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Connect with mums-to-be with similar due dates to share experiences and support.

July 2013 - thread 7 - and we're still talking as we enter the 3rd trimester

991 replies

Persuasion · 15/04/2013 16:36

We've managed to fill yet another thread, so here is a new one to keep chatting away on...

And the stats list is here

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
VinegarDrinker · 09/05/2013 07:17

Yep, I'm awake by 6 without being woken by alarm/DS every morning now, most annoying.

Still crap at getting up and out the door though!

32+2 today

PhieEl06 · 09/05/2013 08:26

Morning ladies I was up at 4 this morning, very hot & stuffy night & OH was tossing & turning which kept waking me up, in the end I got up with my pillow & a blanket & lay on the sofa, by this point though I was wide awake. Sad Will definitely be needing a nap later! May go & sit on the patio though now as the sun is out & eat my breakfast out there.

re impatient/how long left I can't believe I only have nearly 10 weeks left, I feel like I have so much to do! It will be like 9 weeks when I get home, starting to become a bit real. I haven't been in denial at all Smile

BB01 · 09/05/2013 10:47

Enjoying catching up with everyone's news!

Reading through the posts makes me realise just how close we are getting now - really is exciting.

I've already had quite a moan on Facebook so I'll try to spare you all a bit! Decided to start my leave earlier than planned at end of this week after a horrible incident with an aggressive client and then new worries over the baby's weight making me just feel I couldn't cope with being there. It's a massive massive relief as my head just isn't in the right place at the mo for the work I was needing to be doing. Luckily I work 1 day freelance so will still be able to keep that up and feel like I'm doing something.

Hai I hope the tiredness doesn't get you down too much. Also was starting to get impatient last week like you and wishing it was time for little one to make an appearance! Sorry to hear about the doubts on the house move and hope you manage to rope somebody in to help you.

DH and I have been really enjoying the NCT classes. Teacher and other couples are so much less hippy than we feared they may be and we're probably the most 'out there' couple there! Think I understand about not really getting that much concrete info though which some people mention. Seems to be more about being empowered to have the birth you want but sometimes they do seem to skim over facts and figures a bit. Also think our facilitator is very knowledgeable but maybe unused to having such an inquisitive group. We are constantly running behind schedule due to all the questions and think we all forget she's not actually a health care professional sometimes. Also can understand the criticisms that some people make about NCT making you feel a failure if you have to have a birth with interventions etc. We were really hoping for a home birth before our course started and it just made us want one even more when we attended the classes as although she doesn't really push her opinions it is clear she thinks home births are great and the less interventions the better. Now we are looking like we'll have to have a hospital birth and be constantly monitored etc I do feel so so disappointed and feel though I wouldn't have this crushing disappointment if natural births weren't promoted so much!!!

Really good to hear about people's hypnobirthing experiences. Thinking I'll definitely get onto this now I have more time and hoping it might help me relax more about prospect of hospital birth. Has anyone used an app, book or cd?

Argh Slouching and Photographer I feel people's pain over bump comments - they don't seem to tail off at all do they as you progress. I feel even more sensitive now as baby is smaller than it should be and don't want to regale every tom dick and harry with the details!! I agree it's ridiculous though when you get one comment saying you're tiny then another saying you're huge.

Icing I hope your sleep issues get better soon. Sure you've tried everything already but I am finding pilates seems to really help me feel less achy and therefore more comfy and fresh air makes me feel nicely sleepy. I'm finding I sleep better when I know DH is in bed already so rather than going up to bed early I snooze on the sofa for a good hour or so most nights while he watches TV. It's not ideal as then have to get up and go to bed later, and sure the sleep quality's not as good, but it has the added bonus that by the time I go to bed properly I know I've already managed to get some shut eye and that makes me worry less about getting to sleep.

dinkystinky · 09/05/2013 12:07

BB01 - Roll on maternity leave! I did a course but you could just get the hypnobirthing book and CD. Dont seem to be many Apps out there. There is also Natal Hypnotherapy which does a CD for preparation for births in birth centres/hospitals. CD is great for falling asleep to!
Glad you're enjoying your NCT course - on my one, out of 8 couples, one had a birth in a birth centre, one had an elective caesarean, two had natural births in hospital (I was one, following induction - the other natural birth involved the use of forceps) and everyone else had crash caesareans - so no one had a home birth! A home birth is the ideal, but it is possible to have a lovely birth which is calm and peaceful in another environment (I had DS2 in a birth centre and it was a lovely birth).

BB01 · 09/05/2013 12:39

When do you finish work Dinky? I originally thought I'd be a late finisher but how things change!!

Cheers for the hypno info...think I'll have a look online to see what's available.

