January 2017 babies - Thread #2

[MagpieCursedTea]

Onto the second thread!
Here's a list of the stats that Signorita kindly put together for us. I hope the formatting is okay!

Cottagecosy 01 January 2017
sapphireflame 01 January 2017
Parney 01 January 2017
Palimpsester 02 January 2017
SincerelyRosie 03 January 2017
ZylaB 03 January 2017
swancourt 03 January 2017
mayago 04 January 2017
Yoyogini 04 January 2017
blondel 05 January 2017
saffronkit 05 January 2017
Haresonthemountain 05 January 2017
BabyLime2017 05 January 2017
TwistyBraStrap 05 January 2017
RosieposiePuddingandPi 06 January 2017
kathrynemm 06 January 2017
Bozley47 06 January 2017
daisysunshine2 07 January 2017
Criceta 07 January 2017
Becky22761 07 January 2017
1sttimemum2014 07 January 2017
Astro86 07 January 2017
LucySB123 07 January 2017
MagpieCursedTea 08 January 2017
duckyneedsaclean 08 January 2017
cuckoowithtwo 09 January 2017
Belfastgirl90 09 January 2017
minniem0use 10 January 2017
thisisbloodyridiculous 10 January 2017
broodymamma 10 January 2017
brandnewmummy2B 11 January 2017
Myheartisbeating 12 January 2017
Wannabealittlegirlagain 12 January 2017
Turnertime14 12 January 2017
twinkydink 13 January 2017
flossy101 13 January 2017
Lura7115 13 January 2017
Ni4444 13 January 2017
Whatabanana 13 January 2017
indecisivedoctor 13 January 2017
politics31 14 January 2017
closetoyou 14 January 2017
Pipparose 14 January 2017
BabiWills 14 January 2017
Andanzadora 15 January 2017
jellyspoons 15 January 2017
LittleL88 15 January 2017
CharminglyGawky 17 January 2017
Texasbamma 17 January 2017
EvanAndThePrince 17 January 2017
hels18 17 January 2017
honeyice 18 January 2017
Boadiccea 18 January 2017
heybaby1 18 January 2017
WinterLover 19 January 2017
Extrapepperoni 19 January 2017
Hellington 19 January 2017
Mumchatting 19 January 2017
KimmyElousie 19 January 2017
QueenKnickerChecker 20 January 2017
Summer9 20 January 2017
Minotaurus 20 January 2017
Bettycakes80 20 January 2017
micapainter 20 January 2017
Walikingdeadfan 20 January 2017
soundsystem 20 January 2017
cupcakequeen 21 January 2017
CarrotVan 22 January 2017
littlepooch 22 January 2017
foresttrees2 22 January 2017
GingerIdiot 23 January 2017
Signoritawhocansway 24 January 2017
ginabena8686 24 January 2017
MrsMumma 24 January 2017
broodykg 24 January 2017
Wintersummerwintersummer 24 January 2017
LovePotion9 25 January 2017
gingerlou84 25 January 2017
hopingandwaiting 25 January 2017
Jeanniejampots80 25 January 2017
Glitterball86 26 January 2017
Workinzzz 26 January 2017
Tabitha78 28 January 2017
GwendolineLacey 28 January 2017
littlek86 28 January 2017
vicknort 28 January 2017
clementineclouds 29 January 2017
dippypanda 30 January 2017
gumbootsandjandals 30 January 2017
Perkins1 ???
goldensunlight ???
ChickadeeChick ???
TinyHumanJan17 ???
fortheloveofvintage ???
Porcupinetree ???
sunnypeony ???
Blondie87 ???
bluebunnyblue ???
HopefulKate1980 ???
MilkyMamma ???
Kittykitty05 ???
celeste83 ???
Jodie1982 ???
spottytable ???
Serg ???
BuffaloCustardbath ???
flyawayblue ???
releashi ???
Jodygreen88 ???
Littlejenfer End Dec/Beg Jan
Admarks End Dec/Beg Jan
CinderellaFant End Jan
SunCrusHH End Jan
NJ81 End Jan

Wow it's all so exciting reading everyone's posts. Up until now I have just been plodding along, this is my second pregnancy and with a 6 year old and work I feel like time is flying but I want to speak to other mummy's and hear their thoughts!

