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

[Ellizardo]

Nearly there folks.

Congratulations Speak and Thom!! Gorgeous little babies! Thanks for the beautiful photos. I have been worried about our baby being born anemic as I have had so much trouble with my own iron levels.

I actually had the name Corin on our list but hubby didn't like it as he kept hearing 'Corinne' and thinking it was a girls name - never managed to get beyond that so it's come off the list sadly. I'm glad you've used it!

Lovely to be back on the thread ladies. Have been catching up on all your news and will try and post more now. Things have been very hectic for me - my parents have been ill too, both in hospital unexpectedly, but both home safely now thankfully. My dad had an op on his heart so quite serious. I also just finished at work last week so only catching up on everything else now. Feel totally shattered! Mum arriving later today for the week, our flat is an utter tip! Better get out of bed and start tidying...

In terms of baby, at 36 appt, he/she had moved and was head down and starting to engage. I definitely feel more waddly now, but my pelvic pain has improved a lot. Another appt on Wed so we'll see what news then!

Happy Monday all and good those in hospital get to come home soon.

37+5 today

I've reported my last post wrong doc added

youandme indians eek sounds exciting. my pains come and go and amount to nothing, think it's just stupid BH again. Bowel movements were aplenty yesterday and felt sick for several hours. Exciting about your plug you . The movements are so uncomfy?!?

mrsrolly that's exciting! Do you feel well nested now? I can't stop DH having 'two' beers with all this football on

Agree- keep all baby pictures coming! So nice to be reminded what the end result of all this will be, and they really are so cute and lovely. So lovely to see the progress too.

Off to the docs post nursery run to get DD checked, no more new spots but don't want to keep her off school if it's not the pox

Eurgh can this rain this morning bugger off!

docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1mTiHCKrseXegaNEfEQc25Hy9HShGZGzCZWb-RSAWkiU

Should be the right doc now updated

Gnat, glad your 36 weeks appointment went so well and the baby is heading in the right direction. I've got my 36 weeks on Thursday and I hope that all the extra trips to the toilet mean this one was started to engage.

Keep those newborn photos coming! They make all this birthing ball bouncing seem worthwhile.

Morning all,

Pulpi I can always tell when baby has dropped because my indegestion/reflux eases, sadly I haven't as yet. I'm seeing midwife weekly and she's put 4/5 engaged in my notes so I've still got a long way to go. My birthing ball should arrive this week so I'll be bouncing to encourage him in the right direction. Saying that, I was literally weeing every half an hour in the night which made me wonder if he's moving south.

Fifi Luca looks fab, glad you're both doing well and keep the pics coming.

Cookies I hope DD manages to shift her chicken pox quickly.

Youandme I lost my dad 10 years ago but still have a few tears on Father's Day so I know how you feel, it must be especially hard though seeing as yours passed away so recently Last nights pains sound promising, hope things get going for you soon!

Beaut I'm giving the hospital bag some serious thought this morning. For some reason I can't get excited about this job this time round, seem to have my priorities wrong for some reason...Isofix base has been in the car weeks and nursery ready ages ago but seem to be struggling with the bag packing...difficult to get enthusiastic about breast pads, huge knickers and maternity pads I suppose Well done and thanks for the spreadsheet!

Indians I think our minds block out the shit bits of pregnancy,I can't remember the last few weeks either. Hope things get going for you soon.

Gnat sorry to here your folks have been in hospital, glad they're on the mend!

I've had a couple of hospital stays recently (28 weeks and 33 weeks) due to high bp but seems to be under control at the moment. I have my 36 week consultants appointment on Thursday and I'll find out if they'll induce me at full term or let me go over, my midwife has said she finds it doubtful they'll let me go over so I'm praying for an induction date.

Anyone planning on trying to help things along with raspberry leaf, nipple stimulation, sex etc? I did last pregnancy but still went over 10 days and had to be induced so my head is telling me it's a waste of time but I'm getting tempted as the weeks roll on!

35 + 4

Hopes I've been trying the walking and sex to bring on labour. I haven't done the RLT as birth was so quick last time and I don't want to be caught out at home this time!!

