April 2016 babies - 20-week scans, growing bumps and little kicks!

[suffolkblonde29]

Hi all,

I've started a new thread to take us up to the third trimester.

Hope you are all feeling well. I feel like my bump is a little small and I'm not feeling lots of movement (but this may be due to an anterior placenta). Got my 20-week scan tomorrow so not long to wait to see if everything's ok - it's actually nearly 22 weeks though as baby really wasn't playing ball when we went last week and was hiding with its back to the scanner.

Getting excited that I'm halfway there though...

Oh waxweasel, you're obviously suffering from exhaustion. It can literally drive a person nuts. Your DD wont know what she's doing. It's really important you get some rest. Perhaps DH can take her out for a long drive after work or is there anyone who can take her for an afternoon? I'm pregnant with DC1 and it can be all-consuming. I find it hard to imagine how all of you cope with other little ones. But you do

waxweasel Be gentle with yourself at the mo, you are doing your absolute best hope you can get some sleep tonight.

Definitely get things checked out if there's any change in movement - frequency, strength or otherwise.

Hope your midwife's been able to reassure you dizzy.

Another one here who's sleepy, sore and emotional! Youngest one was up through the night complaining that there was a snake in her bed last night . Earlier this week I had to have a nap between tea and putting the kids to bed. The only reason I woke is because my eldest came to give me a poke! Luckily mine are old enough to entertain themselves for a bit and get along well (usually!).

I remember only too well that toddlers and pregnancy definitely don't mix! If you're in this situation, you have my sympathy. The good news is that a baby & a toddler is easier than being pregnant with a toddler, so it can only get easier!

Hi all, just getting a chance to catch up. I'm 29+3 today and am feeling totally knackered. Thankfully dh has been a star and looking after ds most of the time. Ds is two and 4mths and is a bagful of energy, even looking at him exhausts me!

We are going to a 4D scan tonight, cant wait but am also apprehensive, hope all is OK and I will post a pic if all is OK.

All is fine with baby. Maybe she was a having a relax. Midwife says she probably just shifted position but heart beat is fine and movements are back :)

GP signed me off for a week to rest! And sent me to get checked out at the hospital because my heart rate was a bit high, but it was fine when I got there, so they put me on the monitor for a bit and took bloods and things, but it looks like I have maybe just been overdoing it a bit.

Hope 4D scan goes well Mr Writer! I really like the idea of one of those but my husband doesn't really want to, so I'm reluctant to spend the money.

Hello everyone thanks for the sympathy yesterday. Was just an unusually exhausting day, but I'm feeling so much better today - still v little sleep last night, but the key difference is that I am working from home and DD is in nursery! DH was great when he got back last night - he turned up with takeaway and a fully prepared argument about me bringing my mat leave forward so I can catch up on sleep in the day. I'm thinking about it.

Glad you got signed off ComeLuckyApril, sensible GP! Hope you feel better for it.

And good luck for the 4D scan Writer, I'm quite jealous of everyone having those, but we'll have already paid for 2 extra scans privately so don't think I can justify it!

I am wondering if I could get signed off for a week if I asked GP nicely hope you feel better after a rest Come
wax I would consider it. I am looking forward to an early mat leave as I will get to spend time with DD1 and have naps and lots of rest during the days she will be at nursery too. I think I need it before more exhaustion with baby and you sound like you could do with it too.

Hello everyone.... Got back from holiday and straight into busy season. Its been horrible with being at work until 10pm-ish. I have decided to hire someone to do the morning run so I can start earlier. I am up at 5:30am so if I can be in the office for 8am it will help me.

crumbly My obn here in the US is willing to sign me off for as much time as I want. She told me that I have scared them with my first two pregnancies so to just let them know if I need any time off and they will write letters and speak to my employer. I get unlimited sick with my employer - a huge benefit here in the US.

comelucky Rest up and get your sleep!

wax If you have had preeclampsia or huge babies (had both) they do a 4D scan here in the US. They want to see how the baby moves. I have another scan on Monday morning at 7:30am. If you are tired you need to speak to your GP about being signed off from work or working reduced hours. I know the exhaustion you are speaking of as I had it with DS. After they plucked DS from me at 9:11am, I fell asleep at 2pm, woke up at 6pm, back to sleep at 8pm and woke up the next morning when breakfast was delivered at about 7:30am. The nurses said they had kept checking on me and as DS was sleeping the whole time too they didn't wake me for a night feed. They did tell my obn though who was worried and had a strong word with DH telling him that I was doing too much.

