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

[Ellizardo]

Nearly there folks.

bel wow your nursery is very lovely, very inspirational indeed. In contrast to this our 'nursery' room now has electrics running to it as of this weekend! And most of a wall, which still needs plastering, painting.. I don't feel like the poor sod will ever have a finished room.

thom very exciting about the house! You must be counting down the days til move day. Hope you are feeling prepared with lots of lists etc

bluebell along with others you sound like you're doing a great deal of work/nesting. It really is putting me to shame. All your sorting sounds v impressive indeed. Can I have some of this energy please?!

primary glad all is well with the trace etc. Awkward / cheeky baby. They're known for this sort of behaviour

mascara hope all went well with the consultant. I know what you mean about stretching.. Almost like just a pushing of a bum into the front of my tummy today.

Talking of which, movements have been very limited today. Think I've over done it. Has anyone else had this happen? Did eventually get some this evening which stopped me phoning the hospital. I think being on my feet all day/not drinking enough were to blame though. Now I've downed loads of water I can't sleep due to heartburn and suffering again wth what feels like reduced lung capacity. I went to bed (shattered) at 9.30 as well, so the fact it's now ten to 1 is making me lose my sanity. It feels ridiculous when I have a really early start in the morning and a long week juggling DDs on half term. Sigh.

35+1

Becks ahh it will be lovely to have the surprise at birth.

YouandMe sorry about the rubbish comments. We've been away at FILs holiday house. After walking around all day on Saturday my ankles were massive my FIL asked me "is that because you are so HEAVY"

Tams I think ds3 may be jealous of the Dinos already haha.

Dats I'm exhausted all the time at the moment no matter what I do. At least one nap a day.

Fifi more great pics of Luca. How you're feeling is perfectly normal. You've still got all those hormones swimming around inside you, the baby blues usually hit on day 3 and you didn't get the pregnancy/birth you expected. Just try to focus on the things you can control and not those you can't. Once you're home from hospital the memories of this tough start will fade.
We bought a mam microwave steriliser that won't fit our microwave . So I decided to keep it and use it as a cold water steriliser. It does state that it is fit for this purpose also.

Cookies we also have a lot of nautical clothes for baby as well as for ds3. He hasn't got any better still having ridiculous screaming tantrums every day. Not helped by the fact I am potty training him this week. It really would make life easier if he was dry in the day before baby arrives.

Bluebell pleased everything's coming together for you now in the house. I'm also nesting. It's so difficult to keep a clean house with 3 children already though.

Bel gorgeous nursery. I love the stickers. Ds3 has monkeys and giraffes on his bedroom wall which is the room the baby will eventually share with him.

Sorry I've been off thread for a few days. We went away for the bank holiday on Friday afternoon to FIL and SMILS holiday home near Skegness. They don't have Internet so I had pretty much no signal there. It was a great weekend though. Just trying to make the most of every moment we have left as a family of 5. Although I'm getting pretty sick of the constant comments that I should be trying for a number 5 soon after to get my girl. It has me questioning should I try again for a girl? Is it that bad not to have a daughter?

My ankles were really really bad with water retention at the weekend. Even after I woke in the mornings. I've never seen them so bad. I think I will mention it to the midwife when I see her next Monday.

Time is ticking by now. So much I still need to fit in and although I'm feeling breathless and tired again I am enjoying my pregnancy at the moment. I will miss my bump as its the last one I'll ever have.

34+4

beautician glad you had a good weekend away. Sounds like you're really struggling with your ankles now. Definitely worth mentioning it to the midwife. We did something similar with bottles. We bought mam ones as a just in case because they act as their own steriliser but they wouldn't fit in the microwave. Ended up swapping microwaves with MIL because the mam steriliser wouldn't fit either! Plan is to take the steriliser with us when we visit MIL and probably my parents and use it as a cold water steriliser there but microwave one at home.

Good luck to everyone moving in the next couple of weeks. I'm still so impressed that you're doing that at this stage. All I seem to be able to think about is sitting down with an ice cream.

Hello bit late to the party but better late than never!

I'm 25 and 32+1 with a boy which is our first. I've skimmed through this thread and honestly I don't have a pattern with movements either. I just kinda know I usually feel him in the morning, after lunch, evening time and again before bed. If I don't then sitting down quietly with a cold drink does the trick. I did try writing down movements but tbh it wasn't practical especially at work to try and pull my phone out and use an app!

Very excited now though as I only have 7 shifts left at work.

