitoring, higher chance of forceps or other intervention.

Obviously in some situations these things are a necessity and then of course you go with it. But studies seem to sugggest that the correlation between interventions is higher than can be explained by the number of higher risk cases that are in consultant led environments. Maybe doctors just like doctoring!

You are also unlikely to have the choice of a waterbirth for example because most hospital / consultant led environments don't even have them.

As we will practically be neighbours username the offer definitely still stands if there's any info or anything I can help with. I see we are due quite close together too, maybe we will end up in the Royal together!?! I love that going there lets you have the option to go to the MW led birthing centre - I'm trying not to pin my hopes on it in case it is full, but I think I'd opt for it if I can. It's only a stones throw from the medical wards too, so you can always transfer if you need to. I had the choice to chose the Royal or St Johns in Livingston, but I'm not sure how it will work in Fife - they are a different NHS Board so not sure how far your choice will extend? Fingers crossed you will get what you want.

Happy Burns night to you all (well, thought I might as well since there are Scottish smileys [bgrin] and (hmmmm) Scottish [bbiscuit]

mama, great to hear how you and Alexander are getting on. Great that he is feeding. Good luck to you with the physio, I hope it isn't too exhausting.

username, moving is super stressful and it must be even more so when you're pg, take it easy on yourself. Re travelling down to London, I started a thread on the pregnancy board about travelling to a wedding by train when LO is around 2 months. DH and I discussed it and decided it just wasn't possible but with everyone's advice on the thread we're feeling really positive about it and are planning to go. It can be done it seems.

I haven't started a hospital bag yet, still gathering baby bits and hoping to get more shopping done this weekend.

Hi all,
Not started on hospital bag yet- though it's very useful to know you're all getting on with it- need to get my butt in gear!

There's a mw led birthing centre not too far from us, and I've heard really good things about them- but I think I,m still going for the local hospital. I'm nervous about the whole thing, and I don't want to add any extra anxiety to the next 10 weeks. I know that dh was keen for the mw unit, but I've sort of over ruled him.

Interested if any first timers are going to try a mw unit. As it is, the mw unit is in a different local authority (though it's only 20 minutes away) but if I had to be transferred somewhere then it would be to a hospital about an hour away.

X

Hi all, you all seem to be having so many appointments, scans and injections. Not much going on here so feeling a bit left out . Maybe it is because I am only 26 weeks?

Had 20 week scan and they said I wouldnt need another one and midwife appointments now start to be every 3 weeks.

Not even considered hospital bag yet, still have so many baby bits to get and need to decorate the nursery still!

What is GTT you are all talking about?? Is there something I should be having..

GTT glucose tolerance test, think they only off it to you if you are high risk of developing diabetes, ie family history etc, or have glucose in your urine sample.

birdbrain I am tentatively opting for the midwife led unit at the local 'womens hospital', it's only one floor down from the obstetrician led ward. There is a 'birthing centre' but it's 5miles away, and if I'm going to be outside of the hospital environment I'd rather be at home!
(On a related note I wonder if I am mad for thinking I'll be able to walk to the hospital when I'm in labour?! It's 0.8mile...!)

Haven't bought any of the 'big stuff' (cot/pram/furniture/toys) yet, but do have some newborn sized nappies and plenty of newborn/0-3m sized sleep suits!
I am watching a cot or 7 on eBay, and we've decided to go for the bugaboo cameleon 3 (all black if they're in stock!) pram. Definitely need to buy a couple of chests of drawers. Trying not to think about how unprepared we are at the moment...!

7 weeks left at work (finishing Fri 15th March) and most weeks have a day off to use up leftover holiday. The next 2 weeks are full on though, already dreading Monday!

Have a great weekend all! x

30+2

I have had an horrendous day so this post is likely to be mememe....

I had my appointments for the second steroid injection today (helps the lungs develop in preparation for this baby doing the same as my others and coming early) and my GTT (for which my only 'marker' is that I am 40 and risks increase over the age of 37).

I had the first steroid injection yesterday. They are in the bum as the needle is 'chunky' but was fine as is in the top of the buttock so you don't actually show any cheek

My GTT was meant to be done last week but was cancelled cos of the snow.

So, at every point, I mentioned that I had both tests/jabs scheduled for the same time and checked that this was ok. I must admit, that I was checkign more that I would have time to do both.

Anyway, go to antenatal - check in - remind them I have steroid injection upstairs in maternity unit. Yes, all fine - have bloods and GTT sugar drink then go up for jab. So that is what I do - then get upstairs, wait in lounge/breakfast area smelling of toast (great after my 10 hour fast!) and go through for jab. When she says it won't take much time out of my day I respond with info about being on GTT downstairs. Okay - jab done. Enjoy the two hour 'rest' downstairs...

Back downstairs - check in - fine, sit and wait - get out kindle.

Then a MW comes to find me for the injection - tell her I have had it upstairs as had first there yesterday so was checked onto their computer as appointment was before start of her shift. All fine, just checking she was not keeping me waiting - take a seat...wait...

10 minutes later same MW calls me through for a chat - had been through my notes and noticed I had had steroids and sugar drink for GTT - these are 'incompatible' because steroids raise the blood sugar so me and baby are going to have a 'crazy sugar high today!' By the time she called me through, she had already put a call through to the consultant as she was simply going off her own experience of 38 years on the unit, her own Gestational diabetes and the fact that her two grandchildren were born early.

Consultant returns call - yes - steroids will return test results say I am diabetic - should not have been given together (or even within at least 4 days of each other!) did I mention to anyone I was having both? Explained how I had literally mentioned to everyone over the past week since the first GTT was cancelled/postponed.

