July 2016 Babies (9) - let the babies commence!

[Ellizardo]

Nearly there folks.

And I can't flipping wait! My induction should be in about 4 weeks. I'm ready for the end of this pregnancy: I'm clearly starting to go insane. Poor DH forgot to cook the potatoes for tea tonight, and I had to have bread instead, and I sobbed my heart out for about 10 minutes.

Congrats Fifi, glad to hear you are both well. Take care!

Thanks for all the well wishes. All the monitoring is going well, baby seems quite happy at the minute on the trace scans. I'm in and out of hospital with tests, he seems to be quite wriggly and content at the minute according to them, even if I can't feel it . Got a review next week so we shall see.

Wow four weeks left youandme, to think that we are so close now! Some more than others though. I can't believe I've got over 7 weeks to go if all goes to plan!

Glad there are wriggles mascara. It's so frustrating when you can't feel them though. I'm starting to think we need a little window just so we can check on the little things. Pleased the monitoring is going well. Fingers crossed for next week's review.

fifi can i request another photo of little luca for the first page of our new thread? I am beyond broody! Hope you are both doing well! Hows is your dp?

Congratulations Fifi and Luca. He is such a picture of perfection. I hope you are doing well. Get some rest.

Tams a window would be fab, never thought it would be such a worry being pregnant! I've found I worried most at the start, chilled a bit in the middle and now I'm so close to the end I'm worrying about everything again! Keeping busy! Are you being monitored tams?

Hi all

I have been reading up on the threads but have not managed to find the time to reply will slowly catch up on replying next week as I start my maternity leave but I just had to say a huge congratulations to fifi baby luca is absolutely gorgeous can't wait for all the other little ones to join us x

Fifi hope ur doing well to looking forward to more pics and news wen and if u feel up to it

Mascara hope ur ok to its horrible when u can't feel movement but glad baby ok x

Hope everyone else is ok xxx

Jumping on. 8 weeks left. Have been feeling properly pregnant all week and am even more shattered than I thought possible.

31+9

Placemarking

Wow fifi congratulations and welcome to the world Luca!

Fifi congrats Luca is adorable!! I hope you are recovering well and thinking of you and you'll beautiful little boy! How exciting to have the first baby in our group born!

Hi ladies

What an absolute whirlwind! Have just managed to express 3.5ml of milk (or colostrum I guess) for Luca so feeling chuffed and wide awake. I'll post my birth story later (there were still MORE twists and turns on what I posted) but really wanted to reply to everyone as I was so touched throughout the day seeing everyone's reactions. I'm so glad to have this thread and hopefully Luca will develop nicely and be on the same track as your July arrivals by the time I get him home.

jem you're so close to mat leave time!! Final hurdle now

tams yes the grumpy lady next to you at the CTG was me!!!! I did wonder if it was you when you left 😊 what a small world! I was v jealous of your toast haha. You left just before they rushed all the doctors in as Luca decelarated on the machine. I think the other woman who took your bed was mortified as obviously I got upset when they started saying don't eat we might need to take you down in 30 mins etc. Would be lovely to meet you properly once your baby joins us! What monitoring are they doing on you now, all okay?

noodle - I'm not a second time mum but I have been saying from day 1 that Luca would be early. But hoping that your 42+ plus prediction isn't true.

youandme sorry to hear about your monitoring schedule hun. This sounds v familiar to what my routine was supposed to be (only lasted a day haha) and I was gutted about missing out on my yoga etc. Which obviously now I've missed the boat on (thanks Luca!!) I would say to pack your hospital bag and leave it in your car if poss. I still can't believe how quickly things changes for me just from CTG monitoring. I was low risk before Friday. When things really ramped up this week it was so nice to have the bag on site (my mum had to go back to get it on Fri and sweep up stuff). When I was discharged for one night on Monday, I repacked my hospital bag then had another smaller bag where I kept my stuff I use every day (make up/medication/iPad etc) and I had planned to keep bringing that in and out of car each day.

julfin you have no idea how happy I am that I inspired you to have a chat with your manager. It's so hard isn't it when you're used to putting your career first and I guess we all have the messages that we can just carry on as normal until our little ones arrive. You'll be so much happier now you've clarified expectations. I was able to tie up all my loose ends before getting hospitalised because I had reduced my workload. Only thing I have to do now is log onto my laptop so I can email all my wider colleagues to say why I've disappeared so early!!!!