I'm sorry to hear about someone's mother having cancer. There is so much they can do now so do not concentrate on the worst case scenario.

Bel your nursery is lovely! Ours is now painted but we still have the furniture to build and wall stickers to go up.

It seems as if a lot of us are feeling a difference in movements now, it's hard not to worry isn't it.

Beaut don't listen to anyone else going on about trying for a girl, families come in all shapes and sizes, they're just projecting their needs onto you.

Pink welcome to the party, I'm 32+4 with our first also a boy and I'm 28, It seems most of these July babies are boys actually. There is a stats thread around to add your details to but can't remember the name of it.

I'm off work today thank god, didn't get to sleep until around 3 just so uncomfortable and itchy skin at night (although not hands and feet so don't think it's that liver condition) I'm going to mention it to my mw tomorrow though. Today I'm washing the babies clothes and my clothes for hospital bag with the fairy non bio stuff just so it's not all starchy for sensitive skin, then I'm going to pack my hospital bag.

I'm hanging out in the hospital waiting room for my first round of routine extra monitoring. The perils of arriving by bus mean I'm 20 minutes early, so I could be here more or less forever. And it's so hot!

Bel your nursery is looking lovely - what a calm space.

Cookies do bear in mind that I had a 90 minute nap in the middle of all the tidying. And I've barely done anything so far this morning!

Beaut your poor ankles! And I can't see why people are making these comments about you trying for a girl - would they say that to someone who had two boys and had stopped there? It's so bloody rude.

Welcome, pinklady!

Kaytee I've been washing all my baby stuff with Ecover (which is what I use anyway) and then immediately putting it on a separate water rinse. So lovely having all those clean little clothes drying out in the garden!

I'm about to have a long and boring whinge so bear with me...

I am really getting frustrated with our community midwife service. I've seen five midwives so far because of retirement / holidays / sick leave / appointment rearrangements. That's fine, I get it - staff changes happen. The trouble is that none of them can book in appointments for each other, so if I see a temporary midwife I have to wait until the current midwife is working again, then ring the surgery to book in an appointment with her.

I was last seen at 34+2 (two weeks ago on Thursday) and my bump was measuring 0.5cm under. The (temporary) midwife said it was nothing to worry about yet, but that I should be seen again within two weeks just to check that growth is progressing. She couldn't book that appointment for me, of course, so I would have to ring the surgery.

I then went on holiday and had no phone signal for a week. I rang the surgery the moment I got back into range - last Thursday morning - and they said they couldn't book the appointment for me (surprise surprise), I would have to ring the central midwife service line. Which I did, and got their answerphone, and left a message explaining my situation and asking them to call me back.

Well, it's now Tuesday and I've not heard back from them at all! I have rung again this morning and left another message, but if I haven't heard by this afternoon (which is kind of what I'm expecting will happen) I'm not sure what I'm going to do. If I ring the surgery they won't be able to do anything. So what do I do? Ring the central midwife line again and leave a third message? I am feeling a bit peeved!

36+0

Congratulations Thom just seen your message! It's nice to know that someone else is going through the crazy times of trying to move when pretty heavily pregnant! Hope the move goes smoothly next week for you. Looking forward to seeing the nursery photos!

Tams we bought mam ones as I plan on combined breast and bottle feeding (with expressed milk) and they are supposedly the best for this.

Pink welcome. I have no pattern in movement and it's my fourth child. He gave me a scare last week but has been wriggling away this week.

Kaytee yay for bag packing. Itching is quite common now as the skin is doing its final lot of stretching.

You I hope the monitoring went ok.

Bluebell that is rubbish about the midwife is their another surgery you can go to at all ? I have had three midwifes so far. The first was lovely but I saw her once as she was about to move away. The second was absolutely useless I told her pretty much what she should be doing. I saw her twice and then last time there was another one who is apparently now my midwife. She said the second one should have mentioned it surprise, surprise she didn't. This one looks promising though. I'm looking forward to having the baby so as not have to bother with them anymore.

DH has just told me I'm booked in for a massage and pedi next week as he's worried about my ankles and my stress levels with the toddler

Kaytee feeling your pain, they couldn't fit me in for my 32 week appointment (ended up in triage so it didn't matter as I had all my checks done, but that's not the point) and now they can't fit me in for my 34 week appointment next week either?! I'm being closely monitored anyway so it's not a huge deal but what am I supposed to do, not seen the community midwife since 28 weeks. I know they'll rearrange at another clinic but I'm also being blamed for not booking in fast enough

Trace went fine (took a few goes), consultant wants me to have a scan next week and another scan in four weeks time (if I make it ) and to continue with the twice weekly traces so baby is being very closely watched. They don't think anything is actually wrong but that my placenta is the main cause to lack of feeling of movements.