I have my glucose test on 17th oct. Haven't discussed birthing options yet. With my first It was pretty straight forward but in the end I did have an epidural as I was struggling with the pain. Ideally I would like a water birth or at least to sit in the water with contractions but I was strep b positive last time and there is conflicting information as to whether it's a good idea. Have to say it's worrying me again

How is everyone getting on with getting everything ready?

Is there another group on fbook or anywhere? Xxxx

Gosh, I hadn't even thought of the snow!!! Let's hope it's a warm winter and we don't get any.

So the 24 week check went pretty much as I was expecting - pee in cup, listen to heartbeat, quick chat about how I am getting on, book next appointment. The 28 week one is when they start measuring bump and will take bloods to check iron levels, but not the glucose test. Wrote a list of questions so I could be prepared and ask the midwife, but I forgot the list. Things have just been falling out of my mind recently!!

I'm going to try and go for a drug free birth, but I do want to have the option to have an epidural if I am struggling.

Vixx I found it overwhelming to start with but it's alright once you get your head round it.

I had an epidural in my last birth as I was told it was best to have it with the drip during induction. I was so exhausted that I went with it. I would prefer to avoid an epidural again but am keeping an open mind! I think it can be hard to predict in advance how you'll feel but it's good to understand what your options are beforehand.

My growth scan went really well, baby is bang in the middle of his growth chart (the personalised growth chart is pretty clever, they put it together based on a number of things, does everyone else have one?) and my consultant was very happy with my blood sugars and his growth. Back for the next one in four weeks.

hels, I think that's a good 'plan,' just know what the various options are and what they entail, what risks they have, etc. For me there was one pain relief I took off the table completely before going into labour, and that was pethidine. I just decided that as it has a risk of effecting the baby is given within a couple hours of the birth then it really wasn't worth the risk, and it can also make you dozey, too. Even early in active labour I didn't want to have it as I'd heard stories of women taking 12 hours to get to 4cm and then suddenly be fully dilated with an hour of that, which didn't happen for me, but as everything is up in the air in labour who knows what will happen! It may be worth asking if epidurals are patient controlled in your hospital. If you have control of it you can opt to top it up less often and still maintain feeling in your legs, be able to move around on the bed and try different positions still, all while feeling none of the pain.

Is there a Facebook group for us due in Jan? Xxxx

Am still so clueless regarding pain relief and options available. Hoping that the classes are useful, but not due to start them for a while.

Anyone else experiencing braxton hicks and are they anything to worry about? There have been a couple of days when my belly gets really hard and sore and the baby looks like it moves to one position very low down, but this morning it really felt like painful cramp and what I'd imagined contractions to feel like, for about 30 minutes. Quite painful to start but gradually got less painful. Took a while to be able to walk again as baby was really pushed right out!

I've been feeling braxton hicks for a while. They can get quite uncomfortable. I've always been told they shouldn't be painful but then I know some women do describe them as that. I find I get them more if I haven't had enough to drink or if I've over done it. I think baby's position can also cause a similar feeling when they're all pushed up in one spot.

Thanks magpie. They hadn't really been painful, just uncomfortable, until this morning. I'm just drinking a lot of water today and trying to take it a bit easier. My mum keeps saying I need to slow down a bit, but at the moment I am still doing everything I was pre-pregnancy with full time work in London, darting about to meetings, going out in the evenings, busy weekends etc. maybe I do need to start listening to her!

Do people know when we come up with birthplans? I'm thinking it is when the midwife comes to see us 'in our natural habitat' and for me that is due to be the 23rd December ha. Can't get my head round the lack of directed antenatal courses. We can arrange our own but haven't actually been told that.
I'm quite easy going and happy to go with the flow pain relief wise etc. Not too keen on epidurals as believe that they can lead to damage in your back in later years. But, i like the thought of numbness! Suspect I may be by myself as well at least quite a bit of the time (long story) and think that could work out well as being in pain in front of other people is the thing thats worrying me as daft as that might sound.
On a happier note finally bought the pram yesterday :)
Hope everyones taking it easy. I think we're all getting to that point were our body and mind are disagreeing about what we can do.

I'm not sure about when we need to decide, my midwife hasn't mentioned it yet.
Oo, exciting, which pram did you go for Hanbeth?

My bump has definitely popped this week - it's gone from a chocolate belly to a definite baby belly and I can no longer do my coat up! Must have been all the pain I experienced and braxton hicks earlier this week causing all the stretching and rearranging inside of me.