Anna thank you for post c section advice. I haven't actually had any knickers on since I delivered him?!? I have a sort of sheet in the bed and they've put a pad between my legs. Is that normal? I am in my own room so don't know if that makes a difference. I don't seem to be bleeding much down below either (famous last words...)

cheery your ref to anterior placenta has reminded me to share a snippet from yday - midwife said when they cut me open they couldn't believe just how anterior my placenta was. Apparently it was right at the front where they were expecting to first see baby. I feel so pleased that I wasn't just being clueless with not feeling him move that often!!

gnat hope your DH's auntie is on the mend now?

Massive thank you to lulabells, foobio, bluebell, photographer, vickie, grockle, vikki, elizardo, youandme, cookies, becks, gnat, ruby, pulpi, goodnames, lucia, tams, anna, MrsRolly, puzzle, dats, beautician, speak, noodle, thom, hopes, mascara, loopy, mar, bel and jem for your kind wishes - hope I haven't missed anyone

Bluebell, cookies, dats - you big softies for your tears and emotions! So lovely xx

becks haven't had a cuddle yet as they thought I was too weak yday. But I should be having one today. I'm so excited!!

goodnames - the hat is lovely isn't it! The midwives gave it to me as I didn't have anything with me. I wonder if they are donated as they had lots in different colours. Unfortunately it was still too big for Luca. Anyone know good place for 2-4lb baby stuff?

mar - so lovely to hear from you I was wondering how you were getting on. How are movements for you after your scare?

noodle - I don't have a DP. Luca's dad didn't want to know when I was around 6 weeks pregnant so he doesn't even know that he has been born. I'm trying not to think about it at the moment but would definitely appreciate everyone's advice in next few weeks on how to handle it. But I can definitely oblige on your request for another pic of Luca 😊

Oh and another tip for hospital bag - get a portable mobile phone charger! It has been an absolute godsend! There is no way I could be leaning around for the plug socket behind me at the moment. But it was also helpful when I was admitted pre baby. There were some times (particularly at night) where I just didn't want to be teaching about and I could snuggle up with my phone.

This is the one I have. It is universal so works with your phones usual charging lead if it is USB based. It comes with a lead that you use on your normal charger to charge the battery back up. But it also fits a blackberry charger which is what i use to recharge.

www.amazon.co.uk/Anker-PowerCore-mini-Aluminum-Lipstick-Sized-Black/dp/B005QI1A8C

fifi it sounds like you're doing great! Go mama on the expressing! That's awesome. No, that's normal with no knickers and just the pad but they'll probably want you up and about today at some point. I'd try wait for your mum to come help you if you can. I got DH to help me shower which was not pretty but i don't think I could have done solo and I didn't care!!

Keep us posted on how you're both doing. Luca is just precious!

I'll try catch up properly with everyone later. I don't want to drag the happy vibe of the thread down but found out yesterday by DM has breast cancer, but they think it's a secondary so she needs to have a full scan next week and has been told to bring her family with her. My mum is my rock and I'm devastated but trying to be so strong and positive as two of my siblings are very sensitive and upset. As a result I had horrendous braxton hicks all yesterday so I'm really trying to keep calm. Anyway I'm sorry to be a downer but just had to share as I know you guys will u sweat and how hard this news is when pregnant. X

fifi I thought it might have been you. I could hear similar questions to the ones you'd posted on here through the curtain. I didn't want to say anything because you were busy and I might have been wrong. Hopefully we'll meet up at mum and baby things at some point. Well done on the expressing! Hope you aren't too sore after the section and fingers crossed for some cuddles (and toast - sorry) today.

fifi and mascara I've been sent back to midwife led care after the scan yesterday. They don't know why the baby stopped moving but everything measured normal so they're happy to leave things be for now and let me just monitor movements.

anna I'm so sorry to hear about your dm. I can understand you wanting to stay strong but is there anyone you can talk to who can support you - dp or a close friend maybe? You'll need it too. They should know more after the scan and be able to give you an update. I'll be thinking of you all.