He admits they need to change protocol and ensure that all people are aware that these tests are incompatible. Is not frequent that people need them both - one is for diabetes and one for prematurity - so two separate 'sides' of the coin. The GTT needs to be done again - next Friday (3rd time lucky?) as if they use today's results I will definitely be diagnosed with GD and will be called onto the ward for 7 days to have insulin treatment due to the fact of having had steroids and preemies...

So they monitored me for a while - baby fine but VERY active - that will calm down they say but I need to take it easy and try to balance my sugar intake so my body can process the huge sugar rush they have given me/baby. Baby will eventually settle - may go very quiet for a while but should be back to normal movements by the end of the weekend. If I have any worries I should give the maternity unit a call over the weekend and they will bring me in for monitoring again.

Sorry for mammoth post (feel free not to read but DP does not 'get it' - whole other ASD thread!) so is just helping to get it out of my system.

Got to work at lunch time - walked into staffroom to a cheer as my TA team ( I have between 3-5 adults in my room at any time due to SEN children (am a teacher) was so happy to see me as the guy who had been covering my class is a challenge - and then they went onto ask all about baby - so I burst into tears and fled to the loo

Anyway, eventually calmed down, missed most of assembly and leaver's presentation for teacher finishing today but managed to pull myself together to hold a short celebration for a boy who is leaving today - was not in the mood to actually teach!

School was great - SMT said I could go home, no worries, call in sick on Monday if things still feel strange, no worries about needing another morning off next Friday (as I teacher I don't get AL so they just have to pay to cover my class) which is saying a huge thing right now as school is not a great place to be and morale in general is awful!

Thanks for reading if you got this far...

Roll on the weekend.

first antenatal class tonight - told to get our bags packed so that's my job this weekend.

sorry you have had a stressful day today dysgu take it easy this weekend x

mama love your updates - so glad that you are both doing so well x

LikeCandy "On a related note I wonder if I am mad for thinking I'll be able to walk to the hospital when I'm in labour?! It's 0.8mile...!"

In a word, yes you are mad to consider this

Unless you have a reason to be called in earlier, the hospital won't want you in until your contractions are pretty well established. They expect you to be unable to speak to them mid-contraction (if they have you on the phone assessing whether you should come in), and for you to be having 3 every 10 minutes IIRC. There's no way I'd want to be walking down the road like that!

Can you get a friend / family member to give you a lift? Or get a cab perhaps?

Dysgu how frustrating! Thank goodness you came across someone who had a clue, but that's not good enough, not at all.

If you feel up to it, you should make a complaint, it might spur them to change their practices.

I hope you have a nice relaxing weekend, and do take Monday off if you feel you need it.

aufaniae I assumed that would be the case! DH has said that a taxi or hiring a car are the best options for us but I'm just concerned about making a mess if my waters break...!
Walking home after should be ok though, right?!

Um, no walking home after either, sorry! I admire your optimism!

Well, I wouldn't rely on it anyway.

My lady bits were very sore afterwards. ("Normal" vaginal birth with episiostomy. No tearing.) I needed help getting into and out of the car. Walk home? For me, no way!

I suppose this does differ for different people. But you may well have an episostomy, your bits may hurt for one reason or another and you may have a C-section.

You really need to at least have a plan to be driven home, and don't forget your baby needs to be in a car seat. (It's the law! As well as very sensible of course).

You could take a towel to sit on in the cab for the way there perhaps, just in case.

Hiring a car could work, however check out the parking situation at the hospital.

The best thing IMO is to get a friend / family member to drive you, is there any possibility of this?

I can't sleep-boo!

I'm 30 weeks as of midnight-yea!!

30+0

dysgu that sounds like an absolute farce. I did my gtt a couple of weeks ago (standard for everyone here) and baby went so mad I was convinced she was going to burst her way out alien style before the sugar hit wore off. Glad school were understanding.

likecandy I wouldn't bank on being able to walk to hospital during labour. My friend lives about 500m from her local hospital and she did walk when in labour with her first. She didnt manage it with her second.....labour progressed much quicker than she'd thought it would and by the time they were ready to leave the house she wasnt up for any kind of walking. You might find walking almost a mile at full term difficult enough without factoring in having to stop for contractions every couple of minutes. I'd plan on getting a taxi and take a towel to sit on if you're worried about mess. Tbh you wouldn't be the first woman to have her waters break in a taxi if it did happen, but it's unlikely anyway. As for getting home, you might feel up to it, you might not. If you don't want to get a car seat just for that one journey, then your DH could push baby home in the pram while you go in a taxi.

Only three weeks of work left for me and they finally called me yesterday to say they've got my maternity cover sorted. They really know how to leave things to the last minute It's too late for a proper hand over now, so I'm just going to have to leave her a lot of notes to read instead.

30 weeks today........the end feels worryingly close now

Thank you kellestar and anyone else who mentioned witch hazel. I stocked up in preparation for after the birth but it occurred to me it might help me now with various problems. I can report that a day of using it (either dabbing on with cotton wool or putting on panty liner) has totally cured all itching, swelling and soreness in the genital area and totally cured my piles.

I also have a rash down my left leg that nothing could cure. I put some witch hazel on yesterday and already it has stopped itching and is a shadow of its former self.

I will be buying some more!

Like others on this thread I feel like we haven't bought enough stuff. Thinking of buying a bouncing chair but not sure what to go for. I am constantly watching cots on eBay but not buying. And I haven't packed my hospital bag yet either.

Also grappling with hospital vs birthing centre decision. No cs or epidural at birthing centre which should be fine but they do send you home after a few hours. No overnight stay. And if something is wrong with baby they don't have all the equipment to deal with it.

30+1. Feels so close now. These decisions seem important now.