Late December - Early January Thread 2!

[Bella1985]

Hi! We're on to our 2nd thread for babies due at the end of December/Early January. 3rd trimester is in sight...!

Morning ladies. Have been following the thread but not had a spare second to post! This week has been crazy and has completely wiped me out. I really need to start slowing down.
I've been feeling the pressure low down for weeks, especially if I walk any distance. The sonographer who scanned me this week said that baby's head was tucked down very low and I must be really uncomfortable - umm yes!! Also felt the baby's hiccups a few times too. In terms of my belly button it's kind of in no mans land at the moment i.e. completely flat. Really hoping it doesn't become an outie at any point as that would gross me out!
Things moving along nicely here now. We've assembled the wardrobe and chest of drawers/changing unit and filled them with the baby's stuff. The travel stystem has arrived in store and we're planning on collecting that next weekend. I've washed all of the baby's white clothes, need to get the dark wash done now. Hospital bags are semi packed although there's a few more things I need to get. We've done 2 antenatal sessions at the hospital and 2 out of the 4 NCT sessions. I don't think I told you but a few weeks ago I won an £800 Doula package at a baby show! I have to admit I was very about it but I met with her this week and she was lovely. She's actually a qualified midwife and will completely tailor the package to my needs. It includes hire of the TENS machine and a birthing stool and she will be with me for as much or as little time as I want during labour.
Had a scan/consultant appt this week. Nothing to report but they are still playing the high risk IVF card so scan again in 2 weeks.
Hope everyone else is doing ok. Stealth hope you've been taking it easy. We were out all of yesterday at NCT then to the rugby. Planning on a quiet morning but I've got an afternoon tea later which I suspect is a surprise baby shower mainly because a friend let the cat out of the bag on Facebook!

Hope everyone has a lovely Sunday.

I think I might start with a water birth if I can but maybe get out for the pushing bit. It'll hopefully help me keep relaxed. I think the worries are just normal. I do constantly worry about movement.

My belly button is flat this morning but some days it pops out (and completely grosses me out!). Hoping it stays more flat.

Hope you manage to slow things down Happy. I'm really looking forward to a day to myself Christmas shopping with my mum tomorrow. Just got to get organised with a list of presents. I do love doing my DSs stocking. Hopefully he'll have more of a clue this year being not far off 3. Might wrap up a few little bits for baby & put them under the tree just in case.

Sounds like you are getting organised Happy. I want to unpack & repack my hospital bag. It's rammed. Iv packed a small towel but thinking I should pack a bigger one. Not sure where I'll put it! Last time the hospital provided one but I think that's just because I didn't have a bag with me.

Be interested to find out about your doula experience Happy. Nice to win something like that. You can use her as much or as little as you like without thinking about getting your monies worth. Hope you enjoy your surprise baby shower! I do enjoy a baby shower. Got a lot of jobs done yesterday & did some organising but stil bits to do. Thought I was getting to the end of the baby washing & then found the blankets & muslins that smell a bit fusty.

My blanket from the purple cabbage company arrived. It's lovely quality. It's washed & dried really quickly. Will be nice to see a baby all snuggled in there.

Goodness me happylass no wonder you haven't had time to post- sounds like you've been very busy! Congrats on winning the doula package!

Everything feels like it's coming together here as well. We've moved the chicco crib in to our bedroom, won't attach it until baby arrives but it's ready and all of baby's clothes have been washed. Changing station downstairs and upstairs is ready with supplies! DH and I had a run through of the hospital bags yesterday and we packed baby's one, re-packed mine and DH did a dummy run of finding extra underwear and clothes for me (was impressed that he brought sensible options!) we have a list of last minute things to go in and he knows where to find everything if I'm not there to direct him . He also has his own bag with a spare change of clothes, toothbrush and snacks so I think we're all set now! He wanted to leave the bags at the front door but I've put my foot down and said they can stay upstairs until 37 weeks!

Enjoy the afternoon tea happylass that will be lovely

Quiet morning went out of the window. DH is in work but I've done Aldi, Home Bargains, Argos, B & Q and Sainsbury's all before lunch!! Emz glad to here you're pleased with the Purple Cabbage Co blanket. I ordered one a few days ago so look forward to that arriving. I've also repacked my bags a few times! Initially was using a hold-all for baby but then my changing bag arrived so decided to transfer everything to that instead. I've packed a fairly standard sized bath towel. What about baby blankets? Do the hospital provide those? Got all my snacks this morning so that's the most important items packed

wow i'm feeling rather disorganised when compared to you ladies. Our downstairs is a construction site at the moment due to the kitchen reno and our living room is doubling as our dining room with boxes everywhere. So baby stuff remain firmly in the loft. I managed to ding the car over the weekend and the ceiling started to leak due to the torrential rain we had/still having - when it rains, it pours, and in our case, also rather literally!

happy that's great you won the doula package. God knows I could do with a doula, then I'll know that there'll definitely be someone with me if DH has to drop off DD at our friends (!). The hospital I had DD in provided baby blankets, but you would still need one for the car...