Cookies DH's pat leave will kick in when baby arrives but they start with putting it in for the week of expected child birth so they can cover his shifts. As he was off last week and DD was early we thought this one would be here by now!!

Beaut we didn't really do much to celebrate yesterday. My parents took DD to a family christening then came over for a cuppa and some birthday cake. I've said to DH I'll make it up to him once baby's here and we'll go for a few drinks and a meal to celebrate!

Thom and Speak hoping all is well with your little ones today and that your recovering well.

You I keep getting the same, thinking things are starting for it all to tail off an hour or so later. I never had any BH with DD so I'm guessing that's what this is.

40 week midwife app tomorrow. I was measuring big last app so it'll be interesting to see if I still am this week!

I've been having Braxton Hicks for weeks, but they have just been tightenings rather than pains. These pains (which are now back) are more like waves of fairly intense period pains round the bottom of my back and stomach. They do feel similar to the pain I had after my cervical surgeries, which I guess is maybe promising?

There doesn't seem to be much of a pattern though, and they are entirely bearable at the moment. No sign of any more of the plug than the barely there amount this morning!

Hey sorry just a very quick post from me , so much has happened the past week haven't managed to properly catch up !
Just wanted to congratulate speak and thorn on the arrival your wonderful gorgeous babies ! Well done ladies , hope ur well looked after in hospital and getting cuddles ! X
Hope everyone's doing well will nd to catch up properly ! Xx

Hopes DH is super impatient. So last time I found myself stair climbing every day in an attempt to get things started. It did nothing other than tire me out. Also tried pineapple and sex although not at the same time. I did go into labour the morning after a very hot curry and a long walk.

Becks that will be the same as us for DHs birthday which is also my due date. I'll either be too heavily pregnant to do anything or I'll be too tired with a newborn Cake is always good though.

Midwife today and baby is 3/5 engaged apparently . I measured under a week but these measurements really mean nothing to me. I don't take any notice. I asked about what the GP said to me last week and explained my poor lady bits are still ridiculously swollen. Apparently the midwife needs to call another midwife who specialises in this to advise on a plan of action. Useless absolutely useless. Past stds are one of the questions on the booking form you would think they are trained in what to do if one of those stds is present or what's the bloody point. I'm pretty disgusted with my poor care this time around. Hopefully the hospital will prove better.

37+3

Just went to social security ( in Portugal it's them that sort out maternity pay) and made sure everything is in place and i have all forms etc and hospital bag packed and re packed last night so feeling a bit better about that. Close to me Cot is still at mil house ( she lives round corner and has loads of room for all the baby stuff we shoved there when ds1 outgrew it ) so need to get that home. But in Portugal there's a mandatory minimum 2 day/night stay in hospital so it's not crazy essential as oh can go grab it.

I'm sitting in the coffee shop I go to all the time and everyone is staring not rudely but because my bump is huge I think they are slightly concerned I'm about to drop. Lol well tbh it could happen at any moment, but if I get to Friday it'll be the most pregnant I've ever been.

I do have a feeling he's not far off just as I say that I'm getting another braxton hick. They've been mostly in painful and irregular but every so often I get a painful contraction that feels like period cramps which is what labour felt like but then goes away. I've had a shed load of discharge so I think plug might be starting to go and dtd yesterday as I feel bad for oh after baby born he won't be getting anything for a few months at least. I also thought gotta take advantage of some nice feeling, I remember all too well the recovery after ds1.

37 + 2

Afternoon ladies. Went to my 38 week appointment today. Felt bad because last night I had terrible sleep, I felt tired, dehydrated and a bit fed up. Sort of the opposite of every other appointment I have had. She popped me on the monitor for an hour, had to hold it there as the trace was bad. All seems fine though. She's less back to back now back is slowly rotating to the front. 2/5 engaged at 38+2.

Thanks to all of you for all your helpful advice re childcare. Elliz and Beaut - thanks for suggesting a childminder and that it might be cheaper - the thought hadn't even occurred to me. So glad I asked. I'll keep on exploring options. Like you Anna, I'll need 8-6pm year-round. Day nurseries generally offer roughly 8-6 whereas I think pre-school (if that's the same as nursery school?) is for over-2s and is normally roughly 9-3pm and is during term-time only (although some have breakfast/after-school clubs). I've enlisted my folks for one day per week, and I'm thinking of doing one day per week myself (at least when I first return to work, if I can use up some extra leave to make a 4-day week) so we're probably just looking at 3 days of nursery/childminder at first. But I also need to get the age 3-5 bit sorted. Seems totally crazy to be focusing on that now, but apparently it's crucial to get in early round here!