It's definitely worth starting to look at birth plans. I'm going to use the same one I used for DS. Mine was just a list of things I would ideally like to happen and then alternatives for if that didn't work out. I think I started off with a sample one I found from online and then personalised it. From what I remember, the midwife is meant to go through the birth plan with you at one of the later appointments but I didn't get that last time! I did get a specialist midwife help me out with one though but that was based around mental health needs and mostly focused on after the birth.

Its good that to have a definite, unmistakable baby bump now isn't it Hels. I'm getting lots of comments along the lines of 'ohh aren't you big' and I quite like them in a way and I'm thinking tbf she's only just a little bit bigger now than when my belly was fat (i lost 3+stone few years ago and carry weight round my middle).
Went for a Silver Cross Wayfarer. Seems a safe and popular choice and its only small and seems easy to use. I'm 5ft 1 and have a small car so do not want anything heavy and big. My folks have bought it and there was an offer on so it came with free carseat and also had 10 % off so all in all got a good price.
Thanks Magpie. I think i'll have a brainstorm tonight and get something down on paper. I'm not too fussed on most things but some I know i want ie delayed clamping, skin to skin and help feeding.

Has anyone else also not been offered a GT test yet?
I'm 27 weeks pregnant and the consultant did not mention the test at my last week's appointment. I only realised that after the appointment.
I had the test at 26 weeks with my first pregnancy and I was offered it long time before .

No birth plan here either. I'm waiting for birth options appointment in 2 weeks time and very curious at what I will be advised. I don't mind trying for vback but I don't mind elective c-section either (Although it's a difficult choice).

Anyone has already had the birth options appointment?
And what to expect?

My next consultant appointment is at 31 weeks but I don't think they'll plan the birth at that one, but I think because that's purely because mine will be able when they want me to have an induction. I imagine that'll be at the appointment around 36 weeks.
I had my GTT at 13 weeks but that's because I had GD in my previous pregnancy as well. Do you have any risk factors for GD? Some trusts have scaled back on which women they test apparently.

As far as I know I don't have any risk factors. But I gained a lot of weight compared to my first pregnancy. 3 more months to go and I already weight what I weighted before the labour in my first pregnancy
But consultant would have mentioned that If that was an issue.
I'm really confused.

A GT hasn't been mentioned to me yet. Not sure every surgery offers them as a standard now, just if you are at risk.

Hanbeth it's really nice having a bump now! Although mine gets bigger throughout the day as starts off relatively flat and baby rearranges and pops out in the afternoon/evening. I met someone last week during the morning who didn't even know I was pregnant and by dinner they were surprised I looked 6 months along!

Has anyone else's skin flared up? Mine was pretty good but since getting pregnant I've definitely had more spots and my face at the moment has a lot of big and painful under skin bumps and spots that weren't there before! Definitely not the glowing skin I was expecting :(

Hels one my biggest annoyances has been my skin tbh. I feel really grateful when I see proper big health issues that people are having that this is the issue I have. I am super pale so any blemishes do show up and always have but I had finally sorted my face out and found a foundation that I swore by. But right from the off my cheeks, nose, and now forehead, have gone so red and sore looking. My boyfriend has made me try just using soap and water which is helping and he would ban makeup if he could.
My belly doesn't seem to change but I suspect thats more normal. Maybe because I'm short she has nowhere to hide lol.
Mumchatting, I agree it depends where you are as to the gt test. My mw swore that nowhere offers it to everyone as routine but agreed the criteria varies trust to trust. Starting BMI over 35, close family, ethnic dispostion (ie south Asian) or 2 suspect pee dips seems to do it.

I'm the same - very pale so the spots and any scarring takes ages to fade. I'm using Emma Hardy cleansing balm to help take off the makeup at night which definitely helps. It's pricey but I thought I really needed to invest and properly looking after my skin. I was sure that it used to be alcohol and a late night that made me flare up before, can definitely rule that out now! I never ate much dairy before, so I am wondering if that might have affected me a little bit as have definitely been eating a bit more. I've also started cutting out sugar to see if that helps.

I haven't been offered a GT either, but then my weight, the baby's size and my pee have all been normal so wouldn't expect one.

I used to get a lot of hormonal spots, especially around the time of the month, however since being pregnant my skin has really cleared up. I don't know if it's the hormones, all the water I'm drinking, the better food or the fact that I'm wearing hardly any makeup, but whatever it is I appreciate it! My hair is also a lot less greasy so I'm wondering if the hormones that seem to dry pregnant skin and hair out are actually doing me a favour!

