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...

No way am I wasting my time with ante-natal classes! After I had my first was so mad I had wasted my time going to the classes. They didn't prepare me at all! For meeting other mothers I have found just getting out to the clinics offered after delivery to be much better. Also on FB there is a group locally for all new mothers (first time or otherwise) and we do group meet ups everyday at different places around town.

I have heard that in the UK the NCT classes are where you meet other mothers though. Good luck! Hope they are nice.

I've booked NCT for early March - I heard that in the refresher they talk about how to prepare DC1 for the arrival etc. Plus I have wiped most of the labour details from my mind so a brief reminder won't hurt... Mainly though I fancy meeting some mums in a similar position in my area!

When is everyone thinking of taking ML? I am dead on my feet and in constant (SPD) pain and my head is still increasing my work load. I don't feel like I am able to take anymore...

I'm heading off in March. Im so tired today but I think it's the weather. We have a big storm coming in and the air pressure is off.

So how many weeks will you be? I assumed I would be able to go through to 37 but I am struggling and feeling really pathetic!

I'm off on 11thbMarch, so 36wks... Cannot wait! :-)

I'm supposed to be going to 36 weeks but after today I'm going to ask the GP about signing me off until then, so much back pain!

I'm due to finish at the end of March, so will be 38 weeks, although if I haven't submitted my thesis by then, I'll work on.
If I'm still in one piece that is...
One very large, round piece

Ladies with leg cramps, try a glass of tonic water just before bed. It's a genius cure (and you can fantasise it's got loads of gin in it)

On the being signed off sick front, just check the rules again as there is a point (quite early I think) where it just automatically flips you over into Mat leave regardless of the day you said you intended to start your mat leave before.

Oops I believe that's 4 weeks before your due date. Or maybe your intended to leave date. It might change company to company but something to check.
Hospital again today, going into the ward this time. Hoping that everything has calmed down from last week.

That's right, 36 weeks is the cut off if you're off sick with a pregnancy-related illness.

Hope all goes well at the hospital Crumbly.

I got my first leg cramp just last night - very weird! I love tonic, might be a balancing act though if the fizz sets off the acid reflux worse. Funny how I've come to accept waking up a billion times a night as totally normal!

Hi everyone, I'm now officially in the third trimester!! And with it had come my monthly spate of worry. I've gotten used to feeling quite strong flutters and kicks here and there throughout the day, but it's been quite a bit less in the last 3 or 4 days. This has come after what felt like an almighty flip the other night - I got quite a fright - I could feel a turning sensation. I can still feel the odd kick, they just feel further away, if you know what I mean. I just feel the kicks at my stomach so reassuring, and this is feeling weaker and less often. I wonder if he's just facing the back now and it's normal for them not to feel so strong.

I have a growth scan on Tuesday. I guess I'm looking for reassurance until then, or to know whether this is something I should get checked.

Good luck at the hospital crumbly, hope things have improved since earlier in the week.

I think I'm finishing work the first week in March at just over 35 weeks. I'm taking about three weeks annual leave before my maternity leave starts. I'm working part time hours from now until when I go on leave though, if I wasn't then I think I'd be looking at finishing earlier as my back was just too painful when I was working my full time hours and as I've been sleeping badly because of my back I was exhausted all the time and really struggling to focus at work.

Welcome to the third trimester brooke! I've noticed a bit of a change in how movements feel now - quite often it feels like the baby is pushing against my tummy whereas a few weeks ago I mostly felt kicks. If you're worried why not phone the maternity ward - I've always been told they'd rather you call if you're worried so I'm sure they wouldn't mind talking to you and saying if it all sounds normal or if they want you to go in to be checked over.

Twll I'm going to continue to 38 or 39 weeks unless the doctor says no.

I am lucky that I'm in a position where I can work from home as often as I want. I've got two tough clients but they are both very understanding. Also, I'm taking 6 months leave which is a lot here in the US. Normally it's 16 weeks max in NJ (we have family bonding leave) but a lot of women go back after 10-12 weeks because they can't afford to not work.

Thanks all for well wishes. Been admitted into hospital today and medicated with beta blockers. Hoping I can go home tomorrow, not overly sure why they are keeping me in as there's not much they can really measure. Just want to go home.

crumbly I know it doesn't feel it but it's the best place for you to be right now. I would be shocked if you are not signed off sick. Clarify with your doctor and ask the nurse too before you are discharged.