Day of batch cooking and frantic cleaning tomorrow

Love the nursery pics, ours is decorated but somewhat cluttered with baby things that don't have a place yet!

Sorry, I meant bluebell re: midwife! Kaytee I need to wash too, it's currently raining. Hopefully a better day for hanging clothes out tomorrow!

Everything went fine. "Reassuringly normal" the doctor said. And next week I've managed to get a slot for everything at the same hospital, so no need to spend an hour on the bus between them, which is good! I've also been given a provisional date for my induction - 23 June. I will be 39+4.

Hello all,

Right I'm going to get the shit bit over with. I've had an awful few days. My mum got really ill over weekend so I took her to hospital Sunday (my eldest brother is disabled and needs full time care so my dad stayed with him) anyway she was admitted as they discovered she had a nasty infection. As a result they fast tracked her scans. We found out that the cancer is in her breast, kidney, lung and some bones. We are all in a state of a shock and very sad. We don't know much else at this stage but she is still in hospital to get this infection sorted. I've been visiting everyday and have had amazing support from DH and friends and family. I have four siblings so it's been so nice to have each other through this. I'm trying to stay really positive and calm and am doing ok. Work has been amazing and told me have the week off and take my time coming back. As much as I'd like the distraction I can't focus on it right now. I want to thank you all for your very kind messages they truly mean a lot. Thank you x

Not I want to catch up to keep me focused on babies!

fifi Luca is gorgeous! He has put the biggest smile on my face!!! Don't be too hard on yourself. You're doing amazing with the expressing and the main thing is you and bub are safe.

thom I'm so excited for your house move. Are you feeling ready? lu when will you move? We should finally exchange this week and move end of june. I can't wait now. And now our bloody washing machine has broken I'm really ready to go!!!! Good luck with it all!

beautician how sweet of DH!!! That will be lovely!!!

you how did you get on today?

Welcome pink!

bel lovely nursery!!! Can't wait to start on mine!

blue that is bloody annoying. I don't know what else you can do? Did you hear back today?

Mam bottles are amazing! Only ones DD would take when I needed to leave her. She still has them now for her bedtime milk ( don't tell health visitor!!!)))

Re movements I def notice less when I'm busy and also when im knackered. Cold drinks get mine moving really quickly though.

I'm going to try sort through all my newborn stuff at weekend to keep busy. Then I can start buying a few bits that we need to get excited.

Hope you're all we'll xx

bluebell - it sounds really frustrating. i hate it when you can't even get through to someone to explain what the issue is. Can you go down there? It isn't really providing you continuity of care or a named midwife.
pink welcome. I am expecting my first child as well. It is such an exciting but daunting time. Hope you are well.
cookiesandcoffee - I asked my midwife if dehydration can cause lack of movement and she shrugged her shoulders! Mir much help. I am finding the movement thing really hard.
lullabell - I just hope it all goes smoothly for both of us. It is a lot to do!
beautician - I am very jealous about your massages. My ankles are getting worse. Let me know if you get any useful advice.
mascara - I am pleased that the trace went well. I like the extra monitoring I get even if it is annoying to have so many appts.
I have had a appointment with my consultant followed by one with my obsetrician and MW. It has been agreed that I will have an ECS at 38 weeks if I can go that far. They have said that they might bring it forward but have provisionally booked me in. It will be the second week in July!! 6 weeks to go and need to sort things now. First on the list is pram.
Also, they have said that I need to have steroid injections for the babies lungs. Has anyone else had that? And one more stupid question but what constitutes big pants. Everyone recommends getting them but not sure what they are....

Oh Anna I'm really sorry to hear that.

Anna our posts must have crossed. I am so sorry to hear about your mum, and hope that you have some good news about the future treatment plans. It must be so hard. I am pleased that your other siblings are helping out. Thinking of all your family at this time. You sound so incredibly strong. Xxx

Anna so sorry to hear about your mum. Keep strong and keep supporting each other

Thom, I've bought full briefs. In other words those huge pants that practically come up near your belly button. Primark have got packs of four for £1.50. Think I got mine from Asda, four for £2. All black and will be thrown! So exciting to hear you have a date!

Youandme, glad I'm not the only one to have checks. I agree with Thom a nice reassurance if anything else.

