June 2016 #7 - We're still waiting for the second trimester "bloom" but healthy babies and stronger kicks all around!!

[nehagarg]

Here is the next one people.

Stats here!

docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1oTx71GeTR-ilVPTpIhNhutAwZPqNyYNEyIDwO80PmKQ/edit#gid=0

GTT done! My pathetic veins didn't want to play ball so I feel bruised and and like a pin cushion. Some avacado on toast and a cup of earl grey afterwards sorted me out though :).
Good luck to anyone else having one!

Just had my 25wk appointment - tested urine, bp, and heard heartbeat (141bpm) and we discussed home birth. Back at 28wks for bloods and I've also to get my whooping cough vaccine from the nurse on the same day 😧 baby was transverse, facing my back with his bum and head right under my ribs - that will explain why I'm always uncomfortable!

She's going to be in touch to come and do a risk assessment for the home birth but I'm the only one for June so as long as I go after 37wks it should be fine.

Geneva I lived in the German speaking part of Switzerland for over 4 years and don't know anyone who had a CS for convenience so try not to let it worry you, just express your wishes - I imagine you're also paying a fortune for the healthcare so make sure they know what experience you're looking for. We moved back here before starting a family but I couldn't imagine how I'd be able to go back to work considering the cost of childcare but longer term thinking about Swiss school hours. However you don't need to make that decision yet, wait and see how you feel once baby is here. I don't know the French with for Krippe but there are options for childcare if you choose to go back. It's worth checking the tax bands for your Canton too as your husband/partner will probably pay less tax once baby arrives.

Geneva I feel really anxious too. It is my first and I'm pretty nervous about how much everything is going to change. I'm worried about the sleep deprivation, recovering from the birth, establishing breastfeeding, not having any time with DH etc etc etc. I think it is pretty normal to feel this way, and we're getting closer to the end now so we're bound to all be starting to focus on what's coming next.

Not sugar coating things - you're right to worry about those things - it's bloody tough!

BUT...it passes and things do become "normal" again.

(And some crazy folk even do it again!)

I'm going to chat to the midwife tomorrow and see what she says about the growth scans. It would be good to have the reassurance.

My activity levels have been pretty rubbish really, a usually manage 20-30 mins of pilates a couple of nights a week, but that's about it at the moment. we're in the middle of loads of painting and DIY though, so I reckon that gives me a bit of exercise! I was sanding down a wardrobe earlier ready for painting, no exactly super strenuous but I feel like I've had a tiny bit of exercise. Now we have lighter nights I'm going to start doing little walks after work again.

I don't feel like I'm hugely anxious about things (yet!!) but I'm definitely thinking more about the day to day things once the baby's here- managing with sleep deprivation, how DH and I will cope, nappies, generally keeping a baby alive It's just such a difficult thing to visualise as a first timer, I really have no idea what to expect.

Being slightly anxious is normal. This is probably the biggest life change EVER!!!

However if it feels more than that do speak to your MW/GP/Samaritans.
Last time I got horribly down/depressed/angry/tearful/fearful in the last few weeks. Local gp brushed it off but he probably shouldn't.
Pre natal depression does occur but taking action can help. It's more common than you would believe. One of the last taboos. I didn't have depression. In hindsight it was the hormones due to pre eclampsia and imminent labour!!

Fwiw I didn't suffer pnd at all.

Gripe of the day...... Why do middle age men not offer their seat on the train? I'm wearing a boards baby on board badge ffs.
Ime only women and young men/boys ever offer their seat voluntarily. Shocking. It's like middle age men just don't engage with the world around them.

Grrrrrr

I agree! You do tend to get more ignored by middle aged men. I ask people now- just a polite "would you mind giving up your seat"/ "do you need the priority seat" and take a evil pleasure picking on people obviously looking the other way I figure it's one of the few perks we get so better make the most of it!

I find middle aged women to be the worst! Teen hoodie type boys are the fastest to offer their seat (unless they're glued to their phones) and non-suited men second .

Hope your commutes are not too long doesn't sound fun at all.
Just had a wriggly baby I laid back and could see my bump was raised and hard to the right which is where she always hangs out, looked really wonky and funny! Would love to know what position she's in, my dd said the other day when she was feeling kicks, "I hope I left it tidy for her in there" bless her really made me giggle!

My experience with middle aged women is totally the opposite.... I had one embarrassing, but fabulous, incident where a women shouted over a crowded carriage offering me a seat that we both knew I could not get too!! She then made very loud comments about how rude people are at not offering seats. Bless her. A man did get up and offer me his seat after that. Took me a while to fight my way there though and in the meantime no one else offered.

I had one middle aged man not even look up from his book. He was standing in the crowded mid section and I politely asked excuse me can I get past please? Without looking up he started mouthing off about "I don't know who she thinks she is or where she thinks she is going on this crowded train..." Etc
Whereupon I said very loudly - well if you bothered to look up you would see I am wearing a very distinctive badge provided for the purpose by tfl which tells you I am pregnant and therefore asks you to help me have an easier journey as I am bringing up the next generation who will look after you in your old age......
The whole carriage was sniggering and a young boy stood up across the carriage to offer me his seat.
Was very funny but I was bright red by the end of it!

belle that Is hilariously cute of yiur DD!!