I was on bed rest with a no salt diet. It was miserable but worth it.

Oh no, sorry to hear that crumbly. Perhaps they just need to keep a closer eye on you while they start the beta blockers? It must be horrible being in hospital when you just want to be at home but hopefully it will be for the best in the long run.

Hope the medication starts to work and you're able to go home soon.

I'm end of April so still a week off the third trimester. Still feeling lots of kicks and dh has finally felt some this week too. Appointment at 25 weeks was all good though she didn't record my bump measurement and I wanted to start tracking the size so will have to check next time.

I'm another who works in ks1 primary. I'm planning on working til 39w1d - may be crazy but don't want to miss any time with my baby! And I'll have had 2 weeks at Easter during weeks 36 & 37 so should be refreshed. Hopefully my cover will start straight after Easter for a handover/in case I can't come back. Normal low risk pregnancy so far and only slight aches and sleepless nights. So hopeful! My team teacher at work is terrified I'll go into labour on her!

Finally discharged from hospital on some heavy medication. Don't think I will be returning to work, I don't think I could be trusted to run the shop by myself feeling this out of it Will be seeing the midwife every week now and consultant more and more often as they will be worried about placenta failure and IUGR which DD1 had. Thanks all for well wishes!

Glad to hear you're home now crumbly. Your health definitely needs to come before work so it totally makes sense for you not to go back while you're unwell. Sounds like the consultant and midwife have a good plan in place to keep a close eye on you and spot any potential problems quickly. It must be quite reassuring to be seeing them so often?

Hope you start to get used to the medication and feel a bit better soon. Fingers crossed the rest of your pregnancy is as uneventful as possible!

crumbly Glad to hear you have been discharged. It sounds like they have you on a good plan. If I were you I wouldn't be going into work until they give the go ahead.

We had a solid 2ft of snow yesterday and the air pressure has been all over the place. Last night the air pressure changed again with temperatures dropping. I had horrible tightenings and couldn't sleep.

Oh crumbly that sounds so worrying - I hope that you're feeling better soon, and I agree that there's no way you should be working. Not even if you worked somewhere that treated you decently, but definitely not at your work where it sounds like they treat you appallingly! I hope the dr will give you a sick note to cover you - others are right in that it will only trigger mat leave if you're signed off after 36 weeks, and I think you're going off then anyway?

Hope everyone else is ok. I can't imagine how tired you must be Want2Be with working until 2am all those days - I struggle to do a normal 9-5 without falling asleep at my desk! Hope the snow eases off soon too....

Sorry for disappearing for so long, especially after you all so kindly offered sympathy after DD left me broken from lack of sleep! Since then a miracle has happened she has never, ever slept through the night AND wakes up crazy early, so we finally caved and hired a sleep consultant. But a few days before she was due to come round, just after my last mad raving sleep deprived messages on here, totally out of nowhere she slept through for 12 hours straight!! That was 10 days ago, and she's done it consistently every night since. So we got to very smugly cancel the sleep consultant 😊 Honestly, I am besides myself with joy!! DH has finally been able to move back into our bed out of the spare room after 2.5 yrs! Just hoping it doesn't stop as quickly as it started - no idea what triggered it as literally nothing changed in terms of her bedtime routine etc. So happy about it though!

So pleased for you wax! Sleep is a habit and once they're in a routine (good or bad!) they'll stick to it. Enjoy!

Thank you! that's what I keep telling myself - the longer this carries on, the more that she is reinforcing the good sleep habit for herself. So even if an illness or the new baby knocks her and she starts waking again, at least there will be hope that she will go back to what is now the new norm.

It has got even better overnight - she sleeps on the floor below us (our room is in the loft conversion) and so I've always had to go down the stairs when she wakes, and she insisted I carry her back up to our room. It's been getting tough, with the SPD and all. But last night she announced she was a very big girl now and would bring herself upstairs if she needed me. This morning she just gathered up her dolls and her water, climbed the stairs, and popped up next to my bed grinning and shouting GOOD MORNING MUMMY I MISSED YOU at 7.30 amazing!