Anna sorry to hear what you are going through. I agree it is good to have siblings to share things with. I went through similar hard times a few years ago and having family to lean on really helps. Just make sure you look after yourself too and your little babba.

That is great news about exchanging this week. Not long till we will all be in our new houses ready for nesting! We move next Friday and it can't come soon enough!

Don't know if anyone is suffering with a bad back but mine is getting terrible! Every time I turn over in bed or get up it really hurts and has done for weeks. I can't wait to be able to move around without feeling like an OAP! If anyone has an tips they would be much appreciated!!

Anna I am really sorry to hear about your mum. What a difficult time for you all. I'm so glad that work have told you to take time off - you have too much on your plate at the moment to cope with working as well.

Thanks Beaut, mascara, Anna and Thom for the sympathy on the midwife sitch! It's obviously not that big a deal - particularly in light of what some of you lovely ladies on here are going through - but it is a tad tiresome :). They don't have anywhere I can visit as such - it's just a midwife phone line. They haven't rung back today (of course!) so I think what I will do is get on to the doctor's surgery first thing tomorrow and ask them to please book me in with a neighbouring midwife service if theirs can't manage to see me!

Thom I have bought a cheap pack of granny pants - i.e. high waisted ones - which will hopefully accommodate the behemoth maternity pads when it comes to it. I bought them in my normal size - but to be fair, I bought them in Primark and they only came in Small, Medium, Large, etc., so as I am a size 8 normally and a Small is 8-10, I am kind of covering both bases - granny pants that will fit a size up from my normal size.

YouandMe, I'm really glad your appointment went well and that they've scheduled you in at the same hospital next time.

I'm getting funny noises coming occasionally from the top of my bump, just under my ribs... Like a soft farting noise, to be honest! It sounds alarmingly airy, like I am deflating! I think it's the baby squashing my digestive system. What do you guys reckon?

Oh Anna really sorry to hear about your mum. Try and rest when you can and take care of yourself.
Well done fifi, Luca is so gorgeous. With time and support he will get big enough for proper cuddles. Keep up the good work with expressing.
We're in sunny llandudno enjoying a last break as a threesome. Struggling a bit with the walking and let hubbie and daughter wander off and I waddle behind slowly. Hoping for more sunshine tomorrow.
It's hard to keep up with everything going on with everyone. Really don't envy anyone moving this far along in pregnancy but wish you well.
Operation get organised needed for us when we get home. Only 6 ish weeks till baby arrives. Aarrrgghh xx

Anna - just want to add my sympathies about your Ma. What a terrible shock for you all to try and make sense of. You're amazing visiting every day. Do you have support for your DD too? How is your Ma coping? If you're a chip off the old block, she must be dealing incredibly bravely. I hope you get some practical advice and prognoses soon and that you feel the hospital are doing well by her. Lots of love.

anna I am so sorry to hear about your mum it really is shit. I'm glad you have lots of siblings and support around you, and I really
Hope there is some positive news and a plan.

bluebell I had that right down on my right side but up high- I said to DH it must be a lost bit of digestive system. So strange! Can't wait for my body to go back to normal! Sounds like a midwife nightmare. You can change midwife teams, my chiropractor was talking about it. She said you are under no obligation and just be firm if you want to move. She did herself after a bad experience.

Eeekk youandme that's super exciting! And really not far away!

lula Yep same back issues! I find its being in one position too long. I take it you already have a pillow? Roll on not feeling like an OAP!

thom I'm also finding the movement thing hard. I've been so busy i haven't had much time to even think about how much I've felt. Oops. I don't know much about injections but I know they gave them to someone I know who was showing signs of a potential early labour to help the lungs develop. The big pants I got are a pack of size 16 black 'full brief' from Primark. Very very unattractive. Lots of support for holding maternity pad in place.

mascara glad the trace went well. Make the most of the extra reassurance with scans etc.

Despite getting to sleep at around 3am this morning I had DD1 at the docs by 8.30am, did a coat of paint on the nursery and a coat on the door/frame. Then managed a 30 min swim and a little gym session this evening. Don't know quite how I managed it. I had better sleep tonight is all I can say.

Hi all

I am terribly sorry I haven't been keeping on top of responding things have been so crazy for me will explain a bit more towards the end.