That's actually reassuring to know that there's such a range of different births even in the natural-birth-loving NCT classes! Think my friend said that she was the only one from her class who gave birth without c section or varying levels of intervention. Think I've just happened to have met lots of people recently who had the birth I would ideally want and it made me have my heart set on it! Am feeling a bit more upbeat now and that it's not the end of the world.

elliejjtiny · 09/05/2013 12:48

yy on feeling fed up. I have so much fluid, I'm huge and woe betide the next person who smiles knowingly at me and says that despite 5 scans showing 1 baby it's definately twins. On the other hand I'm still not quite ready (will be in a couple of weeks) and I know in a few weeks I will be looking back at this time with rose tinted glasses and saying how much I love pregnancy!

I like the sound of hypnobirthing, keep forgetting to get a CD/book though.

Anyone planning on having a baby shower? I want to do something to mark the end of my pregnancy but don't fancy a traditional baby shower with presents (probably frowned on with a 4th baby anyway). I'm thinking of getting a load of white vests and babygrows and some fabric pens and inviting some female friends/relatives for a session of craft and cake. Does that sound ok or really boring?

CitizenOscar · 09/05/2013 12:49

BB - re hypnobirthing apps - quite difficult to find them but I downloaded one that seems to be called Innervision and it's very relaxing (not free, though). I did classes with DS1.

Can't remember who was talking about "natural births" etc (on my phone sorry) but I had a very positive birth experience on labour ward with DS1 and will be back again with DS2. I'd been worried about it (had wanted midwife led unit at least) but they really just let me get on with labouring how I wanted. No interventions during the labour (other than breaking my waters and G&A) and it was fine. Had a haemorrhage afterwards so was quite pleased to be within easy reach of doctors & operating theatre in the end! Just wanted to say that just being in hospital doesn't mean you can't have "natural birth" and if it's where you need to be, it's where you need to be.

In other news I am TIRED and meant to be having a nap while ds1 naps, so better get off MN!

TotallyEggFlipped · 09/05/2013 13:14

I've been prescribed ferrous sulphate for anaemia, but have no intention of taking it because I'm already constipated enough thanks to all the pregnancy hormones. I've taken it before and it doesn't agree with me at all. Anyway, I tried some of my mum's floradix and I actually LIKE the taste!!!! It's expensive, but I'm going to get some instead of the evil iron tablets.

dinkystinky · 09/05/2013 13:24

Totally - floradix on Amazon through subscribe and save is the cheapest I have found (ds1 takes the saludynam and kindervital ones).

Ellie - that sounds a really lovely idea. Go for it!

Thinkingof4 · 09/05/2013 14:08

Hi all, haven't posted for a few days and lost this on TIO.
Not on computer so not doing individual replies!
Welcome to all the new people, hope you are enjoying the thread chat!

Glad I'm not the only one feeling fed up and huge, bump seems to have expanded massively in last week or so, and was measuring 34 weeks at midwife when I'm only 32 weeks. I'm telling myself its just the way baby was lying rather than because its a huge baby!

Re iron, I quite liked floradix but prefer spatone - I used to take it with fresh orange to boost absorption and seemed to keep me topped up last time. I'm just taking my prenatal supps this time and been ok so far.

I just got my natal hypnotherapy cd in the post so going to have to find time to start listening to that again. I used it in last pregnancy and had a really good birth experience. (However I lent that copy to my sister who has lost it, hence having to buy it again Hmm )

Just over 4 weeks left at work now but been extra busy and finding it really hard going at the moment. However have a day off next week and think after that psychologically things will be a bit better- how is everyone else coping with work? I know a few have stopped already and can't help but feel a little jealous but we need a double income for as long as possible!
32+2

dinkystinky · 09/05/2013 14:25

Totally (and any other ladies suffering from the red grapes of wrath) - have seen Tucks haemorhoidal pads with witchazel (available from Amazon) recommended elsewhere on here - may be worth checking them out.

BB - not finishing till June 14 (Bean - stay put till then!) Which is 2 and a bit weeks before due date. Should be OK I think - have 3 deals to close by then (and a week off at end of May). Just need to deal with the tube commute which is getting tougher and tougher with delays and packed trains in rush hour.

Thinking - I too am enormous but measuring OK for dates. I am consoling myself with the fact all the weight I have put on has clearly gone into humungobump and ginormoboobs.

BB01 · 09/05/2013 14:30

Ellie what a great idea. I think it sounds really lovely and different. I love the idea of a little get together but the whole concept of organising one puts me off a bit as feel traditionally it's all about the pressies!

Thanks Citizen - I will take a look! It was me talking about natural births. That's great to hear you were left to get on with it the way you wanted. Consultant seems to think I might need continuous monitoring which made me just picture myself lying on my back feeling fed up, but hopefully I could at least sit up and move around every so often. Good to hear it was a positive experience for you even though it wasn't your first choice.

dinkystinky · 09/05/2013 14:37

BB - you can move abit on continual monitoring - I had that for my induction and was on a birth ball for the first couple of hours. You can also move around on the bed etc and give birth using gravity. Avoid an epidural if you can as that would most likely lead to on your back, feet up (it did for me, but that's due to negligent mW topping it up everytime I said I could feel anything).

