May 2017 #11 Not long to go until the first baby shows!

[PeachIcedT]

It only took us two weeks to fill up the last thread!

Link to previous thread #10:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/antenatal_clubs/2875150-may-2017-10-to-be-prepared-or-not-prepared

Link to the May data sheet: docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1KVJO4NGD6JrcGRGQuYnx87mLaadV5ytrP4lDfdqLrUQ/edit#gid=0

tea Yep I'm planning to start the perineal massage in a couple of weeks. Remember it being rather a unusual experience last time!

That is good news about your parcel MrsJ. So jealous of your meditation room.

Really appreciate all the pram ideas, thank you so much!

@Tickyboovicki another vote from me for leaving the packing to the movers. They did amazing job during our move and it was the best money spend ever. If we move again I would scrap every penny to pay someone else to pack us up and transfer.

@astormgivenflesh here's a fan of Uppababy Vista. I can't wait to have our baby in it!
When we went to the show, the Made for Mums stand was really helpful as there was an obstacle course where we could try them all out. We (I ) had already done a fair bit of research and shortlisted a few which we could try out. Discuss which other ones over a coffee on Monday? 
Once decided we were lucky to be at the last the day of the show and managed to buy one of the demos, of the colour I liked best (apart from the red which I liked better).
When are you going to the show?

@Autumnsweater sorry to hear it's so bad at work, but OccupationalHealth should really help you out, and the manager can't but follow their advice. Good luck xxx

I've been suffering with lots of reflux in the last week, but I omit calling the gp when it's a little bit better. Today however it was really nauseating and I popped into the pharmacy downstairs to get some gaviscon, which seems to work a treat! Fingers x I also nearly fell asleep at work today when my patient didn't show up! Early night for me

Hi all, sorry haven't been very talkative, I've been busy and I'm struggling to keep up with the convo!

Prams - we have got a second hand I candy peach all terrain one. It's lovely and light, folds up small and has a great height adjustable handle. We got it for about half the retail price and it's only very lightly used.

Wetness - oh my god! Yes, mine has got sooo much worse in the last few days. I often query whether I have peed - I haven't, I still have SOME control!!!

@astormgivenflesh definitely look at the bugaboos, we have a chameleon (went for the special edition one in grey melange) it's been built and put back in the box (took photos as we unpacked to make sure we'd get it in again) we liked them for the simplicity an the fact they were fairly grandparent proof.... big white buttons to do things. The basket underneath is a bit difficult to get at with the carrycot on, but it's much better with the seat. You definitely get similar quality with the icandys we just preferred the look of the bugaboo.

@teainbed that was something else the midwife talked about today... I even have instructions. That was the one point where DH looked a bit lost. MW really recommended it, she said even if it meant you only need 1 stitch instead of 3 then it was worth it

I've been lucky and seen only 2 midwives the whole way along, and then it's been the same one doing the ante-natal classes, it would also be the same midwives visiting after the birth if we were still here. Although she did tell me today that of the 4 of them that are supposed to be there 3 of them are currently off sick

So glad to hear others are wet too! I am 33 weeks today and I keep going to the toilet expecting it to be blood (low placenta so have been warned!).

Thanks for the input/advice Savage and EsmesBees. That link was very informative so I'm a little less panicky now but yes that hospital bag is getting packed this weekend-no more procrastination!

NurseBickyPegs it is a bit alarming isnt it? On one hand I can't wait to meet the little guy, but i don't want him to come out prematurely and before he's ready and i really don't want an induction/cs unless necessary.

SipperSkipper the navy one is really nice. It was sold out at the baby show so we got the bright blue one. Can't wait for it to be delivered next week!

Teainbed i agree, I think I'll wait to see how I go and if extra leaky then might consider some. Seems like you need to pump also to supplement it with hind milk as only foremilk leaks out.

Bright i was also really damp for a couple of weeks and now it seems to have gone back to thicker but still heavy discharge- weird. Hormonal changes maybe?

Yay about your recovered package MrsJW

Sorry to hear about the reflux Rustler it's the absolute worst isnt it.

Ooh yes perineal massage-when is everyone starting and what are you using for it? I read veg oil but that seems bizarre to me!

@ShiniBerry really alarming, I've mentally prepared myself for May and my worst fear is when I have my next OBGYN appointment on 10/04, they will go "oh how about end of the week?" I doubt this will happen, but I'm still scared!

Really short of breath tonight, I'm hungry but I know I'll only eat half a bit of a toast and won't manage any more!

