Graduated Elderberries (numero 3)

[BraveLilBear]

Welcome back oh graduated elderberries. Let us discuss the delights of being over-30 first-timers with google obsessions

I second the flight socks advice Janey. I wore the socks on the flight to Spain even though I thought my MW was being ridiculous insisting I wear them as it's only a few hours but my ankles still swelled slightly how wrong I was. I carried on wearing them for 3 or 4 days after I got back and my ankles went back down to pretty much normal size. I think some swelling is completely normal in the third trimester, but it's how to tell between what's normal and what's worth phoning someone over? I have still got some swelling I think because the tops of socks leave a dent now whereas they don't normally.

On my trip to A&E they told me to keep an eye on the swelling, and to rush back in if it gets to the point where you leave a dent if you press on it with a finger, or if it's accompanied by vomiting (hence I was sent to A&E last time) or severe headaches or funny vision.

This is just plan, old, unattractive swelling I think. LOVELY.

Will dig out the flights socks later. DP is going to find me irresistible tonight!

Oh Janey that doesn't sound fun. Might be worth calling MW if it gets any worse... Of course, after your OH has had the chance to lust after your beflight-socked status

Fingers crossed it comes down soon...

Just got back from the city centre (on leave today, lush) and have returned in a depressed state at the lack of available mat clothes on the high street and the fact that the place where I was going to get my nails done is closed. Also actually nearly cried when I saw how much Gaviscon cost in Tesco. Hormonal, much?

News article today on delayed cord clamping

I have got it in my birth preferences that clamping should be delayed until the cord has stopped pulsating unless there is medical emergency which requires clamping sooner.

I'm the same brave with the hormones - just lurked on my old ttc thread and found myself in floods of tears! Part sympathy, part fear of being back there.

Had the wright stuff on in the background earlier (working from home) and someone was talking about a new thing where people keep their baby attached to the umbilical cord until it comes away on its own!! For like a week! Won't be doing that. But yes, must remember to put delayed clamping on my list along with skin to skin.

brave - excellent use of the word lush . You know you can get gaviscon on prescription for free with your maternity card though? It's soooo expensive, and I'm getting through so much! Little tip though - I HATE gaviscon due to the texture, it feels a bit sticky and plastic-like and all very wrong, makes me want to vom. So if you're getting a prescription, and are not fussed for gaviscon, try asking for magnesium trisilicate. Does exactly the same, but is more watery somehow. Also tastes gross and weirdly minty, with a chalky after-taste, but for me is nowhere near as bad...

Yes, I'd been thinking about that too cavort, seems like a no-brainer. Can you still donate the remaining cord blood after this? Although is it true you can only do this in certain hospitals? As my aunty had leukemia, and her life was saved by the kindness of an anonymous stranger (none of us matched) I'd be keen to donate cord blood if at all possible. Really ought to read up on all this...

Just checked, there are only six hospitals you can donate the blood in (they take the blood left in the placenta too, not just the umbilical cord, so doesn't sound like delayed clamping would affect it). Seems a bit useless really. Oh well.

But if anyone is interested, these are the hospitals:

Barnet General Hospital
Northwick Park Hospital, Harrow
Luton and Dunstable Hospital
Watford General Hospital
St George's Hospital, London
University College Hospital, London

Thanks for the link Cavort will defo be pushing for that.

And will see if I can get a Gaviscon script from the midwife on Wednesday and will just be extra careful what I eat til then. I actually don't mind the liquid too much - texture is like calpol which I wrongly love

Just seen pics of the Duchess on the BBC website looking amazing on a tour of some film studios. Cried again. Am off to find some hobnobs, that'll make it all better, right?

I bloody hate her

How bloody dare she look so bloomin' lovely. By this stage she surely ought to have reptilian, dry skin on her legs (preferably which is incredibly itchy too, hey), mahoosive leaking boobs, a transverse baby that makes her look more 'wide' than 'pregnant', swollen ankles and feet.. you get my drift.

Hmmm does that count as treason?!

Lol - if it does, I'll come with you to the Tower

I'm usually a big fan, but my hormones have sent me out on strike today!

If any of us are Kate in disguise my money's on Hazle. None of the rest of us have been so problem-free like Kate seems to be. The whole France thing is just a front to throw us off the scent

I really hope Kate has some kind of non-visible pregnancy problem, like piles or varicose veins on her thighs, just to make her seem more normal. Evil, I know.