SilverBirdie · 09/05/2013 14:51

Back from my lurking corner Smile
Been lovely to catch up on posts again and I'm hoping to be here more often now as grinding work down slowly from now on.
I'm not on any of the lists but am 29+4 and still totally unsure whether to opt for elcs or vbac.... Much like shelley really. Am feeling really panicked now. I do think an elcs is the safest option for us but have such awful memories after Ds' emcs.
Notes from the surgeon suggest I have Cephlopelvic disproportion but its not confirmed. Bump also measuring 3 weeks over size. Ds was 9lbs 7oz, 59cms long and head circ was almost off the scale Shock
Really torn as to what to decide so been trawling on MN for words of wisdom.
Our little/big bean is pink so we have been given loads of lovely things from friends but as Ds was winter born I'm wondering what's best to pack? What do summer babies wear???? Confused
Woke up this morning to leaky boobs..... Anyone else? Already?! Don't remember it this early with Ds.
Am sleeping really well but beginning to get back and hip pains which I hope don't become sciatica like last time.
I think I need to spend more time on this thread than on the names threads. I love reading the posts on there Smile we have fallen for a marmite name which I'm afraid she might hate us for when she's 14. Really struggling to love another as much except one which is insanely close to my own so will prob be middle name.
Oh....Also, just back from a shopping spree for HUGE granny pants Grin and pads for the leaky bits. All seems to be getting close now and I'm so excited Smile despite the dread of method of delivery.
Hope everyone's well

IndecisivePramBuyer81 · 09/05/2013 15:22

Anyone found a successful cure for the uncomfortable bloating? Honestly, I feel like a balloon today! Have tried eating smaller portions, lots of water, lots of fibre (not constipated, so that wasn't ideal!) and now have peppermint tablets off the Dr but nothing is alleviating the problem entirely. I still feel expanded everyday like I would pop if you put in a pin in me!

RE NCT/birthing - We're really enjoying our NCT classes..feeling really informed! We found the breastfeeding session a bit OTT though - the tutor implied expressing was a bad idea and after all, why would DH want to help feed?! Can't help but still fancy a C section above all else though...is that wrong? I'm pretty sure I can't opt for one on my first anyway, but I'd really quite like to!

dinkystinky · 09/05/2013 16:22

Silverbirdie - two friends needed emcs as their babies were too big for their pelvis - in subsequent pregnancies their consultant strongly recommended elcs which they went for - and they said they were so different as they were mentally and operationally prepared for it (with lots of support for older child/lifting etc post birth). What has your consultant said this time round?

Indecisive - you may well surprise yourself on the big day and find birthing a doddle.

SlouchingPanda · 09/05/2013 17:07

I am full of self-pity and woe today. Am on oral iron but feeling more and more tired and got sent home from work after a mini-meltdown. I am supposed to be going off at 37 weeks, but can't see me lasting that long on current form.

At my GP appointment yesterday, I was told that they 'couldn't find anything wrong with my pregnancy' which is true. My BP is spot on, I haven't had a single antenatal complication at any point; no bleeding, no UTIs... I was never sick. The baby moves all the time and is growing well. I really can't complain. We talked about my anaemia and there's a plan in place to recheck Hb at 34 weeks and have IV iron if still low. But what I didn't say is that it takes all my energy to get up, dressed and out of the house, and when I get to work I am ready to go back to sleep. On my days off all I am fit for is sleeping to recuperate. I know this is a stupid thing to say but I have even been wishing there were something wrong so that I would have a 'proper' reason for giving up work and staying in bed all day. I have been told to stay at home tomorrow and everyone has been super-nice, but I still feel like I am letting everyone down Sad.

Sorry for the self-indulgent tale of woe. I just need a whinge.

Silverbirdie what does your consultant think? I have to say that if I were in your position I would be leaning toward an elective section. Do you have strong feelings for wanting to avoid one.

Prambuyer I think there is only one cure for bloating... delivery! Maybe that will cure me of my whining and woe too as I am sure looking after a newborn will be a doddle .

dinkystinky · 09/05/2013 17:15

Aah Slouching - am sending you a bug hug and a virtual gin fizz (its alright, you can have one of those, I checked!). You are not letting anyone down - your mini meltdown is your body's way of telling you it needs you to slow up. If I were you I would look at bringing forward your mat leave by a couple of weeks if you can, speak to Occ Health again, and get as much rest as you need (which you can only ever do when expecting your first baby so make the most of it!).

dinkystinky · 09/05/2013 17:23

Shiv just posted on FB - they were told this morning Oliver had a bad night with lots of bradys so they were going to keep him on the ventilator till he was more stable - but then on routine ventilator change time Oliver had a good old wail and breathe by himself so they are trying him on BPAP. The little one is still putting up an awesome fight.