Ha! I read your post as vag oil instead of veg oil Shini... I thought there was a special one! I think I need sleep today! x

I can relate to the damp thing - urgh in fact ever since about 8 weeks pregnant. At first it had me terrified I'd started bleeding but when I checked it was fine. The discharge increase tends to happen to me most days at one point or other and then the rest of the day it's fine. Though if it seems more than usual it's certainly good to check with midwife.

Rustler 10pm ain't early - get to bed Mrs! ;)

MrsJW - glad your package turned up. Must be a relief!!

Autumn- exactly the right thing to do tbh. If your boss isn't going to look out for you then you have to!!

Tea - the perineal massage thing is one of the items that jumped out at me when I first got my mat book. Is it really really really important/necessary? And what's a "liquor volume scan"?

Shini - love the milk smell thing - though did freak my OH out by asking him if I smelt of dairy ;). sounds like your MW is more helpful than mine. Mine just says "talk to the consultant" re birth plan. And next consultant appt is at 36wks, though tbf that is fast approaching!! KLane is it a Tommys thing? Or are you not going there for birth just the hypno?

Astorm - agree re the kicking!! Reassuring she is active but god does she belt me about!!! Re prams, we tried loads and went for the Egg in the end. Really good deal from Winstanleys Pramworld online and came with bassinet, stroller, footmuff, fleece liner and change bag. Loads of lovely colours. Folds to a decent size and can be done one handed. And has easily detachable wheels to fit in car/ remove and clean. It's a sturdy manoeuvrable one too - which is great if you want to walk around parks/woods etc (our area's pretty green so an all-terrain type buggy is a plus ;).

Rasperry - how was your NCT?

Nurse - your day sounds fab! The idea of you dancing in the flicks has put a big smile on my face

Rise sounds like your NCT has been really useful. And loving the doggy pic. What cuties!!

Red - hope you are feeling a bit better and what everyone else said - no guilt. Just look after yourself and the bump!

MissMoo - jealous of your 2.5 weeks - don't finish until 27/4!!!

Yellow - from what I was told at NCT on Saturday, isn't 3/5 engagement a strong marker for 1st stage? Good luck!!

Lucie- how're you doing?!? Still cramping or has it subsided?

Thanks to Badger, Newbie, Yellow, Barnes, MrsJW, Nurse, Esmes, Savage & others for best wishes & the turn tips. Trying positioning when seated, ball and some massagey-thing (that I'm less than convinced by but a pal swears worked for her). Need to check out spinningbabies!!

@nurse I'm a vet, so similar problems to you I'd imagine (long shifts, heavy patients) - except some of my patients bite too.. I've already been bitten ON my bump once, luckily just bruising. My colleagues are generally helpful, management less so.

Rustler teaspoon thanks. I'll see what happens with this GP form!

I've read about perineal massage but have yet to try it! Another thing (like Kegels) that I'm going to forget to do and feel guilty about ! I'm not sure about oil to use either - can't you just use KY? Whoever said veg oil seems weird - I agree!

Hi all, lost you for a while and redound you. Haven't managed to catch up
On the whole thread (or the latter stages of the last thread) ... have we had our first baby?

Spent last weekend in Disneyland Paris ... for turnips birthday. Was magical & tiring. But totally amazing.

astormgivenflesh we've gone for the egg 😊 had a mamas & papas pliko pramette for Bean and a Quinny Buzz for Turnip.

birthplans I've half written mine. I didn't write one with my first, my midwife said something along the lines of "babies don't adhere to plans so it's pointless you are better going with what feels best on the day" ... this is not good advice. As on the day I didn't want what I truly wanted. I ended up with more pain relief than was required which resulted in a dopey baby that wouldn't feed.
With turnip i wrote my plan .. which included things like
-no big lights (wanted the lighting to be dim) they used the lamps turned up instead of the big lights

• instant skin to skin
• no pain relief to be offered (I would ask if I wanted it)
• my personal towels to be used for baby

My birthplan wasn't discussed antenatally, I just gave it to midwife when I went into hospital. The only thing I have discussed this time is that I want a homebirth, and I am
Booked for that if I make it to 37wks 😊👶🏼

Any 3+ timers ... I'm having lots & lots of braxtons hicks, not painful but I am aware of them. Along with aches around pelvis. They're not labour pains or what I remember as labour pains. 32wks tomorrow, got a scan and dr apt next Tuesday. Are any of you having more braxtons than prior babies? Or should I be ringing triage to get checked. I had a cervical stitch inserted with Turnip, so new I was safe. This time I haven't had it done 😩

I'm going to try perineal massage soon... Not looking forward to it. I've got a special oil for it (weleda) but think veg oil is also ok.

Re bump sizes I'm continually above 90% even on my "personalised" chart, ds was 9lb4 delivered at 42+ weeks, which is big but not massive, and the same size i was. OH and SIL were both bigger... Lots of babies on the home birth groups on fb even bigger safely and easily delivered vaginally at home, it's certainly possible.

