November 2017 #3: Flutters, bubbles and a proper bump!

[GingerHanna]

Previous Thread

Here we all are... delving into our second trimesters and awaiting 'The Big Scan'! Don't forget to keep the list updated.

Hey @GingerHanna are you having 28 wk scan due to myonoma or is that standard? I don't have any more scans booked so may book a private one just for reassurance.

@lydiangel83 It's indirectly due to the myoma. As the fundal height is totally thrown by the myoma (it's around 8x9cm) then they have to do a growth scan to check LO is progressing as he should be. Otherwise it would just be at 20 weeks and then nothing.

@GingerHanna ah ok that makes sense except what is fundal height?!

Yes and yes to the vein question! I am covered in massive blue veins it's so weird! My OH keeps saying "wow look at your veiny bangers!" 🙄 Cheers buddy lol. They do look massive and weird with all these blue veins.

I'm using Palmers lotion on my tummy but convinced I will still end up with stretch marks as I have some on my inner thigh from my teens so I'm probably susceptible, hey ho! None as yet but they sometimes show up at the end don't they.

Hope everyone is doing ok, weeks are flying by aren't they! My pelvis is so achy I feel like I'm getting a waddle haha. It's when baby seems to be pushing low down, then they'll move the next day and I feel fine.

Thank you @butterybollocks for the reassurance, next time I get a headache I'll take paracetamol straight away.

I'm going to kill the next person who looks at me smugly and says, "if you think you are sleep deprived now, wait until the baby is born." When the baby is born the baby can have some attention from Daddy whilst Mummy snoozes into oblivion.

I have no sign of increased boobage size. They were comedy sized to start with so that a bit of a relief to me. I do get occasional vibrations in my left breast though, even my husband has felt it!

@lydiangel83 Fundal height is the measurement from your pubic bone to the top of your uterus. It's meant to broadly match the number of weeks you are but can differ by 3cm either way. For example, at 25 weeks, mine was measured at 27cm. In our area, they start plotting this at 25 weeks.

All of my veins are more prominent now, it's down to the increased blood supply & goes back to normal after birth.

I also slept much better once baby was born & that includes having to get up & do the night feeds.

Had mw this morning, they don't measure fundal height here until 28 week appointment. My bump seems large in comparison to people I know at the same stage on their 2nd as well. Mw reassuring comment was that I obviously grow them big!

I've also had a hospital appointment today to discuss vbac or elcs. Had the most lovely straight talking sister from the labour ward. She was very comfortable with my proposal to try a vbac if I go into labour before 39 weeks & baby is a normal size but if baby is large or post 39 weeks then elcs. She also reassured me in that if I do go naturally & fail to progress they'll go straight to emcs, no pessary or drips etc. Feel much better about it now. Wish all midwives were like her. Just got to wait until 20th October to get elcs signed off by the consultant.

Glad you feel better after your appointment Topsy. I've got a similar decision to make about vbac vs ELCS and I've been leaning towards the same choice as you. I really don't want to go overdue.

Here they invite you to a 'birth choices' class if you've had a previous c section. Hoping it'll be informative rather than pushing towards vbac at all costs. The consultant I saw a few weeks ago seemed to understand my concerns about going overdue and being induced which was reassuring. Anybody else in a similar position?

@Topsy Ah that's a relief about the veins. Someone said to me "you've got mum legs now!" which made me feel good about myself...😒
Glad you had a nice experience with a midwife too. How you give birth is such a big decision, it's good she was supportive of what you want. Can I ask what is a VBAC? I know ELCS is a c-section (I think.) x

@Hazandduck I think it's vaginal birth after Caesarian. I haven't got a clue about birthing options, really do some reading!

@Hazandduck my friend said her mum legs turned out to be skinner and more toned from carrying extra weight of baby around, they could have meant that?? Maybe?

Just wondering has anyone started to write a birth plan or know when we should have it ready by?

I've been surprised not to encounter any questions or resistance about wanting an elcs rather than a vbac yet! It may be that I give a very definite answer whenever I'm asked so my notes just say 'requests elcs'. I have an appt at 37 weeks to finalise the details so maybe at that point I'll be put under pressure to try a vbac...I was expecting to be pushed towards it all along. DD was breach and the consultant was sooooo rude when I refused an ecv and was therefore booked for a section.