Fifi - and now the rest of your lives begin together!..keep us posted on it all.

Anna - I am so sorry to hear the news about your Ma. How is she coping with the news? There is so much they can do now I have everything crossed that they have a clear, workable strategy to dealing with it. In the meantime, as tams says, I hope there is someone you can talk to too and how you can be a strength to your family as well as looking after yourself. Already the braxton hicks worries me that it's having an immediate effect on your pregnancy, so please try and take it easy. Thinking of you.

Fifi - posted on old thread! So just in case - CONGRATULATIONS!!!! Welcome to the world Luca! Amazing that you've produced colostrum too, great start. Sending love and teeny, gentle hugs xxxx

Anna - so sorry about your Mum. I know that the treatment is so much better and more effective now so the outlook is much more positive than it used to be. Really scary though and thinking of you xxx

P.s. Fifi - glad to know isn't just me! Lady who was monitoring me kept saying - can you not feel that?! Incredulous look on face. Thanks for sharing that x

Fifi congratulations! Our first little baby, how exciting! Little Luca is gorgeous. Love the feet photo! Hope you're feeling ok. Keep us posted.

Tams hope you're doing ok too.

Anna so sorry to hear about your DM. You mustn't put too much pressure on yourself to be strong - you're allowed to have support too. Hugs!

He's so lovely Fifi, well done on the expressing but your mum is so excited and proud :)

Anna sorry to hear about your DM, like others have said there is so much that can be done. Will keep my fingers crossed for positive news. I always have to be the strong organised one in my set of siblings make sure you give yourself time it's ok not to be ok! Especially at the moment, thinking of you.

It's Thursday 2 more working days before bank holiday! Hope everyone has lovely plans, I can't remember who is going away on a surprise baby moon but looking like perfect weather for it!

Fifi the expressing is amazing, I would be very pleased with that quantity of colostrum. I remember it well, trying to express into tiny syringes, and being dismayed by the tiny quantities. The midwives were really reassuring that it was entirely normal amounts of colostrum! For tiny baby clothes, I know John Lewis do an "early baby" size which is up to 5lbs I think.

Anna, the news about your DM must have been a huge shock for you all. I hope you have someone to talk to about it all, as it is hard being the "strong" one, let alone being heavily pregnant at the same time.

Oh Anna, I'm so sorry to hear about your mom. We went through this the other year with DH's dad. Make sure you take care of yourself and let your partner fuss over you.

fifi - I am loving all the pics and keep us updated on progress. You seem so strong and together after what must have been a very scary / stressful situation. I am not sure I would be. Luca looks so happy to have arrived. I have been thinking of you as I am pretty sure that we were due date buddies with Goingloopy. He is so precious. Hope that your mum is around taking care of you. Sending Bob you and Luca lots of love.
anna - I am so sorry to hear your news about your DM. There is no good time to hear news like that but it must be so hard when you are pregnant. You have so much on your plate with the move as well. I am very close to my DM too. Like others have said, there is amazing care and treatment out there for breast cancer. What part of the country is she in? I know there are some excellent centres all over. I will be keeping my fingers crossed for you both.
Can I ask advice about movement. I keep reading that by now the baby should be in a pattern of movement but I can't see one. Is this worrying?

Thanks for setting up the new thread, glad I made it back to fold in time to find it easily! I wonder if we'll make it to 10 before all the babas arrive?!

Fifi, thanks for all the updates and pics of Luca. Keep them coming. I showed my DH husband the feet picture last night and he was really touched. Such dinky little toes! You seem in very good form after everything you'd been through. Well done on expressing so much colostrum. Am excited for you at the thought of the cuddle times ahead today

Anna, I'm sorry to hear about your Mum, hope scans next week are as positive as they can expect. One of my colleagues was diagnosed a few weeks ago and it all seems to be moving very quickly, she's got an op date for 15th June and a good prognosis. Fingers crossed it's like this for your mum. Your siblings will have to step up, you cannot look after everyone just now - you must feel torn between the desire to look after your family and the need to concentrate on baby. Big hugs