Welcome back Bean. Ta for the plan tips - hadn't even thought re lighting!!

On birth plans I currently have two postits (my life is run on postits ) with the random things I've thought I do and don't want, I need to do something about making them more sensible for other people. Have my next MW appointment in a couple of weeks so will make sure we talk about it then. Will mean I have it written down for when I transfer to new authority.

@astormgivenflesh given the various recommendations you've had I think it's fair to say a pram is a very personal choice!! Happy shopping!!

@beanturnipandspud No babies yet, can't be long now though! Glad you enjoyed Disneyland Paris, amazed you had the energy for it!!

I'm now totally useless at dog walking made it round one and a half football pitchers tonight before I had to tell DH we needed to head home... not overly painful just really seems like walking is hard work... the difference from 31 - 33 weeks seems huge both in size of bump and increased uselessness. Hopefully it doesn't continue at this rate to 40 weeks

Oh and I've been awake for the last hour and a half for no good reason hrumpf is it too soon to be planning an afternoon nap tomorrow?

@Teaspoon74 I couldn't help but laugh while we did it! It was just one of those moments where I realised yes, I did marry the right man! I could feel Bub cringing inside at his embarrassing parents.

@beanturnipandspud HOW WAS DISNEYLAND PARIS?!? Was it amazing? Who did you meet? I'm a huge Disney fan and we have never been able to afford Paris; the cost of us getting to London/Eurostar has put us off as we are further up North. Dh's Auntie has a villa in Orlando, so we just pay for flights. We are really lucky in that. Was everything Beauty and the Beast mad? Isn't it a big anniversary over there at the moment, or am I thinking 30yrs of the Disney Store...

I know this is my first but I've had two bad bouts of BH where I've been asked to come in. It usually ties in with a busy day; Sunday I swam for 90mins and then bad BH late at night. Midwife has told me to slow down, and also said it could be tied in to the size of the baby as well because he's big and long. I'm totally clueless to this.

I use to work in theatres and scrubbed in on cervical stitches! It was so interesting.

---

This is our birth plan for planned CS. I don't know what else to include & write, I showed it to a friend and she said it seemed okay. On my Midwife rotation at Nursing School, they would tell me that Birth Plans "could be ditched at any minute" which I can appreciate, but I'd like some control as a) I'm a control freak and b) I have medical knowledge and will go spare if things are done without telling me.

• No GA unless medical required
• Skin to Skin; pref K first but if not possible then definitely D
• K to attempt BF in recovery
• D to cut the cord
• Can we donate cord for stem cells?
• Screen up unless requested
• no disturbances in the "golden hour" and after we return to the ward, if Ted & K are fit & healthy then we wish to be left for bonding time for as long as medically possible
• if Ted is poorly, D to go with Ted
• Music if possible

Any suggestions are welcome! Our "personal" birth plan between the two of us is that once he's born, we don't tell anyone right away. We want it to be the 3 of us, for a few hours. I called it "romanticising the event" but DHs baby book mentions it as well. We will tell family, and then probably announce that he's here when we either get home, or the next day. My only worry is that DH's huge family will announce it on FB.

Didn't think about own towels being used! Do you think we could do that with a CS? We have a little hat that we want to use; it's a little Mickey Mouse one that's black with tiny mouse ears. DH thinks the theatre staff will say no, but I want to use it to say, hey I'm such a Disney fan Bub came out with Mickey ears!

Music I'm so clueless too. I use to DJ and did radio shows but every time DH asks what I want I just keep thinking the radio! The radio has comforted me since I was a little girl, and it always relaxes me now.

What a ramble. It's the 4-5am wake up call time!

@1004Rise my life runs on iPhone notes! I have everything on there! My phone had to be reset last week and I nearly cried at the thought of losing all my lists from 2015!!!

@Autumnsweater you can use KY for perineal massage.

There is an active thread with someone with a 5 week old baby and a faintly positive pregnancy test...

Leaving aside whether that's a real positive/chances of wanting to resume sex that early etc etc (!), I'm paranoid now! Can you start the pill again when breastfeeding?

No idea Autumn but I'll admit to having to get the MAP when DD was 5 weeks so best to think about it now! They do talk to you about contraception at your 6 week check if I remember correctly.

They talk to you before discharging you from hospital here!!

Yeah, I got asked if I'd though about contraception before DD was 24hrs old. I was still in hospital waiting to be discharged with my stitches, pain and bleeding. Needless to say I didn't give the nurse a lot of time!
And now I'm going to have a newborn and a 15mo...