We're hoping to paint the nursery next week, but had a complete change of heart about colour/theme last night!!

Hoping, my hair is definitely less greasy and my nails are growing super fast, but the new spots along my chin and cheeks are really annoying!

Another little rant today... it is costing me a fortune to use the loos in London! I commute, and my journey is usually around an hour door to door. I am gradually finding I'm not quite as quick, and with train delays, I really need to pee before I get to work/get home. The public toilets at the station are 50p to use, and I'm using these twice a day so it's really adding up! I wish I could pee for free!! I've used the loos on the train in desperate times but it is almost impossible to get through the carriages when they are rammed like sardines, and they are always rank! If the train is late, it's not even an option so have to shell out 50p :(

I had a GT test, I would have loved it if nobody had sent me! I was only offered as my bmi was just a whisker over the threshold (0.8 over I think) it sucked, I haven't felt that sick in a very very long time and I was on anti-emetics for morning sickness! Plus I caught a nasty head cold at the hospital and couldn't take decongestants.... Can you tell I didn't want the test?

Ooh birth plans, that sounds scary, my midwife hasn't really talked to me about that since booking when I was asked if I wanted a hospital birth, YES! I think that might be on the agenda next appointment, she is coming to me which seems odd somehow!

I love my bump, I've found that my thinner but longer winter jumpers show it off nicely, it seems to be growing almost on a day by day basis now which is weird. I'm measuring quite big I think, over the 90th centile anyway. Baby can certainly reach my ribs which is both awesome and uncomfortable!

Have people bought much yet? I have only got clothes and a little blanky comforter toy thing so far, I know what car seat and pram I want though. My nan is buying the seat as she is really excited about first great grand child and wants to, I think I want the cybex cloud as it has a lie flat feature out of the car which I think will be really useful for a tiny baby, I'd like a cybex pram to go with it, not sure which one though! Has anyone seen the cloud? Is it really a true lie flat?

Gawky Sorry you felt so rubbish after the GT test.

I ended up downloading a basic birth plan from the internet and have been filling it in slowly as I do research and think about what I would like. It's pretty basic so far, but the key points are that I want my husband to cut the cord and tell me if we have a son or daughter. I cannot wait for that moment :)

I have bought almost everything with the exception of the bouncer, sling and the baby monitor, although I have picked the ones I want already (always so ridiculously organised)! Some family have said they wanted to get us some bits which I wasn't expecting, so have picked the items we would like and put them on a gift list so they can get those, or just vouchers for John Lewis towards the item.

I've been making lists of everything I need to do an buy. I've got 11 weeks left but still feel really disorganised!
SPD has got quite as which is making everything difficult. Anyone else suffering with it? I'm on crutches now but still not managing to do a lot without pain.

Magpie I'm definitely suffering, mainly in the mornings and evenings. It takes me a good hour or so to get up and get moving in the morning now and it's even worse if baby is laying on my sciatic nerve as it's so painful. Am booking in with my doctor this week to see if I can get referred to a physio or osteopath. I'm also starting yoga at the weekend (massive waiting list for the classes) so hoping I can manage it before it gets worse. Gentle walking is helping but I can definitely feel when I've been overdoing it.

Baby was doing acrobatics from about 4am this morning and really jabbing me while turning and moving. Belly was going crazy and could definitely feel little feet and elbows poking out. I am constantly amazed at how strong it is!

My sleep is really suffering now though- strong baby movements, pelvic pain, sciatica and a constant need to pee are really starting to exhaust me.

Magpie I'm definitely suffering, mainly in the mornings and evenings. It takes me a good hour or so to get up and get moving in the morning now and it's even worse if baby is laying on my sciatic nerve as it's so painful. Am booking in with my doctor this week to see if I can get referred to a physio or osteopath. I'm also starting yoga at the weekend (massive waiting list for the classes) so hoping I can manage it before it gets worse. Gentle walking is helping but I can definitely feel when I've been overdoing it.

Baby was doing acrobatics from about 4am this morning and really jabbing me while turning and moving. Belly was going crazy and could definitely feel little feet and elbows poking out. I am constantly amazed at how strong it is!

My sleep is really suffering now though- strong baby movements, pelvic pain, sciatica and a constant need to pee are really starting to exhaust me.