July 2015 (thread 10) - the one where the bumps are huge, feet become unreachable and nesting seriously kicks in.

[Fattycow]

Welcome, welcome, to the 10th thread for babies expected in July 2015.
We are all counting the days and might even see the arrival of the first babies on this thread!

Here is the stats list, please keep your own entry up to date:
docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1p3idkH2TaQYAy22I_N73k1_-G6Ezq67lAdhQvDjQkU0/edit?pli=1#gid=0

Yes the NHS will take the results seriously - they will send a copy to the GP aswell as you I think. If positive they will offer Intravenous antibiotics during labour - every 4 hours. The other thing to find out is whether the birthing centre can do the antibiotics and whether they will let you use the pool with a cannula in - I didnt want to decide a birth plan that was never going to be possible! Apparently mine do allow it, so I can stick to my plan of using the pool in the birth centre for now. (Not that it'll go to plan, but you know what I mean)

I shan't be having strep b test. As far as I can see it's like the Down's syndrome screening - it's screening, it won't give a diagnosis, just a risk - so may cause way more stress and anxiety than is needed at this stage of pregnancy. I, for one, do not need that!

I'm not a clinican so can never comment on individuals but my work is public health (I.e. Keeping the whole population healthy). And yep screening programmes for the whole population are v complicated but may be totally best thing for numerous individuals.

So NurseP - With strep b (I'm no expert on this at all) I assume the screen is via basic urine sample and then a vaginal swab is the diagnostic test (to see if the bacteria grows in the microbiology lab) to say a definite yes or no.

Maybe private places just go straight to swab and give you a yes / no diagnosis? At least then you know where you are.

Having a swab is more acceptable (and less risky) than say an amniocentesis or cvs after a high risk downs screen. And everything is always personal choice.

Defo wildfire I'd probably have a private test too if I knew I'd been a carrier before. And LaLa no one is neurotic for considering it - I saw it on offer from our private scanning place and initially thought ooh should I get checked for that too...

Congratulations on your baby girl Zampa and I hope she is doing well, thinking about you.

Broody we should find out any other July ladies local enough to arrange a mini meet?!

Stinky nice bump!!! Here is a pic of my 'balloon end' belly button. Took my tummy piercing out bout 20 weeks and hated the hole it left. But used to it now. In fact the top and bottom of the piercing are both out now due to belly stretching. I have three belly button holes!!! I sent MrF a pic of it and he drew on it and sent this pic back to me...

Fatty show us your feet then!!!

How funny MrsF!

I also have the 3 belly button thing from taking my piercing out!

Broody - you are absolutely right. The NHS has decided it is not worth testing everyone for Group B Strep (screening) because the stress caused and the resulting overuse of antibiotics isnt worth it. If it was, we would all be offered it. The way I see it, there are three groups of people: really high risk ladies who will get antibiotics anyway, low risk ladies who have no reason to suspect they have GBS so dont need to worry about it, then those of us in the middle who arent really high risk, but are higher risk than others, so it is worth testing. The bug is very transient, and the risk of problems from it are small, so its not a clear cut issue.

Hi all and thanks again for the best wishes. I've been put on antibiotics now and they're working well which is helping my recovery.

I didn't know what pain was until they removed the drain from my cs incision yesterday ... Wowzah!

Our little girl, Emma, is looking much better and we'll know more towards the end of the week about longer term issues once they've completed an MRI and some chromosome testing. Hopefully you'll see the picture attached ...

So pleased to hear that Zampa. She is really cute! Don't forget you have the whole of the July club supporting you and hoping for good results.

Welcome to Emma - first July club baby :-)

MrsF I am very close by too!
Ah how cute Zampa! Glad baby Emma is doing well, look after yourselves.

Congrats zampa glad baby Emma is doing well. Hope you can get some rest

Hi all, sorI've not been around much, just had time to read and run mostly.

Zampa - congratulations on Emmas arrival, she is beautiful. Good to hear she is doing well, and hope everything continues to be on the up this week, you must be very tired , proud and worried all at the same time X

33 weeks today here ! And I feel huge, but have finally got that glow. Or maybe it's just a hot flush.

Some impressive bumps there ! I will try to put a photo on too, but I have never done so before, will try to suss it out. How are all the bumps measuring ? I had an appointment with the midwife at 31+4, and my bump was measuring correctly at 32 weeks, but when she plotted it on the personalised growth chart it was just above the 90th centile . So , I am a bit confused and worried about it. If it hadn't been plotted on the chart I would be fine that it measured perfectly, but can't understand why if Iam measuring correctly for fundal heights and gestation, that then it's classed as big ? I am going to next measured at 34+4, then they will decide if I need a growth scan. The midwife that did the measurements was a student midwife, and she had said that she had previously measured someone else as measuring 6 cm too big, to be corrected by the senior midwife, so I am hoping she was still just getting the hang of it with me. Also, they both said the amount of amniotic fluid felt normal.

