August 2016 number 5 - waddling towards the third trimester!

[Mslg]

For the August 2016 ladies and babies!

Coco I have bought incontinence bed pads (these: www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00D6E9UQ2/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1). They're fairly small, so they can be used in the crib/carrycot as well, and I can layer a few for my bed (and also put one in the car, on the sofa etc., obviously under a blanket of some sort!). No idea if they will work.

I need to check on the SIDS advice actually, I read somewhere that waterproof layers are not recommended...

stranded excellent post! I always feel so guilty that I can't keep track of the posts on my phone.
coco I've bought a waterproof mattress cover from Amazon, it was about 4.99 I think. We just bought a new mattress this year so I definitely wanted to protect it.
sophia at least if baby is engaged then you might get relief from heartburn/indigestion issues.

I'm feeling better today, stomach still feels sensitive so have kept food small and plain. Managing to get more fluid in too. I'm hoping from now on I get plain sailing!

haha stranded that post was epic. Your brave going camping, I was supposed to last weekend and lot my never after a restless night and offered to drive OH home instead for a very late night but a comfy bed! most unllike the old me.

sophia I must be on a similar time frame to you, 5 more weeks at work! well four and a day now really. Your have done a great thing for bird and baby.

Is anyone having their mum at the birth as well as their DP? I really can't decide whether to ask her or not. Part of me just wants the intimacy of just me and my partner, but I know my mum would absolutely love to be there, and we are very close. She gets on well with my DP and would be a very calming and practical presence I think. Seeing as I can't even make decisions about paint colour at the minute, I don't know how to decide this!

sophia why don't you ask your OH what he thinks? He may feel like he could really do with not being the sole supporter and an extra hand to reassure/comfort you would be helpful or could feel overshadowed and not really feel like he could be there for you as much as he'd like to be. Go with what he says

We agreed OH only unless it goes on forever, starts when he's workign nights and I have no choice, or we needed to be seperated for any reason (like baby needing special care) and my mum would come - obviously dont think it will come to it, but nice to have a back-up plan.
Mums a right worrier so for me OH is first choice, but if MIL had a choice in the matter im sure she woul dbe in there arms deep! - so to speak

Thanks for the advice all! . Newborn it is.

Sophie I'm a hospital medic (although not an obstetrician) and agree with coco; it sounds like your little one is engaged and that's why your bump has reduced in size, it's not too early for that at all...hopefully you're reassured by the replies on here; I know how worrying it can be when you start to think all is not going as it should.

coco most of my hospital - working friends have 'acquired' a load of inco pads and popped them under their bed sheets, I haven't heard any leakage/matress replacement horror stories so I assume it worked! I think you can get them from the chemist too.

Stranded that was great! Thanks

Sophia I'm having my DH and my big sister at the birth. When my husband panics, he can sometimes get very very introverted, I kinda think he's going to be really overwhelmed... My sister is a right bossy boots, and down to earth (farmers wife) and has had 3 of her own, so I figure if she thinks things aren't happening right, or they're forgetting to send the alerts out to the consultant/cardiologist/PROPERLY check her breathing etc, my sister will not be a shrinking violet!
My DH is completely on board with this, I think he knows having her there will help keep us both grounded.

Worrying a little bit today. Lately my acid reflux has been so bad I just throw up literally everything I eat. Have done for weeks but the last few days it's been constant and my belly is always completely empty at all times. If it's causing a belly ache for me, I must not have a happy baby in me

Epic post ahead!

Stranded, Rum and Bex Thank you for understanding about my little bird - last day with him today so going to spoil him rotten.

Fizzy, Bex and Christine Thanks for advice on mums. I love how you mentioned your sister is a farmer's wife Fizzy - I'm now imagining her bringing the spirit of lambing time at the farm to the hospital! Talked to DP and he would prefer it just to be us, so will go with that unless something happens that means I need more support. Don't know whether it's hormonal (and is no comment at all on DP) but am having a real sense of needing my mum a lot at the minute!

Coco, Jeezy, Rum and Alfie Thank you for reassurance about my bump! Heartburn has been a little better. Was having period-type pains again in bed last night. Midwife said if I was getting cramps in the same places I do with period then that's a good sign that my body is getting ready. I have such a sense he's going to arrive early..

My mum came round with the Moses basket and chest of drawers last night, along with enough clothes and blankets to fill it! Another ex-colleague of hers has given me absolutely loads of baby gros and some swaddling things. My mum has also found a mini pair of suede cowboy booties in a charity shop - this is what retirement does to grannies-to-be! She's also brought me the blanket that my granny (who died when I was about 5) knitted for me when I was born, which is very special :-)

Paint has arrived (there's some good offers at B&Q right now) so DP is going to start decorating once birdie has been picked up. All feeling very real!