Definitely ask, crumbly, I think GPs are in the main pretty understanding about the roughness of pregnancy, especially if you tell them what work has been like! I just said that I didn't feel well enough to go in.

Awww, your DH is a star, Wax!

crumbly Given your job and commute I would be shocked if they didn't sign you off. I think here in the US my obn would have signed you off weeks ago and you would be on short term disability until 6-8 weeks after birth when you switch to 6 weeks of family leave, getting a total of 12-14 weeks off. Luckily here in NJ, if you are signed off by your obn your short term disability prior to delivery is unlimited. What sucks is that I work out of the NY office, although my client right now is in NJ so all my time is billed there so I qualify for NJ maternity prepregnancy if I need it. NY has awful coverage compared to NJ.

Definitely worth asking crumbly! Worst that can happen is they say no, but generally I've found GPs to be very sympathetic and it's no skin off their nose to sign you off for some rest. Given your commute etc you have a very good reason too.

Thanks for the sympathy on the tiredness front. I definitely think I'm moving mat leave forward, probably by 3 weeks. I think I'm trying to struggle on because I've been comparing myself to other women who work much later, but I have to keep reminding myself that they might be first time mothers who can rest outside of work (though appreciate it's still bloody exhausting!!!) or have other kids who sleep through. DD was up from half 1 today, having an epic tantrum about wanting to skype her grandad to show him her new dinosaur I made it to 3am and then just burst into the spare room where DH was sleeping and told him it was his turn and I couldn't deal with her any longer. I think he ended up sleeping in her tiny toddler bed with her...

Has anyone else had the whooping cough vaccine and found it made them ill? I had mine yesterday and today I feel utterly awful - just shaky, aching all over, headachey, etc. Hoping it's the vaccine rather than a bug as I don't want DD to catch it!

I'd love to ladies but I don't think I could face the backlash from my boss it really is bloody awful. Come away every day feeling like rubbish.

wax I've got no shame in the fact I'm finishing up at end of Feb/33 weeks, then taking 3 weeks hol and officially starting mat leave at 36. SIL who is three weeks ahead of me will probably still be working but I couldn't care less comparing. DD1 is up at 5am every morning when DP leaves for work and I'm planning on lazing around for the whole month and a half before baby arrives and just slowing life's pace down a bit. I will be sad seeing people getting more mat leave than me but everyone is different and has their own reasons. You do what you need to do to be as rested and mentally/physically sound for baby's arrival and don't worry about anyone else but you DD and baby

wax That would finish me off too. Why us she waking up? Touch wood mine are not bad sleepers but when they do wake up in the night there is an emphasis on them telling what's wrong and then fixing that before returning to bed. DD woke DH up last night for help going to the bathroom. She came into bed with us afterwards and we slept through. It was a tough day yesterday with me working until 2am to reach a deadline. I'm working from bed this morning. DH thinks I'm mad but honestly it's the only way I'll survive this busy season.

Glad you are signed off Lucky. I agree, GPs are very understanding in the UK and from what I've heard are happy to sign pregnant women off on their say so.

Glad your baby is on the move again dizzy.

I would love to be signed off! I know it must be awful being so physically ill that you can't manage work at all though, so I do sympathise. Doesn't stop me fantasising about it though!

It's our busiest time of the year now and will be until the end of Feb, which is 4 weeks before my due date. Chickened out of asking for early maternity leave. I've got too much to do, so I really need to work as log as I can. Mat B1 handed in today.

My DH has now been away for 4 weeks. Only 1 to go. Think I'll fall asleep as soon as he gets in the door! I am really tired again, proper sleepy just like the first trimester. It was a struggle to keep my eyes open at work today.

Hope the scan went well Writer! I look forward to seeing the pic.

I've not posted in a few days as my first full week back at work after Xmas has been so tiring! Have just had a read through the last couple of pages to catch up. I'm quite relieved to hear I'm not the only one feeling really tired, sounds like it's fairly normal in late 2nd / early 3rd trimester.

Hope you've managed to get some more rest now wax. I'm totally in awe of those of you managing pregnancy tiredness alongside caring for young children.

April, sounds good that your GP signed you off to have some rest, hopefully it will help. I got told my heart rate was higher than normal last week, probably due to trying to do too much, but it was pretty much back to normal when I saw the midwife this week. It's good they checked everything to make sure you're okay.

Hope your 3D scan went well Writer, it must be lovely to see your baby in so much detail.