Tams - gosh no, we were sitting at the concert. I'm not a fan of standing around nowadays!

Dats - did you have fun at the pool party?

Ha ha Beaut, I'm intrigued to know what doc you accidentally added! Btw my little boy is due on 19th not 18th (according to the MW rather than my own calculation) - also I'm now 34yo - pls can you amend the spreadsheet for me? Not sure whether that means you might not have the most up-to-date version of the stats...? As I did update it with those details a while ago. Re driving, we don't have a car but I've found recently that it's deeply uncomfortable even sitting in a vehicle (because of the angle of the seats) let alone driving the damn thing! Opposite to you: I'm tall so I feel folded in half and the baby clashes with my ribs/legs. Just read your post re pineapple and sex at the same time - hilarious!

Pulpi - hope you're not overdoing things still. Go easy, eh?

Anna - how's your hair? I'm booked in to get mine done on my first monday of mat leave. For the next two weeks I'm just pretending I can't see the roots...

Primary - how are you getting on with your granny's splints?

Cookies - sorry to hear about the chicken/cornpox. Hope she's doing ok.

Becks - happy anniversary - glad you had a relaxing day.

Thom/Speak - how are our youngest members doing? Lots more pictures please! Does Thomette have a name, or not yet?

Fifi - love the latest pic! Did you enjoy your bath?

You&Me - sorry you're having a tough time. Hope you feel better soon. What does the plug actually look like?

Hopes - doesn't 4/5 engaged mean you're nearly there?!

I came to my 36w MW appt first thing this morning and have been told to stay for a couple of extra scans, because the bump has only grown 1cm in the last fortnight (and was already on the small side anyway, whereas we are both quite tall). Also have a possible infection - protein level and white blood cells are both high. Next scan isn't until 13.45, and there was no point going to work between this morning and then, so am just killing time. Can't even be bothered to go out to a nearby cafe because it's so grotty outside today (and because a tearful pregnant lady is less conspicuous in a hospital cafe than in a random Starbucks in west London) so am just sitting in the hospital cafe feeling worried and sending a few half-hearted emails for work. I'm sure/hopeful that the growth issue will turn out to be nothing, but things have been a bit difficult at home recently and I'm emotionally exhausted so am not dealing with this situation very well! DH is coming to join me for the scan though which is nice.

Good news though is that (after feeling some aching in my groins and a squiggly feeling behind my pelvic bone for the first time over the weekend) I've been told today that the baby's head is 2/5 engaged. Probably ought to finish packing my hospital bag and get that pushchair delivered! 😳

36w today or tomorrow

Sorry I've not posted recently. Stuff has been manic with various hospital Appts (being monitored for growth of baby which seems to have slowed and also my heart) and trying to finish at work. Am off today for a day hol before my last 4 days before last day on Friday. My replacement started today but is on induction all day so I just did a bit of work on handover notes.

Congratulations to Speak and Thom on your arrivals! I guess it'll be frequent from now on ladies! I am showing no signs of the baby engaging let alone labour. Not even sure I've had Brixton Hicks to be honest. But I feel HUGE.

I've been doing pretty well on prep...hospital bags for me and baby are done and have bought drinks and snacks for DH'S bag (these are all obvs sitting waiting to go into a bag...he says he doesn't think he'll need one yet when I ask if he wants to have anything in hospital quite a few things get mentioned...!), nursery is done and I even have bed pads on my bed and in my car (thus pretty much guaranteeing my waters will not break in bed or car and thus probably will go all over something else)...just waiting for pushchair delivery and his little lordship himself.

Did anyone do a fathers day thing yesterday? I got DH a card from the bump and got quite emotional when he opened it (not really like me that...I blame the hormones).