Bought a crib today - it was a second hand bargain so would have been silly not to. Still feels a bit early so DH is going to put it in the loft.

@butterybollocks I've been quite clear from the beginning about wanting an elcs as well. When I spoke to the sister yesterday & agreed my proposal she says it was highly unlikely I would go into labour naturally or if I did that baby would be of an average size based on my experience with DS so it's sort of irrelevant but it is a good gesture from me & should stand me in good stead for the consultant signing off the elcs. She put absolutely no pressure on at all, she took her lead from me, clarified the process & answered any questions.

@izzibee29 are you doing any antenatal / Nct classes? If so I'd write your birth plan after that. Don't get too caught up in it, I used it more as a list of preferences rather than a plan, it pretty much all went out the window as I ended up being induced with constant monitoring & then emcs. The mw did read it & asked me questions about my preferences so they were clear about what I wanted in case I couldn't answer them at the time. There is a lot of waiting around in labour so you get plenty of time to discuss it with the mws.

DFil has finished painting the baby's room & put the cot up today so I now have somewhere I can put all the bits we've bought until we buy some proper storage. He's going home on Tuesday after a month's stay & as helpful as he has been I can't wait to have my house back!

Not thought about birth plan yet and our NCT classes end 2 wks before due date so hope baby doesn't come early!!

@butterybollocks what is ecv?

@lydiaangel83 it's where they try to turn a breech baby from the outside, by basically pulling them round. I said no because it can be a bit brutal and a lot of babies turn back anyway.

I'm so relieved that other people haven't really got into birth plans yet. My bounty app prompted me asking this question.

I won't be attending my first nct until end of the month, so I'll wait for this and then make a start.

Now I'm nearly 25 weeks I can feel my inner organised self feeling panicked that I'm not prepared enough, but on the up side the nursery got painted last weekend and the ikea furniture is arriving next weekend.

@izzibee29 if it makes you feel any better we have done nothing and not due at NCT until October! Baby due 1st November!

Just seen something on line saying that baby events are starting in Aldi, Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury's & Tesco over the next week so good opportunity to stock up on things at reduced prices. The Aldi one is normally very good.

So relieved to see I'm not the only one that hasn't made decisions about a birth plan. I want to learn a little bit more about everything before making decisions. I start my NCT course on 18th September -really looking forward to it and making some local mummy friends

Hope everyone is having a nice weekend?

Been to a nearly new sale today and bought some super cheap vest and babygro bundles today. Still feels too early but I'm conscious that we haven't actually got anything yet.

I've been a bit frantic today decluttering and sorting out the house - DH says I'm nesting already. He might be right because I just couldn't bare the mess and felt compelled to sort it! Anyone else feeling like this?

I'm having a lovely weekend. I had a private scan today 25+2, the pictures are all quite blurry due to the baby and placenta position.

My little girl is in the breach position with her legs over her head, same as 20 week scan. I'm trying not to google myself into a frenzy. My husband was born breach and had dislocated hips and spent a few months in a special contraption.

My mothers instinct tells me that she will be born early by c-section due to her being breach. I could of course be talking a load of codswollop but can't shake this feeling I have had for quite some time.

@butterybollocks I too am nesting, my house is being Marie Kondo'd within in an inch of its life.

I hope everyone is having a lovely weekend.

November mummies. Please cross your fingers for me.. I was victim in an RTA yesterday.. two arseholes racing, one of them jumping a red light left us with no front end on my car after he hit us head on. I was taken off to a and e to be checked then spent the evening having baby checked at the MAU, his heart rate was good and he eventually started to move about 3 hours after the collision, he keeps giving a small wriggle but nothing like he was all day yesterday and previous days before the accident. Apart from bruising from the seatbelt and airbag, a couple of cuts to my stomach from what I'm not sure, and being very sore I am ok. Just worried about my little man. His due date is 8th november.

Thinking of you and your wee boy @Jamandbumps

@Jamandbumpsmum that's awful, I'm pleased that baby and you got a good once over at Hospital- take it easy x

I'm off to my friends baby shower today, might get more inspiration for my own must haves.