My commute can be 1 hour or 1 1/2 or even 2 hours via overland train x2 plus jubilee line tube OR bus, northern line and jubilee line.... Canary Wharf is a bitch to get to!!. Really I need to leave home before 730am or after 830am. This would mean I miss the crush at Waterloo or London Bridge. Especially as they keep closing the jubilee line due to over crowding.

London is Nuts but my job is here so not much I can do about it

Are you in the wharf Mindful? Me too! PM me if you ever want coffee. I just come in from Bethnal Green so an easier/ quicker journey than most. ROTFL with your tube experience. Good on you!

Belle cute!!

Well done Mindful ... That was brilliant!!

My journey is much shorter but feel the pain of tube travel. Specially with phones, kindles, newspapers etc ... people NEVER look up. And when they do, they ignore you. Gotta love London. I am always a little shy about asking people for a seat so DH takes it upon himself to announce that there is a pregnant lady in the carriage! Or pregnant lady coming through! ... lol. Makes me go red every time.

Belle thats adorable.

Feeling a bit better today, thanks for all your comments. Had a bit of a talk with OH last night, as he has quite a lot of commitments around the time of my due date and afterwards, which are making me feel a bit anxious. Some, like work things, are unavoidable, and he can only miss them if I was actually in labour, but others I would like him to play by ear a bit, like singing in choir concerts the week after my due date, and all the rehearsals in the evenings that would involve. Really bad timing, but ok if I am still pregnant, maybe not so ok, if I've just had it! We'll see, he is very supportive and responsible, so it was just good to talk it through.

I think I am knackered to be honest, this cold has really worn me down, and we have had visitors for the past 3 weekends, which has left me no time for r&r or just planning my life. I am super-sensititve to MH issues, as have had real problems in the past, and am terrified of developing post-natal depression, or even antenatal depression (1st trimester was hell for these symptoms and major anxiety but thankfully it was obviously hormonal as it passed when I reached 2nd trimester). Trouble is I don't understand MH options or even the health care system here (we have private insurance, but it is bewildering having choice after a lifetime of NHS), and don't want to jump into it if not necessary.

Thanks for all your support. Yesterday was a bad day, but it ended with me and OH marveling at my stomach as the baby's kicks are really strong and noticeable now. I really do like that side of pregnancy! :)

Ps, and thanks to those who said some of my fears were reasonable. I am glad I am not the only one thinking these things, as I feel such a hysterical new mother to be at times, making mountains out of molehills, and obsessing about every detail. I am glad I am not the only one at least.

(and thanks to those who said it will all be ok as well)

Listening to all your stories I'm very glad i don't have to commute, in London or otherwise!

Geneva playing it by ear is definitely the way to go. It can be really boring sitting around waiting if baby is late, but at the same time I wouldn't want DH out more than necessary once baby is here.

Just had my 28 week midwife appointment (and whooping cough vaccine which I'd completely forgotten about!). My GTT came back clear, which is reassuring, and heard baby's heartbeat again He's currently bottom down though, so I'll have to check out the baby spinning website in the next few days/weeks (although still plenty of time for him to turn).

I'm also very glad I don't have to commute! I'm very lucky that I can walk to work in a few minutes some days, and others I have a maximum 30 minute car journey with no traffic. Makes life a lot easier, I'm sorry for everyone who has to put up with the tube! mindful that sounds great- well done you for not just putting up with it.

Geneva glad you're feeling a bit better. And it does sound like your OH is really supportive. Hopefully the timing of things will work out, and if not then it sounds like things can be changed round if need be.

I had my 28 week appt today too. I had a chat to the midwife about growth scans and she's reassured me that I don't need extra ones, but they'll be keeping an eye on how my bump's growing and will refer early if there's any concerns. We also booked in the next few appointments and she's arranged a longer session with my DH there too to go through everything for home birth... eek! I heard the heartbeat again, and the baby is apparently still head down with his feet in my ribs, so let's hope he stays that way. I felt quite strange today, my ears were ringing and i had strange auras/lights round everything. The midwife said it could be linked to high blood pressure (and pre-elampsia), but my blood pressure was fine thank goodness. I just have to keep an eye on it and ring triage if I'm worried. Another thing to worry about!

I didn't think about the whooping cough vaccine today and the midwife didn't mention it. Maybe I'll give them a ring and see if I'm supposed to organise it?

I'd check with them Mollie. Mine told me to ring my GP and organise it. Like everything else, looks like NHS does things differently in different areas.

Does anyone know if you have to have whooping cough vaccine every pregnancy?

mrsmugoo yes I think so, because it's more about passing immunity on to baby for the first few weeks rather than immunity for you (not entirely sure on how the science works). This is DC2 for me and they definitely wanted me to have it again.

On another note, I'm making the most of DH being out tonight by..... going to bed Am completely shattered!

Yeah I knew that - but just wondering how long the immunity lasts? If was only 2 years ago I last had it. I thought most vaccines lasted years and years?

Yes you should mrsmugoo nhs link