August 2016 number 5 - waddling towards the third trimester!

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For the August 2016 ladies and babies!

Hope you’re OK today Erica. It does seem that its in these last few weeks that plans easily start changing and the stress starts ramping up a gear. I’ve had a relatively smooth pregnancy but this last week or two has been awful!

Salene I’ve heard lots of stories of babies turning right up to the last minute. I think I heard its something like only 5% of babies are breech at delivery? So you’ve got a very good chance of baby being the right way round when it matters 

rum lots of great advice there, thank you! Might have to save your post somewhere!

shanster I had no idea American schools started that early! That’s horrific!

I’m going in for a growth scan tomorrow (a whole week after the midwife referred me…not sure its supposed to take that long!) I’m not worried, just a bit of a hassle going to the hospital in the middle of the day. Then in for another scan on Tuesday to check the kidney dilation. Feel bad for having so much time off work but reminding myself its baby’s health which is most important at the moment.

34+5 and I really must pack the hospital bag soon! Is it ridiculous to want to buy a new bag just for this purpose? As if I’m going on holiday or something!

Not at all Basket! My Cath Kidtson holdall somehow doesn't seem big enough any more and I feel like I've read something about them not liking you to use a suitcase as it takes up too much space? I might have imagined that though!

I've packed my bag since I'm in and out the hospital so often, mine is a reasonable sized hold-all, needed to be to fit in all the nappies, wipes and massive maternity pads!!

My hospital bag is currently an IKEA bag that I'm chucking stuff in as and when I think of it. Guess I should get more organised soon.

That's a really helpful post rum, will definitely be referring back to it! I've thought about what I need for labour and little one needs once it's made its appearance, but I've not really done anything about my own postpartum needs. Should probably sort that, but might wait until I'm on leave. Roll on next Friday!

Ive had my "hospital bag"/scratty old holdall packed for weeks - but have just bought a changing bag with loads of pockets (storksak off of ebay) so will be transfering properly this weekend (33wks).

Some great advice on post baby lady bits care rum :)

I want to leave work, like NOW, but have 5 weeks to go. My replacement is becoming hard work - repeats me parrot fashion when anything is going well and throws everything difficult back over the wall to me as if it has a bad smell, or gets ridiculously wound up about stuff im fairly chilled on normally. All the while people saying how great it must be to have two people at the job and my boss cancelling practically every 1-1 since I told him I was pregnant- so come end of year review in 5 weeks im likely to be screwed. I have loved my job as the only female manager in the team so much till this year its such a shame.

Hi Ladies,

Hoping I can join? I'm due on 4th of August and we haven't found out what we're having.

So nice to read through your experiences. I'm 34 weeks tomorrow and been exceptionally lucky with no real problems apart from a bit of pelvic pain. Feeling pretty exhausted now and looking forward to no work in 4 weeks time!

Baby has been breech for most of the pregnancy but have MW tomorrow so hoping baby is head down and (almost!) ready to go.

Hi Mrs! I'm due on the 4th too :-) I'm not taking leave till my due date, but so workshops in schools so am counting down how many delivery days I have left (7!)

Good luck with the midwife tomorrow - mine gave me a list of positions I should be sitting in etc to help baby get in the right position :)

Due 13th August - don't know whether it's a boy or a girl but my. back. is. breaking! 11 kg of extra weight in the last 4 months or so

@strandedabroad, I'm stranded abroad too! My mum is coming out when I go into labour. Probably with my brother but just to visit the baby for a day or two. Then she will come back after a couple of weeks to spend time when my DH has gone back to work. Sorry you're not speaking with the family! Hope they understand soon.

Thanks Sophia is this your first baby? Hopefully the next few weeks will be easy going for you

I'm spending all day at work on my massive birthing ball and I have a feeling of pressure in my pelvis now so I'm hoping the little one is in the right position, fingers crossed! I've definitely adopted the pregnancy waddle this week.

Just back from, what is to be my last, scan with the consultant! Last time I see her till b day!! Happy for me to go ahead as normal.
All went well, she was showing a trainee how to do certain measurements, and couldn't resist a bit of 'ooh and you must have a look at this' ing about her heart. It was fine though, I'm happy for other docs to learn from it.
She's arranging a meeting for me with the local paediatric cardiologist which should be good to talk through some post birth bits with him before b day, arranged for a newborn chromosome blood test to rule anything out, and that's that!
Babes weighing in at 4.9lbs and on the 25th centile. Does that mean I'm likely to have a smaller baby? My side of the family all seem to have whoppers, where as my husbands are all teeny...
Stopped off at sainsburys to buy maternity pads, witch hazel, tea tree oil and puppy training pads for the bed. Thanks for the heads up Rum! Great advice!
Welcome new mamas

Also, I have breast feeding questions... Do the midwives tell you when to start trying to feed the baby after birth? And do they let you just try and have a crack at it on your own first or do they actively get involved?
I'd like to just try quietly on our own first, I just don't know if that's protocol or not?