Still loads to do though, I need to really step up now and get finalised. We still haven't got any names, are you all decided now ?

Hope everyone is well, and nicely relaxed this weekend !

Hi All

I joined ages ago but haven't posted on here in a while!

I've now decided it's probably actually time to buy stuff but am getting very confused by Mothercare's sizing. I was planning to get stuff in Newborn and 0-3 months but their sizing seems to be early baby (5lbs), new baby (10lbs), tiny baby (7.5lbs) - obviously I have no idea the size of baby but would I go for 10lbs as a standard? Sorry if a silly question.......

Hi MissTwister I was a bit confused by sizing of the clothes too- just figured to go with the likelihood he'll need most stuff in the '10lb' ish size at first if he arrives on time at an average weight! Have had many generous gifts of clothes already anyhow, and picked up some secondhand eBay bargains of decent brands, some of which are teeny-tiny! No need to spend a fortune.

Thanks SparklyPenguin definitely don't want to spend a fortune as they'll only be in them a few weeks. Just going to get a couple of the 5 packs from Mothercare I think.

I've just spent 20 minutes perusing nappies on Tesco.....all so confusing!! I might start a new mum pack service that sorts this all out for people!!

Zampa, congrats again Emma looks beautiful. Fingers crossed she is now growing stronger on the outside (instead of in your tum).

Last Oct, our nephew was born teeny tiny (think he was just 1lb) at 29 weeks by emcs at 5am on the day his parents were completing / moving house!!! So, urgent call to family to move house for them etc. He was in hospital a while but came out and is a perfect little man now.

I know you said you were busy in the middle of building work etc but looking after Emma and yourself is all that matters, the house can wait and I hope you've got everyone rallying round doing anything to help! Take care x

Hi twister. Yes I'd agree that your safest bet would probably be the new baby/10lbs option. Mothercare stuff does not shrink in the wash like other brands so you should get some decent wear out of them before moving on. I've got 0-3m in other brands and just a couple of newborn sleepsuits and vests that we didn't use for dd (she was 8lb 9oz) but kept them just on the off chance this baby is smaller or arrives a bit earlier than planned.

Re nappies, we have pampers sensitive newborn. They fit dd well and contained most poonamis. However, my sister had pampers for my nephew and she never thought they fit him right as there were loads of leakages.... so my advice would be (and this probably applies to a lot of baby stuff tbh!) not to buy hundreds of nappies, thinking you'll be buying ahead, but instead a couple of packs and see how you get on with them. Once baby is here, you'll be glad of a walk to the shop or round the supermarket just to be out of the house for a little while

Awww zampa bless her! Love the name. Hope she continues to improve

Hello Ladies Happy Sunday xxx

Hi Zampahope you are feeling better, wishing you and cute baby Emma a quick recovery. Great to hear she is doing well. xxx

I am 34 weeks today, 6 more weeks to go, whoop whoop!

Zampa Emma is lovely. Thanks for the picture. Hopefully you are getting some time to rest yourself, it must be hard being up and down to the NICU. Take care x

Hello ladies!
I've just got back from a week on holiday and have been catching up with all your news...
Zampa congratulations on the birth of Emma, so glad she is doing ok and hope you are too, she looks gorgeous.
Glue still no name here - we've got a list of about 8 and are hoping he'll look like one of them!
I'm 31+1 today and feeling much less tired after a week off work - although feel like I'm getting heavier everyday now. Still so much to before July but feeling much more positive that it will actually get done, think I just really needed a break. How is everyone else? Enjoying the bank holiday weekend?

Hi Zampa just wanted to wish you and DP congratulations on the birth of Emma - she is really cute and I love her name!! I really hope she continues to grow stronger each day and you can look forward to taking her home in a few weeks. Hope also that you've recovered from your cold and are starting to recover from your c-section. Thanks for coming on here and sharing the latest news and precious first picture.

I've been a bit out of action, been very uncomfortable with severe itching and vomiting. Midwife suspected cholestasis - a liver disfunction, so spent a few hours in hospital yesterday for tests. Itching has improved with anti-histamines (MW said they are safe) and will get results back on Tuesday. Fingers crossed it's not cholestasis and just raised oestrogen levels, but glad I got it checked out.

Emma is gorgeous!

Thanks for posting your precious pic Zampa Little Emma is lovely.

MrsF I've got one of those triple belly buttons too. Only place I've got stretch marks yet is tiny ones around the old piercing holes - I guess they are weak spots in the skin.

Had a rather stressful day - discovered some moths eating a store of wool just before we were due to leave the house for Sunday lunch. Did some quick clean up but now we've got to do something more thorough tomorrow just in case they got anywhere else. Really could have done without this on the Bank Holiday Monday. But it's important to get these things in perspective isn't it.

Hope you feel better soon Luckystar and it's not anything serious.