July '15 - starting our 2nd trimester

[StoneBaby]

Please come and join

The only way I could get to sleep last night was on my back, but DD was up every couple of hours so don't think I would have been lying like that long enough to cause any problems. I remember in my first pregnancy religiously lying on my left side every night from about 8 weeks but haven't been as good this time round . Midwife appt at 11.30 and have to take DD with me. Last time I went they were running an hour late and she usually has her lunch at 12 and nap straight after so I might have a grumpy, whinging baby on my hands!

Nature I have to read the second hand versions as don't have the type of mind to decipher medical research!

The papers Oster cites are as follows. Might it have been one of these?

C. Ellington; The Effect of Lateral Tilt on Maternal and Foetal Hemodynamic Variables; 1991

D. Farine and P.G. Seaward; When it comes to Pregnant Women Sleeping, is Left Right; 2007

There is also a 2011 article from the BMJ but think you've probably find this one.

fleur good luck in telling work

I've been signed off work for 1 week for flu and exhaustion. So day time tv and naps will be on the programme

14w

I've just realised that maternity leave/ due date coincides with the Tour de France. Delighted that I'll have something to watch whilst waiting/labouring/feeding.

Same here zampa Wimbledon and tour de France - excellent timing!

Sleeping for all of you is related to physiology. Your major blood vessels run down the center of your body but slightly to the right. So by 24/26wks (earlier for twins) if you lay flat on your back your uterus will be big enough an heavy enough to squash your blood supply. It results usually in a drop in your blood pressure, and as a result you feel dizzy and the baby gets a drop in blood flow/oxygen to the placenta. It csn affect the baby's heart rate causing it to drop.
So that is why the advice is to lie either on your left side or right over on your right side. You actually only need a slight tilt to the left to clear the blood vessels of your uterus. So you can put a pillow along your back and under your hip to give yourself a slight tilt (10 degrees or so) and still lay relatively on your back (this is what we do if we need to do cpr on a pregnant mum and we use it in labour/ during sections when we need you on your back for something. You cannot do this to the right as it will squash the blood vessels directly. You must be right over on your right side and push a fat pillow right behind your back so you can relax and not worry about rolling onto your back.
It also helps (this from my physio friend) to put a pillow between your legs/knees as it will help with back or pelvis pain. Also if you have back pain a small folded towel under your side (where your waist used to be) when lying on your side also helps back pain.
greenbanana you are just fine in any comfy position just now.
Later on you will usually wake up if you are on your back as your body will want you to move into a better position for blood supply.

I should say don't stress about this too much. Your body usually tells you if there is a big problem as you would be feeling the effects too.

Hate periody type stretching pains!

Nature I don't think work is the real stress as such, as alot of my work was dished out to others when I was off in Dec. I think it's more that I'm over worrying about alot of things those on fb know one of and so I think it's more the being ill and not being able to cope with it all is the major issue for me. The more I feel ill the more stressed I get as I can't manage getting to and doing any work, my house is getting messier as I don't have the energy to clean it (DH is doing his best) and it makes me feel useless. Plus I worry how others and work will perceive me for not coping. I'm usually quite a workaholic, so not being able to work is more stressful to me than actually working is!

Does anyone know, does pg related sick leave count separately to normal sick? My DH just sent me a link from another forum where ladies were telling the op her work couldn't count it, abd therefore couldn't say she'd gone over as its discrimination... But is that a true legal reference, or just opinions?

Miss

I believe you cannot be disciplined for it, but your normal sick pay rules apply.

I had two day's sick and my boss put it on my appraisal - he notes everyone's so wasn't picking on me, but I did say Oi that's not allowed on there!

Thanks for the useful sleeping info jmojo! I am not looking forward to being so huge that nothing feels comfortable and having a dozen or so pillows in bed propping me up!! Have started to feel a bit of pain already in my pelvis and hips when I lie on my side though, surely it can't be SPD starting already.....
All this talk of doing up houses makes me glad I'm still in rented! Don't think we'll think about buying until DC2 is a bit older, one stressful thing at a time!!
lucky that's really useful info about the Ergo being good for bad backs, can you remember if there was somewhere specific you read it!? I was desperate to be a babywearer with DD, but I suffered terribly with lower back pain after the birth and due to bf so was never really able to get into it. I'm determined to find a good sling/carrier this time, there is a local sling library on this week so I will defo be going along to get some advice, but would be interested to hear what else you have read about carriers for bad backs!!