Here's hoping this week is better than the weekend (for me anyway)

p.s. baby's movements have changed - I'm now feeling movements, strangely, down my left side and towards the back. I hope baby is not lying transverse
I have a scan late tomorrow so I'll find out then.

Don't worry lucy what I didn't mention was DH spent yesterday sanding our porch as he's decided to take up the carpet , so there's dust everywhere, an electrician is hopefully coming on the weekend to install a thermostat on our boiler and a carpenter is also supposed to be coming round to look to see if we can secure the landing as currently a child could crawl through the barriers and fall downstairs Garage ceiling is leaking in this rain but we've decided to ignore that and hope it goes away

So even though on the one hand I feel things are getting better, we still have a lot left to do!!

Those movements sound like they'd be strange to experience! Good luck with the scan tomorrow.

Don't worry guys. We're exchanging on a renovators delight house this week! We must be flipping crazy!

Haha! It's a game of who can do the craziest thing as close to due date as possible! Just proves that waiting for 'the right time' to have a baby is pointless as there's never a right time- things will always need doing/fixing/arranging!

I'm feeling very disorganised too!! Started packing babys hospital bag but lost my focus when I was trying to work out which clothes to take & in which size!!

Did manage a day of Christmas shopping today & got most of my presents. Feeling much better about Christmas now. (Credit card isn't!) off to yoga shortly. Hopefully I won't be feeling this too much tomorrow.

Now Christmas is one thing I haven't even thought about! I'm hoping to get it all sorted during first 2 weeks of leave so if baby makes an early arrival there will be no Xmas this year

Haha! We're all bonkers!

Well done on getting your Christmas shopping done emz. Need to get onto that. DH also has a birthday just before Christmas and he is impossible to buy for at the best of times. Sigh.

happy that's so cool re the doula package. You can just use it as you want without worrying you're wasting money. Sounds like you've had a hectic time recently.

lucy hope your scan went ok.

My hospital bag is only semi packed, hopefully I'll finish it this weekend. I've thrown a load of baby clothes and blankets in, not really sure what we'll need or how long we'll be there so we'll see. We only live 10mins from the hospital so it's not the end of the world if we forget something.

Also trying to figure out how to attire myself for Christmas parties and festive entertaining whilst looking like a blimp All my lovely party clothes that I can't wear - boo!

In other news, I just came back from Pilates and I have officially run out of exercises to do to occupy the full 90min class as they are too scared of breaking me and my bump now

I just wanted to make sure I was organised. I do love Christmas & want to make it just as special for DS. Went to yoga & came home feeling relaxed & great... Then walked in the door. It was 10pm & DS was still running around & DH was in s terrible mood having 2 hours trying to keep DS in bed. DS has always been a great sleeper. He moved rooms recently & went into a new bed. All seemed fine, 6 weeks later & he won't stay in bed. We have tried everything. Iv now resorted to a stairgate on his bedroom door so at least he's contained. I'm beyond exhausted (didn't get to bed until 11 lastnight & couldn't sleep for a while, was awake with alarm at 7.) struggling to remember why I thought a new baby would be a good idea. I can barely keep my eyes open. Tried DS in a travel cot (apparently sleeps like an angel at in laws in one) & he just climbed out so I'm going to have to ask them not to use theirs now. 2 bad nights now & im so fed up.

Oh and I had a dream lastnight that I ended up having an emergency c section as baby got stuck. Obviously just overthinking.

Oh no emz that doesn't sound great. Toddlers sound so exhausting.

I'm at the chiropractors now hoping they can help my SPD as I managed to overstretch my pubic bone sunday night whilst turning over in bed and I am in flippin agony when I lie down to sleep. Went to the spare bedroom last night so I could roll from side to side without worrying about flattening DH like a steamroller On the plus side the previous treatment has reduced my waddle big time although I think the baby has decided to help a bit with that by popping up out of engaged (I don't actually know this, I'm assuming that's why things aren't as heavy down below at the moment - self diagnosing "expert" here!)

stealth I'm a little bit sad about not fitting into my party clothes but a lot sad about not fitting in to my party shoes! Don't know what to wear at the only xmas party I'm going to on the 8th december...