Had a meeting with my line manager yesterday and she has agreed I can delegate all the in-school work I had scheduled till maternity leave, which is a huge relief, as I really can't manage travelling across the NE by bus, then teaching for hours. Bit worried about how to keep myself occupied now though, as when I am home alone my anxiety tends to be worse :-/

Christine Have you talked to midwife/doctor about heartburn? My appetite has completely gone and am finding it really difficult to eat anything. Fruit is proving ok - apparently green apples are good for heartburn - but I couldn't even manage a packet of crisps last night! Remember that baby is getting all the nutrients they need from the placenta and will take from your reserves rather than go hungry - little vampires that they are!

sophia I don't really feel like I can talk to my midwife about anything, she just brushes it off. And I plan to go the doctors it's just a case of getting myself down there when I feel this weak. That definitely reassures me though that she's okay

The feeling weak is horrible isn't it? I feel like I can barely hold a book open sometimes! If your local pharmacy takes part in the 'Minor ailments' scheme you can also get non-branded Gaviscon liquid for free with your maternity certificate/card :-) It's a lot better than Rennies.

I don't trust myself to stand up for longer than a minute. The OH has come home from work early to look after me and is downstairs standing in as house maid for the day. He's brought me chocolate and ice lollies (chocolate is a no go with acid reflux) and the ice lolly came straight back up. My head is pounding from the non stop sickness and I'm just laying in bed crying. There's a big difference between this and actually being "ill" atleast if it was a bug I'd just want to sleep through it, with this I'm lying here thinking of all the things I'd rather be doing and despite the lack of energy and sleep being wide awake.

Oh you poor thing :( I really feel for you. Maybe just give in to the fact that you are bedridden for now and line up some boxsets to watch?

christine I would nip in and see your GP if you can and see if they can give you some anti-sickness and/or some antacid tablets. Lots of these are very safe in pregnancy, and even the ones where there's not much evidence are usually considered fine to use at this stage for a short time. I had horrendous reflux and vomiting caused by medications I was on pre-pregnancy and have been on two types of antisickness and omeprazole the whole way through, my obstetrician didn't bat an eyelid and baby has no problems (I get scanned fortnightly). Hope you feel better soon

christine i also think you need to give the GP a phone or NHS24 now perhaps. When I had that sickness bug the other day they were wanting to prescribe me anti-emetics because they are worried about dehydration. It's more important you can keep liquid down than food. There's no need to suffer so much, as others have said there a plenty of safe medications you can take to improve it. Then you might start to feel a bit better.

Hi can anyone help me if you are using a tens machine when did you order if for? And where from? I have just found boots and mothercare both let you rent them but I can't remember who I used last time.

Christine You really should get a doctor to come out to you if you can't get to your GP or at least call 111 to get advice. It sounds like you're probably starting to dehydrate a bit on top of everything else. I wouldn't want to scare you, but you don't want it to get so bad that you end up in hospital on a drip to get your fluids up.
Get your OH to call on your behalf if you're not able.
Sending get well wishes anyway. Hope you feel better soon

Christine Sorry for giving bad advice - think babies can cope ok without a lot of food, but didn't realise you weren't getting fluids either. Agree with everyone else that you should get Dr out to you or ring 111 and they might send a taxi for you to go in x

I'm at the hospital now with babies heart beat being monitored and high blood pressure for me (she said i may be nervous and will re do it in half an hour)

christine take care of yourself please. Sounds like you've had a really rotten time of it. Hope you get some helpful answers and are starting to feel better soon. Think of the end result

christine hope you get some relief soon & all is well with the bub.

Re Tens, I hired it from one of the websites I found on Google. Babycare TENS, I think? They send it to you when you are 36 weeks for a 7 week period.

Sophia I had a very good friend (who is now my DS' godmother) as a birth partner in addition to my DH last time, & she's lined up to be with us again this time, hopefully. I wanted an extra support as I'd read a lot about the benefits of doulas, but knew I didn't want to hire someone who wasn't previously known to me, & I didn't think my mum would have been the right person either. Having the pair of them to support me worked brilliantly. If your instinct tells you that it'll be helpful to have your mum there, then definitely go for it! Sometimes it's as simple as that your DH might need a break to wee/eat & still having someone there who's familiar can make all the difference.

I have +4 (or 4+?) ketones in my urine so have to stay in over night, they took blood to test and extra to test for preeclampsia and am just waiting for a drip to be put in my arm and to see the doctor, although what he'll tell me that I haven't already heard I don't know. Thank you for your kind words ladies. If this nausea wears off I could be in for a nice sleep! Fingers crossed:(

Glad you are getting some help christine the drip will make a world of difference I'm sure! Hopefully you are already snoozing now.

Glad you're getting help Christine, hopefully you had a good night.

TMI alert: Is anyone else a bit, erm, leaky? I think it's normal but it's ramping up and I might have to start wearing pantiliners at this rate...