August 2016 number 4 - bumps popping and scans happening, we actually have babies!

[PickleBot]

Looks like we've nearly filled the last thread, so here is a nice new one for you all!

Yes I am also on the work ending countdown
14 weeks cannot come soon enough! I'd hope it's just pregnancy hormones making me miserable but no...a long overdue Payrise which was promised back in November to happen this month is now been pushed again for another 6 months and feel the goal posts are being pushed away. Very upsetting and feeling undervalued, demotivated and generally miserable being in there. Everyone hang on in there!
Congrats chianna
christine the pessary was taken last night and already feels better so I hope you are getting relief soon too!

I've been using the cream today and already feels better..will do the pessary in a minute although the device seems very confusing! Can I not just poke it up?

Oh I just looked online and it says when pregnant it's adviced to use a finger instead of the applicator

Wow. the contributing factors of someone that only has a tiny entrance to start with (I'm really not gloating. Im going to rip to shreds in labour) and not having sex for ages which I'm not joking you, made it hurt for the tip of my finger to go in. And the size of that pessary!! I should have done it hours ago as there is NO WAY of that falling out!
I know this isn't TMI for anyone as we all share far too much here, there is no TMI. Just from using the cream today it feels so much better! Really hoping it doesn't take long to be perfect again

Congrats chianna! Lovely pictures lily, glad things have settled down a bit.

Told my class (reception) today I was having a baby, they were very excited and started to think of names. Top choices : Elsa, Anna, star wars and optimus prime! Hummmm let me think about that...

Hi everyone, haven't checked in for a wee while as been away for a few days over the school holidays. Everything ticking along ok here so far, I seem to have a very wriggly baby this time, it seems to particularly like evening dance sessions!

Posted too soon!

Glad to hear that things have settled down a bit lily, and good news on the job for your OH.

Have been trying to figure out when I am going to stop work and return - it's making my head hurt! I think I will finish (with a couple of weeks of annual leave) mid July. So 3 months to go. Will probably return at the beginning of next May. Need to get it all sorted out and forms sent in next week - 24 weeks tomorrow, which I had set as a mini target after the 20 week scan - viability! Next target for me is 28 weeks then. Do any of the rest of you do this or am I alone in my madness?!

Yes I set little milestones too. I'm having extra scans, so next scan for me is 28 weeks. So my targets are 24 weeks midwife, 28 weeks scan, 32 weeks scan, 36 weeks scan. Then it's only ever 4 weeks till the next thing. Helps me a lot!

Pickle that is reassuring to hear. I had a test as well at 16 weeks and never heard anything so I assume that one was OK.

I need to decide my ML dates by this week, its all making my head hurt, especially trying to calculate maternity pay end dates and holiday and everything. I'd like to finish in early July at around 36 weeks so I can basically have a nice long summer holiday but not sure how wise it is to use up valuable weeks before baby is born, especially when it could come at 42 weeks and I'll probably be climbing the walls!

Chiana congrats on your baby boy!
lily good to hear from you, that 3D pic is amazing! She's super cute and fab news on your OH finding work, hopefully that's eased some of your money worries.
Christine hope your bits are feeling better this morning!
Sorry to all those having work stresses. It's hard to strike a balance between not wanting to 'waste' all your mat leave on pregnancy, and really needing the break in those last few weeks! Fingers crossed these next few months fly by.
bear hope your body clock is recovering a bit by now. I did have my mystery extra scan, it turned out to be because I've had 3 previous MC and was to look at my blood flow through the uterine arteries. One artery showed slightly high resistance so I'm back next Tuesday for another scan with a consultant! Slightly 'meh' about it as I do n't want to be switched from low to high risk and lose/have to fight for my homebirth, but obviously I'm happy they're keeping an eye on bubs.
People who've not bought anything - don't worry! I don't think we bought a single thing til 30+ weeks last time, and we did just fine. As long as you've got clothes, nappies, wipes, somewhere for baby to sleep, and a car seat (and that only cos they won't let you out of hospital without one!) you'll be reet. You can buy stuff as you need it, and people buy/give/lend all sorts of bits and bobs.

So glad the weather has finally got the spring memo! I can turn the heating down at last (that DH turned down 3 weeks ago and doesn't know I keep putting back up ). Seeing the sunshine every morning is so great. Got lots of fun in the sun planned with my best girl!
Still waiting on a moving date, lots of enquiries and responses going every which way between the solicitors - every time I think we're ready to start talking dates, someone makes another bloody enquiry! Bah. The kids will be sharing forever at this rate because I don't think I can face moving house ever again. It'll all be worth it once we're in though I'm sure!

