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February 2016 Halfway mark: Flutters into kicks into thwacks!

999 replies

haquoi123 · 06/10/2015 16:48

New thread, heeeeeeere we go!!

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
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clarabellski · 11/11/2015 09:17

That's amazing Rufus!

It really does baffle me how fully developed they are in there. Also, has anyone stopped to really think about the fact that you are connected via umbilical cord? I spent a good 5 minutes freaking out over that last night! Weird, but cool!

clarabellski · 11/11/2015 09:32

And congratulations Jelly! Cake

haquoi123 · 11/11/2015 10:12

clara I still can't believe there's a living being in my belly and not just worms! DH thinks I'm mad the way I just sit and state sometimes.

Well, my adventure with needles the other day has proven I'm anaemic so need to go for another blood test tomorrow! Full of punctures...

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CalypsoLilt · 11/11/2015 12:59

Catching up on the thread over lunch; really struggling to hold it all together at the moment. Long hours in the office (work a random 9 day fortnight), redecorating at home (after X put his foot thru the loft/ceiling when moving out), my sister having some sort of early mid-life crisis has decided to live in a squat (but sofa surf at my house Angry), plus freaking out about being a single mum with a newborn and no parents to help.... one more pot plant in the house might just push me over the edge. Counting down the days to maternity leave now..... 5 weeks and 1.5 days Star

Whoknewitcouldbeso · 11/11/2015 15:47

Just weighed myself and I'm the same as last time (2 weeks ago I think). Not sure if that's ok. I've got a growth scan in two weeks so I guess that will tell me if all is ok.

MaisieDotes · 11/11/2015 17:27

calypso Sad hang on in there for Mat leave. This time of year always flies- those weeks will be over before you know it.

I've just spent a thoroughly futile afternoon trying to buy things for the house- it's my dad's 70th this weekend and I'm having a party for him. Why is it that when I'm browsing in shops I seem to see loads of nice things but then nothing when I go to actually buy?

Waddling Plodding round the shops with the buggy and my big bump, roasting hot and red-faced (why is it so bloody hot here? It's mid-November ffs), trying not to aggravate my newly recovered back, people giving me funny looks because my default facial expression is less bitchy-resting-face and more serial killer on day-release. This is from the effort of having to clench constantly as I walk around so as not to allow my lady parts to fall out.

Angry
monkerina · 11/11/2015 19:00

Sympathy Calypso, that sounds tough. You will get through it though- just keep going! Brew

Handed in my maternity leave notification today- just over 12 weeks left...

Rufus200 · 11/11/2015 20:55

Calypso Christmas will be here before you know it, hang in there.

maisie apparently I permanently have bitchy resting face and have had all my life.

48hrs with nothing naughty eaten. I am having severe chocolate withdrawal!!! I was a monster today.

goneswimming · 12/11/2015 07:35

I'm getting really breathless and dizzy at the moment. My dh tested my blood sugar last night while I was feeling bad (he's type 1 diabetic) and it was 4.2 which is low for a non-diabetic. Is low blood sugar normal in pregnancy or do. I need to be keeping an eye on this do you think?

Rufus200 · 12/11/2015 09:25

gone I would speak to your midwife if you are felling unwell. I don't think 4.2 blood glucose is low, it sounds normal to me. I've had readings of 1.5 before, which are very low and still been standing. Low blood glucose doesn't normally cause breathlessness. I would get your blood pressure checked.

jellypi3 · 12/11/2015 09:44

I agree with rufus talk to your midwife, it could be you aren't eating frequently enough. Little and often or big and often in my case is the way forward.

Sighing · 12/11/2015 11:11

Goneswimming the breathlessness doesn't sound too much of the low blood sugar. Get your blood pressure (maybe low) and bloods (iron levels?) checked out. Also try to take it easy for a couple of days. (I know that sounds unhelpful).

Sighing · 12/11/2015 12:04

In other news a small rant.
Pockets.
My maternity clothing has no bloody pockets! (Obviously as a pregnant person I never want to have a hankie on me for my snuffles).
BUT shopping for baby clothes today. Apparently my (when) newborn baby boy might need somewhere to stash his keys Hmm.

Posey01 · 12/11/2015 14:18

Afternoon all! I saw my new midwife for 25 wk appointment yesterday...she's got me thinking about a home birth..(am going to attempt to go down the hypnobirthing route if baby allows) does anyone have any good info/experience/links at all? This is my first child so am a little unsure - everyone seems to have conflicting advice hmm!

jellypi3 · 12/11/2015 14:56

There's loads of advice on home births on the NCT website, but i'd have thought your midwife would be able to give you most of it. I guess if you are healthy, had a risk free pregnancy and are aware you might need to be blue-lighted to hospital if necessary, then it's a great option.

haquoi123 · 12/11/2015 15:46

Great news posey! I'm doing hypnobirthing and finding it really it empowering and incredible. It's not just for home births either. Have a look at classes in your area, Katherine Graves is the leading UK hypnobirthing technique, Marie Mongan in the US. Also, the Hypnobirthing Facebook group is full of useful info.