SlouchingPanda · 09/05/2013 17:32

Thanks, Dinky. Am holed up on the sofa watching daytime TV baking programmes. It is helping but a gin fizz would help more . On the plus side, my hair is lovely and thick so I am blooming in one way...

shelley72 · 09/05/2013 17:38

aww slouching. you're not whingeing (and anyway isnt that what we are here for) but sounds like you do need to rest up a bit - your body is telling you something. is there anyway you can start your leave a little earlier than planned? make sure you rest up tomorrow and not end up doing something else!

silverbirdie - that sounds like an awfully big baby Shock. have they not advised an ELCS this time around, if you're measuring a bit bigger? i had an ELCS with DD and it was quite a calm experience (i wasn't but thats another story). actually a more positive birth than my natural birth with DS. but it still doesnt make the decision any easier does it? i would prefer it if someone said 'right this is what you have to do' (as with DD) rather than leave me to worry about it!

thanks for the update on oliver, he is one determined little man.

princessllama · 09/05/2013 18:10

Slouching I am feeling exhausted too, only fit for sleeping and being narky or tearful. A friend of mine who is 1 week overdue said she actually felt worse at 30-32 weeks than she does now so here's praying.
I am another one in need of looking at dinky's recommendation for cool packs.

Ellie I have also been asked twice if it's twins ( once by a right cow- last time she saw me was just after ds had had meningitis and she said 'wasn't that probably because there was only a 15 mth gap between dd and ds birth' hope I don't see her again for some time!
Good on Oliver glad shiv has had some positive news.

CitizenOscar · 09/05/2013 18:20

Prambuyer - I remember Nct tutor being a bit dismissive of expressing and I thought it was unnecessarily negative at the time. Having tried it, though, I kind of understand where she was coming from. Expressing was more work (for me) not less and it worked out better for DH to help in other ways - even though he had been keen to help feed. This time round we've both agreed we'll just stick to bf (assuming that all works) unless we've got a particular reason to express/bottle feed.

That's not to say expressing is bad at all, it just didn't help us, and although I still think our Nct tutor could have phrased her response better, less dismissively, she wasn't being as odd as I'd thought at the time!

Slouching - I'm also tired all the time despite straightforward pregnancy. You're still growing a baby in there and that takes a lot of your energy even when everything is running normally. It's normal to be tired, especially if you're working. Take as much chance as possible to rest & nap, that's my advice.

TotallyEggFlipped · 09/05/2013 19:24

Re: expressing. I found I was putting a lot of effort into sterilising and expressing so DH could 'help' and 'be involved', but invariably it wouldn't work out - he wouldn't have time before/after work when DD needed a feed, or she'd be looking for boobage in addition or eventually she just refused a bottle altogether. In the end I was pumping like a dairy cow only to pour the stuff down the sink a few days later. There were a few nights in the first couple of months where my mum took a couple of bottles of expressed milk and minded DD overnight until 4/5am to give me a break, but she's the only one who really made it worthwhile.

SilverBirdie · 09/05/2013 19:57

The consultant thing is a bit of a grey area tbh as at my last appt they failed to have my notes and only offered another appointment at 36 weeks. He just spouted national stats at me which I already knew.
I requested my mw get the notes to discuss with me but she isn't able to take them out of hospital so could only relay what she read.
Sounds like it went a bit like this: v slow contractions for a day at home then once waters went, got to hospital and progressed quickly but wasn't on delivery suite, got neglected... not a mw in site for hours despite dh begging, no pain relief until pushing when finally got g&a. Pushed forever with increasing top ups on drip..... No joy and slowing heart rate so emcs.
Ds went to scbu for first few hours then after care was hopeless.
Sounds as though he was back to back which often results in starting slowly, back troubles then very quickly dilating but then hitting a brick wall. Notes say possible Cephlopelvic thingy so its not a dead set but I have no hips and am usually a size 10.
Have switched hospitals but have no faith in them anymore. Sounds crap, I know but I swear we never have a referral or appt without some ridiculous hiccup. I could list the fuck ups on all the fingers on this thread Grin
Main reason to want to avoid it is that Ds will be almost 3 and is at home not nursery. We do so much which involves me driving etc and I don't want him to suffer. I do have help but know I can't rely on everyone else.

Might just ask to see consultant again, perhaps a different one at that.
Sorry to blab on about csecs when I know there are a lot of first time mums on here.
Most of my friends have had relatively easy, uncomplicated labours so feel like maybe I should have it in me...... So torn, it's hard.

Have done so much washing of hand me downs today... All we've had is rain so am melting with the heating on to dry the mountains of pink Grin