Oh and Dots and Owl, yes I also set little milestones all the way through! When I first got pg, having a healthy full-term baby seemed completely impossible and incomprehensible, so I got into the milestone habit then and never quite stopped!

Does anyone know if I will be given my MATB1 form at my 24 week midwife appointment tomorrow? Or am I supposed to get it from my GP or something?

You get it from your midwife. Mine didn't have any last week so is sending me one once she's collected more. That reminds me that il remind her.
Anyone that's had a pessary, was there a lot of residue from it dissolving the morning after? It looks like discharge but more watery. It's definitely from the pessary. Makes me feel positive that it's clearly it out

Hello again and welcome (or welcome back) to you new posters. Lovely to hear how everyone is getting on.

i totally do the milestone thing as well. 24 weeks is my next one, too!

I had my 20week scan this morning. Everything is absolutely fine! Such a relief and isn't it amazing to see your baby wriggling around and looking like a real baby. We decided not to find out the sex although I must admit to trying to peer between its legs at every opportunity. Had no idea what I was looking for though so still Team Yellow!

I guess now I'm going to start thinking about what to buy. Great advice from you guys above regarding essential and what can wait. I think I'll make two lists ('need' and 'want/later') and see how it goes.

I'm sure there were specific posts I wants to reply to but I've forgotten what they are! Sorry!

Oh yes: lily really pleased all is still well. I've been thinking about you.

glenncoco I hope your next appointment re:blood flow goes as you wish. Perhaps if the 'high risk' part is to do with blood flow into the uterus then it won't affect the birth and you can stick to your preferred plan. I'll have my fingers crossed for you anyway.

Lily – so pleased to hear all going ok for you and cramps have gone. LOVE your 3D image, what a little cutie! How lovely you were able to see the twins, what weight are they now? Great news about the job and sound like things are working out well for you both.

Fizzy – we are going for the BabyBay co-sleeper cot with a sleepy head inside (which have heard great things about!) and chose their standard size one as ideally would like baby to move to its own room sooner rather than later and figured the bigger BabyBay would be unnecessary. Could you swap sides with your DH so you are next to baby? Might be more practical and helpful when feeding…

Basket – oh am so glad the wriggler came out to play and it really is bizarre seeing your tummy move isn’t it! Not sure how that app could possibly work through a phone, let us know if you have any success as I would be interested to find out. I got my MATB1 at my 20 week midwife appointment, so you should ask them for it when you see them then submit to work.

Chiana – congrats on the little boy news!

Dileas – sorry to hear of work disappointment, so frustrating to feel undervalued. Who promised the rise back in November and do you have it in writing? I would push back at them and stand your ground as they shouldn’t promise something and then take it away.

Owlina – optimus prime has a lovely ring to it ;D

Christine – hope all your lady bits are back to normal today!

Coco – very good they are keeping that extra close eye on your babe and fingers crossed everything stays stable which I am sure it will. We are also in the midsts of exchanging and completing on the house sale/purchase…trying not to let it stress me out too much and what will be will be! Our new place needs a full re-work, so trying to phase it with builders to see what can be done before July, as long as we have heating and water we will be fine…wont we?!

Terrible back pain this week, both my middle back and side, all around my ribs and also in the pelvis when I walk...have posted in the main pregnancy forum to see if anyone has any London treatment recommendations but do any of you ladies have any advice? Want to skip NHS route as waste of time getting a referral for some physio exercises...thinking Chiropractor or specialist massage??

I also do the milestones, I'm 20 weeks tomorrow and that's a good one. Then, as was said above, viability at 24 weeks. Not too long to go.

plimsolls Glad to hear your scan went well, definitely a relief :) You have good self control, I've never been able to wait to find out the sex! We have loads of girl baby clothes but will need to pick up some summer bits as this is my very first summer baby, the others have been winter time. I'm looking forward to going shopping for some cute little dresses and outfits :)

Coco I hope your next scan goes well, I'm high risk for every pregnancy now and it's not all that bad. The extra monitoring, especially later on, can be quite reassuring. Depends how you are with things like that though. Not much chance of me having a home birth although I did have one planned for dd3, that definitely didn't go to plan in any way unfortunately.

bear I've had awful pelvic girdle pain again this time, my hips are actually wonky, I've been taking paracetamol on and off but it doesn't do much. The more I do in a day, the worse it is. It used to be called spd, could it be that you have that? I did a lot of driving yesterday which seems to have set things off and last night was awful, today isn't quite so bad but still isn't great.

