November 2014 - thread 7

[amy83firsttimer]

Jump aboard ladies.

Morning all, just had my 28 week appt with Midwife. It was better than I expected: she checked heartbeat, checked position (I was right! Gave myself a little mental fistbump, lol), and had blood pressure, urine and bloods.

But the best part was that we had a chat about breastfeeding (she basically said relax, baby getting fed is all that matters, though if I want to do it I must mentally commit to doing it 3 weeks nonstop) and epidurals (she said that the more rest you get in labour the less likely you are to ask for one, so labour at home as long as poss and get loads of catnaps, hot baths and paracetamol)

Best of all she said that a midwife would visit me five mornings in a row after discharge to help with bfing! And it'd most likely be her! Thrilled with that!

Oh god a visit every day! I'd hate that! I hate the standard visits and checks all the time. Wish they'd all just bugger off! It's like they think you can't be trusted to look after the baby and it's their property so they much check all the sodding time. I'm of the opinion that I'm perfectly capable and if anything is wrong or I'm worried at all I'll call you, till then feck orf and leave us alone you interfering old busy bodies!

I must admit I wouldn't like daily visits. Would feel pressured to keep the house tidy and that's a hard enough as we have zero built in cupboard space and no loft.

Have just found that I have 2 more days AL than I thought I had (it's worked out in hours rather than days and as we've an extended year this year the hours have worked out really oddly). So now need to decide if I want it off in one big lump. Whether I take a half day off for my last 5 weeks or start a little late for the last 4/5 weeks.

I hate the idea of midwives or health visitors just dropping by unexpectedly. I want to know when to expect visitors! It feels like they're invading your privacy. Although I might have a thousand questions to ask them...

Work is boring so I'll google baby mapping. This baby still often lies sideways judging by kicks. I can't get comfortable sitting in the desk chair at work. Whole belly is in the way and pressing into my ribs!

26 weeks today! Tomorrow a bp check and in two weeks' time a growth scan. Hope everything is ok.

Hi all, Just marking my place! I've not been on for a while as I've been away and very busy with end of term etc. Got a weeks break before I'm off on holiday again. Hope you are all doing well :-) Sounds like the check ups are going well and babies are growing nicely!!

I'm doing ok! Im 25 weeks now and my bump is huge! Still being sick every day but now able to get out the house and do normal things in the day without being sick...normally its just first thing in the morning and 7 onwards at night. Anyone else's little baby keeping them awake through the night? Mine is non stop kicking my ribs and stomach...knocks me sick!! ...and anyone got any good ideas to help rib pain? Hot water bottle seems to sooth it a little bit...i'm a bit worried about how much my back will ache at 40 weeks if its already killing now!!

We've got so many bits now. Only spent 80 ourselves and have all the main bits apart from wardrobe and drawers...we've had things bought for us and had lots of things given by friends.

Anyone else had a baby shower? My friends threw me one last week when i was back at home...it really hit me that i'm going to be a mummy soon!! Baby was wide awake throughout the whole party so everyone got a good feel of it kicking.

Having that cough jab next week. Anyone else had it? x

I loooove the idea of the visits! Maybe its cos its my first and I don't know what I'm doing, and I have zero family support besides DH, and he'll be at work most likely.

So i can just picture myself sitting there, sleep deprived, with a baby who won't latch and won't stop crying, bawling my eyes out all alone!

Literally the midwife might be the only person besides DH I see for the first week, so it makes me feel less alone.

I don't give a shit about the house, but thats cos I'm naturally slovenly.

I hated the idea of visits too, and I kind of even hated them at the time, but in hindsight I'm so glad that my HV came for those first few days. She didn't bat an eyelid at our messy house, or at the fact that I'd clearly just stumbled out of bed (avec baby) on more than one occasion, and she really walked me through breastfeeding a tiny sleepy weight-dropping baby. Hope I get as lucky this time around!

BabyButton1 - I can't believe you're still sick every day, you poor poor thing! Great that you're getting sorted for all the various bits and pieces, though. Sounds like you've got a nice bunch of friends and family

I'm hoping I have lots of HV/midwife visits for the breastfeeding reason, I'll take all the help I can get having seen some of my friends/sister struggle the first couple of weeks. Other than that I really want it to be just me and DP for a least the first few days but not sure how I'll manage that.

babybutton I'm not sure it'll help but I've been taught some 'poses' to give a little more space in the ribcage area. Sitting or standing, out your hands together at chest height and then raise them as high as they'll go and hold it for a coouple of deep breaths and back down again. Or, following from the raised arms position open them really wide for a couple of breaths and back down again. My baby has moved down a bit the last couple of weeks so I'm a bit more comfortable.
I don't know how you're coping with the sickness, my nausea has returned and it wakes me up at night but I've not actually been properly sick. You poor thing!

I'm feeling the baby shower pressure... I've organised a few and now they want to return the favour but they're just not really my thing, I've got several different groups of friends and half don't have kids and I found the games are a bit tedious... I'm hoping I get away with just a few nice long lunches :) I sound really ungrateful!

Just bought a changing bag, one of the last few items, it's not actually a changing bag, just a brown canvas and leather bag. I'm hoping that by not being a cath kidson beauty DP will carry it most of the time!

twigletfiend thanks for your idea about the lack of midwife care making me anxious, I'll definitely give that a go. I'm not sure if I am meant to have a particular midwife assigned to me? I think I've seen three different sets of people in four appointments. The first one was really nice and supportive, but I think she has moved to a different role in the hospital. On two occasions there have been two midwives at my appointments, not sure why?! I'm optimistically hoping that the lack of interest is due to being classified as "no risk", and it would be different if there was a problem.

annarose I would take all the help and support you can get! At least you will know to expect the visits. I'm terrified of unexpected visits since we are still renovating our house (well, I'm not doing it, it's being renovated around me!) and it looks like a disaster zone. Only two weeks left of building work so hopefully we can make it presentable by November... There is currently no nursery, just boxes in random places!