Thank you so much rumi ! Such great advice...I am now looking up 'padsicles' and will stock up on all the bits recommended as I want to do all I can to help my lady bits post birth

I packed my hospital bag at the weekend and basket I bought myself a nice new bag as I am using my normal weekend bag a few times between now and due date, so wanted to have something ready and waiting. TK MAXX have some great overnight bags in at the moment, incase you were looking for ideas.

Just started the washing marathon today...picture attached !! Think there will be a couple more loads and then I am done and can pack the babes bits into it's bag. SO strange seeing teeny tiny baby things on the rack, all a bit surreal!

Sorry to hear of placenta issues, great you are being monitored though and in the right place

Nice to hear from you lily and yey to the final countdown with work...it's been a long time coming hasn't it!

Welcome PMS :)

We're off to our antenatal tonight, looking forward to seeing the other ladies and bumps.

Picture now attached !!

That's so cute bear. Lots of organised people on here packing bags and getting ready.

Had another growth scan today, the baby has grown but is not sticking to the right percentile, so the growth has slowed down a bit. I've got to go back in 2 weeks. Obviously I'm a bit worried, trying not to be. The midwife said that scans have a margin of error, and it could be just that, but they want to keep an eye on everything.

Anyone else had this? Any tips on what to eat to encourage a baby to grow?

Hospital bag packing? Yikes. We have a mound of stuff in the snuzpod waiting to be packed by DH

Re breastfeeding immediately after birth - from memory the midwife had an eye on us but was taking a hands-off approach unless I asked for help (which I think I did). But it may vary from midwife to midwife. You could always mention it in your birth plan if the hands off approach is important to you.

This baby was measuring at c4.5lbs on Monday which puts it in the lower 20s centile. No idea how accurate any of that actually is though. DH and I are both relatively short so I would be surprised if a 9lb-er popped out! More accurate than a bump measurement with a tape measure I guess!

Owl did your midwife have any advice? Otherwise I imagine so long as you eat a balanced and healthy enough diet, and aren't intentionally eating low-fat stuff then you're doing all you can. Remember babies grow in fits and starts too. DS was born on the 50th, dropped to below the 9th and stayed there ever since. He's fine :)

Thanks biscuits, yes they said eat healthily. I don't think I eat much low fat these days, have Muller light yogurt at lunch but usually have cake too! My son was 75th centile at birth, no idea now but definitely not like this baby it would seem.

Baby is 3lb 9oz apparently.

How soon has everyone managed to breastfeed after birth? Obviously milk is packed (I say packed, in a bag waiting to be put into the correct bag) for hospital I would love to go straight to the boob. How unlikely is that?

Baby born at checked over and handed to me and feeding within 5 minutes of being born, guzzling away.

I was in hospital 6 hours after the birth and he fed 8 times in that 6 hours.

They said he was a great feeder and released us, it was so easy for me

I know a lot of people do find BF hard but for me it really was that simple

He was a greedy baby and fed constantly and even as a toddler now he loves his food. I had no issues at all.

When I had DS, midwife came into my room about 3 hours post birth to try to get him to feed, he didn't latch well. Someone then came in again in the morning and we hand expressed some colostrum. After that we were pretty much left alone for the day, when DS still didn't feed and we brought home a very hungry baby.

Need to get a few things down from the loft, and buy some stuff, keep putting it off for some reason! In the middle of trying to decorate as I know we'll have no time once baby is here!

My hospital has an aromatherapy midwife and they sell a blend of oils (think it's tea tree, lavender and something else) to put in the bath post birth. I had stitches and can honestly say that they didn't bother me once. Had 2 baths a day with the oil and healed fine.

Thinking of painting nursery. Am I an awful 'bad parent' if I don't use eco-friendly, toxin-free paint? Baby isn't going to be sleeping in there for months - just planning to use it for storage, nappy changing and possibly night feeds.

Christine DS sussed out latching on straight away after he was born, and that was despite a fairly unzenish birth (he had to be resuscitated and I had a couple of haemorrhages) We stayed in hospital for a couple of days and he fed v regularly throughout. By day 3 or 4 my milk came in good and proper and he was guzzler forever more (or until 18m when he finally finished weaning!)

I suspect the hospitals have a stash of formula for if/when bf-ing isn't working. To be honest it didn't occur to me to bring any formula last time

Yeah see it's not the latching on I'm worried about (famous last words) but the milk being there. I thought it took a few days. This is my first time so I don't know this stuff, is it possible that she'll have to use formula for a few days as I'm not producing anything?