Anyone else feeling very breathless and also lots of mood swings? I am constantly out of breath it seems, iron levels are fine and already on fragmin for previous DVT so unlikely to be that. My womb comes way about my belly button already and I'm quite short so I imagine it's that, there isn't much room left to grow upwards, only outwards!

Great to hear everyone's updates. I also have milestones - viability at 24 weeks was my last, the next is 90% survival rate at 27/28 weeks.

On my way home from spending a few days with my parents. Lovely weather in the Midlands and it was great to be able to pick my mum's brains about pregnancy stuff. They'd also kept quite a lot from when my siblings and I were babies, so I've now got the shawl my gran knitted me and am borrowing a changing bag.

I'm taking maternity leave at 36 weeks. I have no idea how I'll feel at that point, but I think you can change the date as long as you gave 4 weeks notice. Not sure whether I'll go back to work after leave ends - it's busy and stressful at the moment, with lots of people leaving and not enough people replacing them. Given that childcare will probably cost almost as much as I'm bringing home, it feels stupid to subject myself to unnecessary stress and miss out on time with the wee one. DH had a very positive performance review earlier in the week and got a pay rise, so I feel less bad about asking him to be the sole bread winner (he did it while I was a post grad student a couple of years ago, but somehow this feels different). Anyone else thinking about just not going back to work?

hgl I'm kind of thinking about not going back properly. My mat leave package is pretty minimal so I won't have the 'come back to work or repay us all the money' issue that I would have if I had a decent maternity package. My career is such that it would be easy to do contractor/freelance stuff as and when. I couldn't stop work altogether as I think we'll need me to have a career in the future, plus it took me 8 years to qualify so I'd feel I was wasting all that effort! (Who knows if I'd feel the same once the baby is here though!).

cheese I get out of breath easily which I assumed was due to the baby squashing everything else and being unfit I'm pretty tall so i'd imagine it'd be even worse if I were smaller of body!

Also- my restraint is not that excellent. I've just been scouring all the scan pics to see if there's any hint of the sex. No joy! Although pic attached if anyone wants to have a go...

christine re pessary yes it's very normal for the tablet residue to come out, only lasts a day though!

Just wondering when they say "count the kicks" do they mean just to monitor movement? How regular is regular?
After having LOADS of movement on Monday, yesterday was almost non existent apart from a few light flips. Trying not to panic but don't want to be too relaxed at the same time! I know change of position can also make a difference so hope it's just that but had a nightmare about it last night!!

Dileas the count the kicks people have changed their name to "kicks count" now, because it isn't the amount of kicks that matter BUT the movements of the individual baby. If you are at all worried then please go in and be checked over. If your baby is usually active and then isn't, there could be a very real reason for that. Hopefully nothing sinister but always better to be safe than sorry. I lost a little girl at 37 weeks to stillbirth and always pass on advice to get checked out. The hospital would rather see you and avoid anything like that happening and also to reassure you. Yes baby moves position but you do get to know your own baby's pattern. Also a huge myth that movements slow down when they get bigger, totally untrue. Hope all is well.

At work so haven't managed to look at all the messages, but Dileas I got told that until 28 weeks, it's unlikely that there will be a regular pattern to movements. That said, if you have noticed a real decrease I would definitely call the maternity ward.

Just had a call from doctor to say I have group b strep and need antibiotics, why did I not mention then about less movement?! I'm so annoyed at myself. DD is having a nap and it's my FIL bday so feel I don't want to worry them especially today I know that sounds ridiculous.. Not sure I'd be able to go to hosp with 2 year old some don't allow?

Give them a ring, they will see you if you have no alternative. Have you felt anything today at all? It just isn't worth waiting, in case something is wrong. Don't worry about the birthday, things happen and I'm sure they'll understand.

dileas I mentioned to the midwife at my last appointment that is been worrying about level of movement. She said that it doesn't usually settle into a pattern until 28ish weeks. I have days where the little one doesn't move as much, but I always feel some movement every day. I think it can be moving around but you don't feel it if it doesn't end up making contact with you. If you're worried though, definitely talk to someone. My midwife team has a triage service you can ring if you have any worries, perhaps yours is the same?