I agree with whoever said our bodies must conveniently 'forget' all the challenging stuff about pregnancy. It's my first so I am probably more worried than I need to be, but that, added to feeling huge and uncomfortable, added to health issues etc does make me think 'one and done'! Ghats said I am so beyond excited to meet my little one - just want him here now.

Finally hope all those with health issues / family health issues / house moves and so on are OK. Am thinking of you all as this time is challenging enough without those other things going on

BOTB79 37+3

Hello all, wow the thread has moved so quickly with more births : congrats speak on your little bundle of joy he looks like a good size and so peaceful! Glad to hear you and baby are ok!x

And congrats to you too Thom she is adorable and hope you will get cuddles with her soon. Hope you are ok toox

I'm fine, back at home still getting v painful BH so looks like my body will be "practising" until the big day!

Eliz glad to hear your mum is doing and how are you? Funny how we were at Lewisham Hosp that day. Maybe one day we really will meet!:-)

julfin so jel you got to see Coldplay! Hope you had fun.

anna congratulations on exchanging but sorry to hear about your mum I hope she is ok.

fifi thanks for sharing more pics of Luca he is so sweet!

hopes I bought some raspberry leaf last week from neal's yard drinking everyday as well as trying to do some long walks and bouncing on birth ball!

julfin nice that your DH is coming to join you, fingers crossed you hear some good news at your next appointment and keep us updated

Sorry if I missed anyone will try and catch up with the thread

37+3

Julfin - hope all ok at scan - these babies like to keep us on our toes don't they?! Really glad that your DH is with you. Sending hugs x

Fifi - Isn't Luca bonny! So glad you're both doing so well.

Right I'm off to get some raspberry leaf tea!

37+2

Congratulations Thom & Speak, hope you are being well looked after and get lots of snuggles soon.

Having finally finished work, and had my NHS birthing class at the weekend, DH has decided he's ready for the baby to arrive now! So I'm on the RLT, walks, sex (first time in a while and actually not as awkward as I expected!) and curry tonight. Anything else I could be trying?!

Not had any signs of things happening yet though, except stronger braxton hicks. Has anyone else found that the baby seems to be dropping during the day and coming back out again at night? By the way, I believe the x/5 measure of engagement is how much of the baby's head can be felt outside the pelvis, so counter-intuitively 1/5 is further along than 4/5.

38+0

Had the scan and all seems fine. Baby is measuring below average in some areas and above average in others. All comfortably within the 3rd-97th percentile though. Lots of worry about nothing - phew!

Bel - when do you get more news re your growth and heart - or will it just be ongoing monitoring from now until birth?

Foobio/Hopes - you're absolutely right. I had assumed that 4/5 meant that the baby's head was almost fully engaged but you're right, it's the amount that's still above the parapet. Having said that, I was told today that I'm at 2/5 and yet apparently he hasn't screwed down into a fixed position yet - and some babies apparently don't engage at all until during labour, so I don't think it's worth reading too much into it.

Julfin - think it depends on midwife measurements too. Ive been told baby is 3/5, 1/5 and 2/5 engaged within the space of one week so dont think it makes a difference.

Just had my first sweep - cervix was tightly shut so was a bit of a failure but apparently its anterior and soft which hopefully means that next week itll be a success! Like some of you other ladies im fed up and miserable now and want this baby here!

Congrats speak and thom, have lovely cuddles (if you can now) or just enjoy gazing at your bundles of joy! Hope you are both recovering well :)

How many weeks are you primary?? My midwife says they won't sweep until 41 weeks. I thought I might beg tomorrow at my 40 week appointment. I wonder if she can be bribed with chocolate, wine, money???

Had coffee with my NCT group this morning - so far between us we only have one baby - he was there today. So adorable. I can't believe I'm about to have one!

On that note - I've been contracting all day. They're pretty irregular and far apart though, and not desperately painful. I think it's going to be a long haul. The tens machine is helping.

I thought my waters might have started to go but I'm not really sure. I guess the midwife will be able to confirm tomorrow if nothing happens to make it more obvious today!

You I hope things ramp up for you as I know you are desperate for it to be over now.

Midwife called back I've got to go to hospital on Friday to get checked over and see if a c section is required.

37 becks but i had to get consultant to agree before she would do it!

Oo youandme you might be about to bring baby no.4 to the thread!