I can't decide when to start ML. I was very uncomfortable and in pain with SPD with DD in the final weeks, and as I have a one hour commute to work it would be good to finish a bit earlier on. But, I am hoping to take the full year off work, so the more money I can save up before I finish the better. Any ideas anyone on what would be the perfect balance!?

miss not sure about the difference between sick leaves sure someone will know more than me!

GotTo wouldn't worry too much just yet about the sleeping, I am still sleeping on my back most nights! Hope your appt went well and was on time!!

Heading out to go swimming now, first exercise in months! Hoping to start doing yoga again soon, I'll be 15 weeks tomorrow. Feeling a bit better today after feeling really rough again the past few days, and as a result I am starving today!

Miss the normal rules of sickness apply e.g. time paid for sickness, as otherwise it would be discriminating against non-pregnant people, but it can't be used in any disciplinary procedures.

www.maternityaction.org.uk/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/sicknessduringpregnancymaternityleave.pdf

I've found this useful in the past.

I think the thing that you have to accept when pregnant is that you can't do everything that you usually would, so you just need to relax about things. I know it's easier said than done though.

Oh wow, so much reading to catch up on.
We can't decide whether to find out if it's a boy or girl - it's a bit of a head vs heart decision. heart want the surprise, but head wants to be practical, and pick up second hand bundles of clothes, which tend to be grouped as boy/ girl colours/ styles. I know little girls look lovely in blue, but I wouldn't be dressing a little boy in pink.
Even if we do find out, we'll tell everyone that we don't know and it will be our secret. Same with the names, they will be our secret. We've already picked options for a girl (which we love) and have some options for a boy (which we just like - I haven't fallen in love with any boy names, which I guess sods law means we'll have a boy!).

ginger not that I have been pg before but most people I know round my way stop at around 34/35 weeks. Depends on job, commute, personal preferences though. I will be stopping at 34 weeks due to annual leave and long drive to work, but won't be taking a year.

ginger definitely see how you feel re the SPD. I stopped by 30 weeks last time and am planning to do the same again to help avoid too many problems. Maybe ask to be referred to a pregnancy physio? I'm seeing one already and will do throughout this pregnancy. She said stopping work early was definitely a good idea and to take things as slowly and easily as possible.

Is SPD like a hip thing?

When I was pregnant with DD I ended up on crutches as I had a problem with my hip.

I used an osteopath from about 32 weeks who would crack it for me once a week. It would be fine for a few days then get bad again.

I have no idea what it was called, but it was frigging agony!

Number3cometome yep SPD is symphisis pubis dysfunction and it hurts a lot! It is where the soft bit in the center of your pubic bone (that stretches at delivery to let the baby out) softens too much and too early and then as a result your pelvis is less stable and hurts...sounds like you had it!

symphisis pubis dysfunction

I'm glad I didn't know the name, I'd be going round telling everyone I had syphliss haha!!

Yep that sounds exactly it! Hope I don't get it again, was so painful, especially with no painkillers allowed. Crutches didn't help, osteopath was very good (but costly)

Thanks for the link and advice. I had a read through and seems your right, can't do much about it, so as it counts towards normal sick it does mean anymore sickness will result in unpaid time :(

Hi everyone
I had a bit of a scare on Sunday night with fresh pv bleeding and pain . Anyway I had a scan which showed one very happy wriggly baby slightly older than expected so my ed is now 28th July. Taking a few days to rest at home.
Baby jigger city mini is a great buggy. If you get the maxi cosu adaptors for it you can use it as a chassis for a car seat when they are very little. I also had an ergo carrier last time. Very soft and light but make carrying a 2 year old a doddle great for walks by the coast etc when a buggy is a hindrance.

Ginger - I've been having pelvic joint pain for weeks now, its quite irritating, so I dont think its too early for it. Mine started at 14 weeks. Makes it difficult to know when to stop work - I was thinking of 36 weeks, but Ive not done this before, and my job is actively walking and standing all day with 90 mins driving each way, so who knows how long I'll be able to manage.

16+6

Re sickness I know if I'm off sick it doesn't count towards trigger points or anything like that so could be a work policy maybe xx

Phew olympics, so glad everything is ok with baby And pleased you give the ergo a thumbs up. Did you use it from birth?

I'm knackered today again. I love silent witness though and can't possibly think about missing it tonight! Been sick just once so far today but feeling yukky so can't really concentrate on my work good job I'm self employed when I'm feeling crap but I need to buckle on down to finish off client plans for 2015!

broody iplayer is your answer

broody I love silent witness too but I record everything on sky plus so I can watch it at my viewing leisure. I've not watched last night's yet as I went to bed at 8.30

Bit annoyed. The guy who was coming to measure up the kitchen hasn't shown up Doesn't bode well for the future!