Poor you Bella. I hope they sort something out for you. That sounds horrible. DS is asleep. The stairgate has worked a charm. He got bored & must have climbed back into bed & gone to sleep.

I think Iv got a haemorrhoid. Really quite painful. Never had them before. I really feel like my body is trying to tick every pregnancy ailment box going! Trying to be grateful that my body is growing a baby but i feel like I'm falling apart!

Oh no emz, I've not had them before so don't know what to expect, really hoping to avoid that one, but it does seem like a very common pregnancy ailment. Hope it clears quickly for you

Right...I'm putting it out there....I love my chiropractor! I was warned against going to a chiro as they're not physios, not as well regulated and apparently take advantage of people with expensive and lengthy treatments etc but I've just managed 3-4hrs sleep at a time before having to turn over (as opposed to 1hr like the previous 2 nights) and the excrutiating pain in my pubic bone has gone from a 9/10 "I want to cry when I move my legs" to a 2/10 which is bearable! It may be short relief but my god is it worth it.

Hope the scan went well with you lucy

So glad you've got some relief Bella that's great! I hope it lasts.

Thanks colonol!

On another note, I realised after posting that the actual reason I woke up last night was because I felt sick...thought I'd eaten something dodgy or caught a bug until baby moved and it was right up under my ribs - higher than ever before which must have been squeezing my stomach/intestines - anyone else have a naughty baby that's decided it doesn't want to come out and is climbing back up inside after being engaged from a really early point?!

Just hoping he doesn't turn and stays head down. Little rascal!!

34wk scan yesterday was fine. Baby is on the 50th centile for growth and weight - apparently now 5lb2 which is a whopper compared to my daughter who was born at 37w at around that weight. I am a bit sceptical about scans as DD came out small despite what the scans told me - it could be that the scans were wrong or that my placenta started to deteriorate after my last scan, the latter being more worrying. I have an appointment with the consultant today and will ask.
Baby is head down but I don't think it's engaged, head is down but spine & torso round my right and legs and hands to my left - which is why I have been feeling movements on my left and back.
bella good to hear you found some relief.

That is one naughty baby Bella. After being so low they certainly are being cheeky now. Glad your scan was ok Lucy. I have my last one in 2 weeks. Got midwife today at 34 weeks. Got a few questions lined up. Baby is moving well but movements are definitely slower, I'm sure it's nothing to worry about but I feel so paranoid.

All these December baby arrivals are making me panic slightly! Had a better night with DS. Not being able to get out his room meant he got bored and was asleep much earlier.

Had a bad evening with DS. He kept taking his nappy off, resulting in several bed changes & poo being walked everywhere. Hopefully tonight will be better.

Saw the midwife yesterday. Baby is head down & very low. I have felt the difference. I get almost painful twinges in my bladder & it also feels like the baby is scratching/biting me really low down. DH joked that it's trying to scratch it's way out! So many December arrivals. I am excited but also scared of how life will change.

So I went for my consultant appointment yesterday evening. She booked me a growth scan at 36 weeks. She probably trusts the scan a bit more than my placenta, saying that my DD could have been small due to possible late onset deterioration of placenta and IUGR. Not words I'd like to hear but at least they are keeping an eye on me. So I have not been discharged out of her care but she has asked me to see the MW instead of her at 36w to discuss birth plan. Up to now they have put me down for a medical unit birth but if at 36w baby is still growing nicely, she said I could talk to the MW about home from home.

emz so sorry to hear about DS acting up. I think that they are beginning to sense that changes are afoot.. DD has been pulling a few tantrums with DH (she's a daddy's girl) and smacked him on the head yesterday

I have yoga tonight. I am in agony every time I wake for a pee in the night. Lying down seems to aggravate my back pain, even though I'm lying on my side with a pillow between my knees, i.e. the recommended position. I never got to this point with DD - but I can't wait for the day baby arrives so I can sleep on back again.

emz that sounds tough with your ds. Hopefully you can get some rest pre birth.

lucy at least you can take comfort in the fact you have the right medical management that is going to make sure your baby is delivered safely and healthily. Failing placenta and iugr are only problematic if unmonitored at our stages of pregnancy - our babies are basically cooked.

AFM, I had a scan this morning and all is well - almost too well, the baby is estimated at just shy of 7lbs already . With 5.5 weeks to go I am a bit worried about how I am going to get him out.

I will have another scan at 38w and we will make some decisions then, but I'm also pencilling in an elective c section date for 39w as I'm not sure whether I even want to try to birth a 9lb+ baby (head circumference is on the 99th percentile too!).