Ladydolly congratulations on your windfall, what great timing for you!

I don't think I need the glucose test, which is sort of a shame because I actually really like lucozade! (But I hate fasting, so perhaps I should be grateful...)

I hope it works out for you, bunny.

Could someone please explain the growth chart to me? It says on it that it is calculated on a personal basis. Fine, I get that. It wouldn't be much use otherwise! And it's got the three lines on it, which are obviously the two 'extremes' of acceptable centiles and the 'average' line in the middle. But the average line seems to end at 40 weeks on 3.8kgs, which is nearly 9lbs Surely this is a generous estimate of how big my baby is going to be?! My brain is telling me not to be so stupid and that they can only estimate, it's not going to be that accurate etc. etc. And yet...

I don't want to have to squeeze out a 9lb baby if possible!

ladydolly thanks for the tips :-) I will give them a go!! I'm coping much better now that I'm not being sick every minute of every day...i've got a huge bump now but only just got back to my pre-birth weight. Midwife isnt worried because baby is showing good weight etc. Yeh i felt the baby shower pressure - I have lots of different groups of friends and loved my baby shower but felt i spent most of the time checking everyone was ok and found it hard to think about me and baby! Baby was spoilt though and it really was lovely :-) Look forward to hearing about yours.

I love the Cath Kidson bags, just cant decide which one I want. DP does not like them so he is buying his own man bag haha :-)

BunnyKitten we are re doing the house too...in parts! I can't stand it...we've had the new bathrooms sat in the dining room for nearly 3 months now as the plumber keeps getting caught up with other jobs. We don't even have a date for it yet....plumbers are a nightmare at times!!!

Anyone getting heartburn really really bad? Last night I woke up with a whole throat full of acid which went down my windpipe and burnt my lungs, I was coughing for about an hour :(

Ds was 8lb 9oz and I'm 5'6" and a size 10 (when not a pg tub o lard) twiglet - it wasn't that bad and only a very minor episiotomy as I asked for that rather than risk uncontrolled tear.
It's amazing what can fit through you!

I'm not going to be baby showered I hope - I know they're done with the best intentions but to me they're a bit 'stuff' focused.

Yes Vicky am gobbling the Gaviscon.

Twiglet - I believe from my original NCT classes when expecting DC1, that nationally the average weight at birth is 7lbs. We were told that in my old town where DCs 1&2 were born (we have subsequently moved) the average newborn weight is 8lb. The NCT teacher attributed this to it being an affluent 'stockbroker belt' town where there is a high proportion of middle class mothers who are well nourished. My first was 9lb13 and second a mere 8lb9 - clearly I am very well nourished . I think that this may be where Mrs DJ is planning to have her baby from what she has said in previous posts.

I haven't posted much recently. We have been on holiday. Staycation last week and at a Dutch Center Parc this week. Having a nice time. Not too hot. Kids loving all the activities and I am poddling along trying to keep up. I seem to be fairly huge and am alarmed by how much bigger I may get in the next 3 months.

vicky I tend to have smthhg like heartburn when I drink sweet drinks without food, but nothing too bad I cannot get rid off with a glass of milk. Maybe it is not the pg related heartburn? Just simple indigestion?

I've got my 28 week appt today, they don't do blood do they? I'm difficult to take blood from and it always hurts and bruises.

They took blood from me, I think this is one of the appointments where they have to do it :/ sorry xxx

Oh dear. I hope I get an experienced midwife!

Yep, afraid it's bloods for you today amy. Make sure you're really well hydrated so your veins are nice and plump

Kantha, that made me laugh. Thanks There's no history of giant babies in my family, but it just made me have a wobbly for a minute! I think it's because of the two ladies I know who had babies last week, it was the tall but very slender one who had the very big baby - not what I would have expected if you'd asked me!

I painted my nursery yesterday evening. Eee, so excited!

Amy - yes it is bloods today but I believe these are the last ones until after the birth, unless you have any problems, so at least there's not lots more to come.

Twiglet - exciting news. My furniture is being delivered and assembled today, can't wait to see what it is like.

amy how did you get on? I just had my 28 week but I had my bloods taken last week - all fine. I did mention that she's very very wriggly and then later her asked if my DP's dairy and egg allergy could be passed on to her and how soon it would be picked up if I'm breast feeding. She suggested I try going dairy free now and seeing if she's less wriggly - I had no idea the 2 could be linked or that what I eat now could be affecting her already.

Excited for all the nursery plans - I've really enjoyed getting mine sorted. Could do with making a bit more 'girly' according to DP (nursery is blue and white) although I'm happy with how it is. He wants pictures of fairies...

3pm for midwife. Got plumber here at the moment so all in all not a relaxing day off!!!

lady, my nursery isn't very girly either. It's got 3 cream walls, a teal feature wall and is going to have black satin-finish skirting and coving! We don't know what we're having yet, but I'm putting up a decal on the wall of a tree with a black trunk and lime green leaves. Am thinking I will add lots of lime green accents to make it less dark and am hoping to add some really rich plum coloured accents too if Bean turns out to be a girl. I don't think babies mind either way though, really!

We've painted the nursery light blue and don't know the sex yet :)
I like the colour blue, what can I say?!