Sorry to hear work is difficult crumbly, your boss sounds awful. At least you don't have too much longer to go if you're finishing at 33 weeks. And if it's getting too much for you then I'd definitely see your GP about being signed off - your boss can moan all he wants but if you're advised by a GP to have time off then he'll just have to deal with it. (Know it's probably not that simple as you'll worry about how he acts when you're back at work etc.)

want2b, I can't imagine how you're managing to work until 2am. I'm nodding off on the sofa by about 10pm most nights! Hope your workload gets a little easier soon.

You must be looking forward to your DH being home for a while Mazzle. Hope you get a bit of time to rest while he's home.

I'm mostly doing okay except my back pain has got worse and is making it hard to get enough sleep. Sitting at a desk or in meetings all day isn't helping at all so I've been talking to work about going part time or partly working from home for the next few weeks. I'll be starting maternity leave in March so it won't be for that long but think it'd make me feel a lot better. Just hoping I can get it all agreed now.

Hi everyone, please may I join? I haven't read the whole thread but can definitely sympathise with work being a nightmare! I am a nursery teacher and have been given two peoples worth of responsibilities as well, as two of our four strong team are off wih stress!

I am due end of April and originally wanted to work to 5 days before due date, but am so tired all the time and really struggling. I have really horrible SPD as well which isn't helping, so I'm hoping to start my mat leave at 37+4, although really it will be at 35 as I'll only go back in for a day after the Easter holidays.

Hi everyone,
Not posted for a few days.
I had my third anomaly scan last Thursday, (repeat 20w due to positioning meaning big all structures seen, then 2nd one now four yo foetal Medicaid referral)
All was good
Heart and brain fine.
Baby now 85th centil
Still had legs closed though...
Been discharged from foetal medicine
However consultant wouldn't even discuss vbac, and said she won't treat me if I don't consent
After a day of shock and crying, I finally rang up and asked to see someone else to discuss, otherwise it looks like I gave no care plan in place...

I am tired but keep going through just putting my head down. It's not a good habit.

cuppa I'm sorry to hear they are not pro VBAC. Where are you location wise? Ive had 2 CS and I'm high risk. The obn group I am with are pro VBAC for me if that's what I want.

Twll Welcome to the group. Quite a few of us are tired. I think it's normal and quite expected at this stage.

Baby has been booting the heck out of me this morning and making me DP still can't feel him though... Can other peoples DPs feel yours yet?

Want everyone else I know has been offered a vbac and had it discussed. I'm more upset that she wouldn't even discuss it, and I am left with no care in place, despite a high risk pregnancy.

Twyl kicks fairly obviously obvious from the outside now, reassuring having not been able to feel them at all until a couple of weeks ago, so I would imagine they're palpable. Baby hoofed my brew everywhere the other day. DH certainly noticed that

TwllBach Yes. He managed to feel even the tiny bops from quite early on. She seems to twirl around and I feel her in so many different places at different strengths that i have no idea how I'm really suppose to monitor her movements!

I'd not been too bad with tiredness but I was up at 3am when when of my 2/3 nightly loo visits turned into thirst and having to get a drink. I chose cherry cola: a stupid choice and also grabbed a piece of the leftover chocolate pizza and then decided to stay up for at least an hour to allow it a chance to digest a bit. Went back to bed at 5. Up again at 8 and now I've been having stomach pains, wind and the rest. My own fault I daresay!

cuppa I'd be furious if that were me. Are you in the US? I'm under the impression that some specialists encourage CS when they aren't strictly to avoid legal cases. Hope you can find someone who can five you the birth you want and need.

Dizzy I'm in Wales, U.K.

During my last section, I crashed under the spinal, which they had to reduce so much to avoid resus that it stopped working. They wanted to ga, but baby was out by then and they said if they did that I couldn't feed him straight away if they did that do I refused and gritted my teeth. Post op the anaesthetist's analgesia plan (extra required due to the amount of pain I was in through being fully conscious and aware through surgery) was not implemented, and I was given paracetamol only :(
If they want to avoid legal action a repeat performance of that is probably not the way forward!

Oh sweet jesus. Sorry you had to.go through that.

cuppa Can you go into England? I hear good things about Countess in Chester and if south would Bristol work?

I really like the US system where you pick the specialist. I picked a group that are pro vaginal birth and alternate medicine. Others pick groups which give a more clinical birth or specialize in high risk deliveries and they normally deal with fertility issues too.