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haquoi123 · 12/11/2015 15:48

You don't have to do classes either, have s look at the books and cds of both techniques. I'd recommend a class, it's money well spent, but not imperative

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Sighing · 12/11/2015 16:06

I recommend the book "birth skills" it talks about hypnobirthing and other ways of dealing with the adrenaline release in labour and dealing with different positions / a change of plan etc. I've had 2 relatively straightforward births but I found myself hughlighting some ideas and nodding along furiously.

Posey01 · 12/11/2015 16:11

Ah yes we are doing the hypnobirthing course at the moment - the K. Graves one and agree it's amazing and a lot more scientific than i anticipated!...I was more concerned about how safe it is to give birth at home rather than in the hospital/midwife unit...I will check the NCT website thank you! I've had a quick hunt and many places say it's good more for second birth rather than first...but you're right Jelly...we are only say 10 minutes from hospital. Decisions decisions.

clarabellski · 12/11/2015 17:10

I've also been reading Birth Skills and, whilst written in a slightly patronising way (a lot of repetition), it does offer some common sense ideas for approaching the management of pain (it is GOOD pain, apparently!). I've had some experience with this from sport related injuries so I can kind of see where it is coming from. It also doesn't make judgements about what a labouring woman should/shouldn't do, and leaves it up to the reader to decide what is best for them at the time.

Also has a diagram showing you the different stages of dilation in real size. People always talk about 'oh she's 5cm' or whatever, but it is helpful to see what that actually looks like scare the shit out of yourself

Grin

At the moment, I'm in a place where childbirth is not worrying me so much (I guess I have a fatalistic view of it - the baby needs to come out one way or another). My 'shit my pants' worry is whether or not I'll be able to breastfeed/sooth crying baby/wash them without drowning/change nappy without shite all over the ceiling. Mostly the breastfeeding TBH...

jellypi3 · 12/11/2015 17:10

I read a really good paper a while back by a hospital on home births, wish i could find it now, but basically it said that for first time mums having a home birth, around 50% end up in hospital anyway due to either complications, need for stronger pain releif or post birth intervention (stitches etc). Second time it's something like 20% so a lot less.

I did consider a home birth but DP was dead set against it. I'd deffo try for my second though (well, i guess i'll see how no.1 goes first lol). We are only 10 mins from hospital too. Appararently the mess isn't as bad as people think, the midwife tends to help with the clean up too. My concern was about the stress of having to go to hospital, especially as with no.1 i'm clueless on what to expect/what it will be like.

jellypi3 · 12/11/2015 17:13

clara im the same. I'm no stranger to pain, and i'm really calm about giving birth atm. I'm more worried about raising a child....

TillITookAnArrowToTheKnee · 12/11/2015 17:35

I can confirm that birth is the easiest part of being a mother Grin Now raw bleeding nipples, stitches, piles, teething, poonamis in public places, threenagers and gob shite seven year olds, on the other hand... Hmm Grin

PGP is kicking my ass this week Sad almost constant pain, Ive crawled upstairs to bed at 7:30pm every night this week.

New cleaner is starting tomorrow, thank fuck, via an agency this time, Ive had 3 self employed via Gumtree and all 3 were flaky fucking nightmares. Agency is slightly more money but means Im guaranteed a 3 hour clean every week.

XingXingFox · 12/11/2015 17:42

I'm planning a home birth, it's my second. The transfer rate for second child is 12% but I think it's nearer 60% for first timers. (I didn't read that section). With my first I didn't know what to expect and literally had no idea, and I thought going to hospital would be less stressful as if anything went wrong I'm in the right place, and also I would be confident with my choice rather than going in doubtful. I did hypnobirthing CD not classes and had a lovely, calm, sort of enjoyable birth at hospital. I think I would have been more tense at not knowing what to expect and not knowing if I'd made the right choice if I'd gone home birth first time. Second time I know what to expect (though everything is different) so I think I'd be calmer if something happened and I needed to transfer and/or just at the act of doing it is not alien. I don't know if that helps but just sharing my perspective! I am pleased to be giving it a go this time around, and hope it works out.

I think it's really important to have minimal expectations of birth - water/home/ whatever. Everyone I know first time around who had a clear and determined idea of what they wanted didn't get it and had a really hard time mentally afterwards. So I'd definitely advocate going with the flow and just fo using on the baby at the end, however it comes out.

I hope that's remotely useful. I am not an expert by any means!

NorthernChinchilla · 12/11/2015 18:50

Till, I'm in the same place, PGP been grim over the past couple of days. Do you (or anyone else) also have the feeling you've been kicked in the crotch? A low, dull ache all the time I'm standing up....

Got two people interested in my maternity cover so far, hurrah! Huge relief. In slightly more shit news, it would appear the car will be an insurance write-off. Sad Which is incredibly annoying as it's fine to drive, and of course right now is exactly the time we want to be shelling out £££ for a new (second hand) car!!