Hope everyone and their bumps are ok we are nearly at the end now x

Fifi- I admire your strength so much I can only imagine how hard it must be for you at times but you are doing amazingly well and little baby Luca is so adorable please stay focused on the fact that your both safe and well and will enjoy a lifetime of cuddles x

Thom- good luck with the house move I know how stressful it can be but hopefully everything goes well x

Anna- I'm so sorry to hear about your mum it is such a difficult time for you. You are in my thoughts. Take care of yourself and i can only imagine this is easier said than done but we are here if u need any support at all x

You- glad the trace went well and good news on induction date x

The last few weeks have been crazy to say the least for me I feel emotionally and physically drained but I have officially started my maternity leave today so going to stay focused on resting and taking care of myself and baby x

As I am fast approaching 36 weeks the fears about my previous stillbirth is crippling me as you all suggested I did talk to oh about it and it turns out he had the same fears. It was an emotionally draining conversation but oh was so supportive and understanding we went to visit the grave of our beautiful daughter they day after our chat which was really hard but gave me some sort of peace. I got home and got into the bath and as I was getting out had a terrible fall straight on to my bump. I went into hospital and they feared the worse as couldn't find baby heartbeat in my heart I felt like baby had left me but miraculously they found heart beat the traces were abnormal to start with with reduced movement so they kept me in for three days to monitor. Movement picked up slowly so doctors were pleased but I had seen some spotting so was kept under observation. Since the fall I have developed pregnancy sciatica which has become really bad now I'm having to crawl up the stairs and limping on one leg doctors have said I need total bed rest now. So have been working from home last week and arranged to start mat leave early. Oh has been amazing he has sorted out the nursery and the final bits for the hospital bag. I feel awfully bad that I'm unable to do the things I was so looking forward to preparing and doing. I am so scared of losing the baby I can't sleep I have gone of food I feel drained I just am so scared and my husband is so supportive but I feel like if I constantly voice these thoughts to him I'm making him worry about me. I feel like I'm letting him and our baby down. I feel so useless at the moment as not able to do much and I'm trying so hard to be positive but I think I'm generally just letting everything get to me. I am so used to being in control of my emotions and being strong I hate this side to me.

Oh has suggested I post on here to take my mind of things. He is encouraging me to shop for baby things online so I think I must be worrying him a bit if he is encouraging me to shop :-/

I'm sorry for long post and I'm sorry for being so depressing but i know how supportive u all are x

mar1990 - it sounds like you have had an awful time and still are. The experience at the hospital most have been terrible & brought back emotions from before. How are you feeling in yourself? I am not surprised that you are feeling anxious, it is only natural after all you have been through. You need to make sure that you are getting support. Have you mentioned how you are feeling emotionally as well physically to the MW / doctors? They should be able to offer support. As you approach the birth I can only imagine the feelings you are going no through. It sounds like your OH is being very supportive. i hope that everyone else around you is being the same. You shouldn't hesitate to go back to hospital if you feel anything. Sending you a big hug. All the bed rest is an opportunity to read, research and relax before what is going to be a very busy time!!

Anna I've been thinking about you - so sorry the news wasn't less shit :( Glad you have your siblings for support and hope your dad is bearing up, too. It's an incredibly stressful and exhausting time, I hope DD is giving you a break with the sleep xx

Mar crikey, that's ever such a lot to deal with - it's no wonder that you're terrified after your previous experience. Definitely post on here - your OH sounds lovely and I'm so glad he's being supportive. Don't feel guilty, you have the most important job in the world and you're doing brilliantly so far!

Beaut that's lovely of your DP! I do however think you're being very selfish having a pedicure when I bet your feet still look 100 x better than mine

Bluebell how was your hol? And how was the crochet action? Boo to midwife runaround, mines been a bit less straightforward this time around, last time they always booked next appt while at the current one, which was at the hosp antenatal clinic. This time my appts are a Children's Centre which is closed in school hols - which seems to be when most of my appts fall! Plus I have to go my GP for blood tests and hosp for scans, it's a reet old faff! I've got a blanket on the needles at last! Although it's currently no more than a strip...

In other news, I'm tentatively hopeful that I don't have diabetes - they said they'd call me last Fri morning if my test showed anything. Doesn't really give me any explanation for the increased abdominal measurement at the growth scan last week, but I'm not unduly worried about it.

I've been looking at birth pools to buy - feels like the shit just got real. Unfortunately the other real shit is that the builder starts on Thurs knocking out the hole for the bifold doors and we've ripped out our kitchen so things are a little...erm inconvenient. First baby arrived at 37+4. I am currently 33+2. I don't even want to do the 'math'. We have warned the trades that they'll be expected to help in the event of an early arrival

There's always the garden, though - right? I bought DD a massive paddling pool last summer...