Piles. Yes, piles. 'Tis only fitting she has them. Lots.

Oh, unless hazle is indeed Kate. Then I'd feel mean for having wished piles on one of our gang.

cavort I think you might be right. Am going to start doing curtsies all over the thread from now on.

you mean "if any of us looks like they ate Kate"

She had HG that required hospital treatment, so we shouldn't be too jealous.

I haven't seen the news yet today but I will be watching closely to see if she's walking funny

Yeah my DSIL was hospitalised several times with both of her pregnancies due to HG and it sounds horrendous. More common if you're very underweight or overweight apparently. DSIL is teeny tiny skinny, and the worry is then that you've no reserves to really keep you going. Ha, I wouldn't have had that problem...
But still hazle Kate M could make an effort to try to appear slightly less together and glam, just to make the rest of us feel a bit better

On a slightly different non-hemorrhoidal note, when do you think it's sensible to kindly request your OH refrains from getting shitfaced going out and rendering himself useless in the event that you should go into labour?

DH went out last night straight from work (he now has an office an hour away) and apparently got to bed (in a Travelodge near work) at 4am. First thing this morning he could barely speak as he was presumably still pissed and I just spoke to him and he sounds as rough as a badger's arse, having limped feebly through his working day and just wants to go to bed.

I don't have any particular issue with this per se (in fact I am quite jealous as I would kill for a night like that at the moment), but he does this a couple of times a month so how late in my pregnancy is it reasonable for me to say he needs to stay sober enough to support me in labour and have a contingency plan for getting back home if he is over the drink drive limit?

Ahhh that's better, an afternoon of driving around in the sports car with the roof down in the south Devon sunshine then a yummy lunch, much better than going to work. Just think, if you could only fit a pram in the boot I could spend the whole summer doing this... but you can't I will put it up for sale soon honest!

I have managed to avoid seeing a single 'Kate' picture this whole time, I do NOT need to know that the taller, thinner, prettier, swisher haired version of me also looks better than me pregnant. Although my mother tells me she looks fabulous. And thinner than me. Although that could be because she's been puking her guts up and I haven't and my hair would totally be as swishy as hers if I had a top stylist like she undoubtably has so there.

I reckon he's got time for a few more benders yet Cavort but maybe he could stay sober from about 38 weeks just in case?

I think sober 36 weeks onwards. 37 is classed as technically full term isn't it? To be fair DP has been pretty awesome, has properly cut down on going out and barely does these days. In fact the only time he has in the last couple of months I had to call him home to come with me to a&e.

Hmmm, I think maybe staying sober enough to drive while away from home is probably sensible from about 36 weeks. If he's local I don't suppose it really matters if he's over the drink drive limit so long as he's not plastered and therefore useless to me. The hospital is only a few miles away so we could get a taxi or a lift. I don't know if that attitude is too generous though? After all I am doing 40 weeks on the wagon and getting fat for the greater good of his baby so the least he can do is the last month with me (well maybe not the getting fat bit).

I am going to start packing my hospital bag tomorrow

DHs niece was born at 33 weeks so I think it's about time for the future dad to stop getting shitfaced, you never know. If we can manage without it for 9 months, they can do a couple as well.

Just got back from the hairdressers (at last my roots are gone!) - I ended up blabbing to my hairdresser about being pregnant and he told me the story about his wife's two births which I had to share! Apparently the first one, she went in to labour and three hours later the baby was out, the second one, she went into labour at 5pm and an hour later the baby "popped" out - she didn't even have time for gas and air! Right, this is the type of birth I'm signing up for!

Yes, book me in for one of those please!

So annoyingly, my new doctors (different borough) said that they don't refer for reassurance scans despite my history (which also includes now ongoing CBT for depression/anxiety which arose as a result of the MC, ffs). So my only option is to self-refer to EPAU at Guys, which means turning up and waiting, and either lying and saying I have spotting or hoping that they will scan me just to reassure. Or shelling out for a private scan so that I can at least have an appointment and not have to take half a day off work. Grrr.

Alex, was the place you went to in London?

Or just trying to chill out and wait til 12 weeks of course (Janey not sure how you managed that!)