November 2017 #4: Bump botherers, nesting and maternity leave!

[GingerHanna]

In which we swat away unwanted hands, perform military operations every night to roll over in our sleep, clean the kitchen cupboards for the eleventy billionth time and count down the days to our maternity leave!

Previous thread here.

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Currently on the tram home to pick up my notes before heading to triage. I've only felt a couple of dull movements since yesterday and I'm working myself into a state about premature/still birth. Hopefully just paranoia!

Think I've done well to get to 31 weeks without a trip to the hospital!

@Zampa hope all is ok - if your baby is anything like mine it will start kicking like mad as soon as you get through the door to the hospital (every bloody time). I'm also 31 weeks and have already been in 3 times so you have definitely done well

Thinking of you @Zampa I had to go to the hospital for reduced movements a while back and they were lovely. My little monkey objected to be disturbed and kicked the Doppler.

I'm at the hospital at the moment waiting to see the consultant.

@zampa hope things sort out quickly for you and baby is just playing silly buggers.

@redfragglebiker 'grumpling' my new favourite word!

I'm fed up and tired but hoping we will select my maternity cover on Friday and then they start the week after if all goes well. Fingers crossed.

I bought s belly band at the weekend and am now wondering if I will ever take it off. My back hurts so much by mid afternoon and I'm just fed up and not knowing my body. I look at myself in the mirror and it's as though I'm looking at someone else's very pregnant body.

Only up once each night for peeing but that is probably more due to this awful chesty cough that keeps hacking away. Looking forward to a lie in on Saturday. Cannot imagine doing this with kids already!

Thanks guys! Monitoring indicates everything is ok but I'm waiting to see the doctor as baby still isn't active and the midwife doesn't want to send me home yet.

@theotherendofthesockportal Hope that the consultant appointment goes well and they take your concerns seriously.

@gingerhanna @redfragglebiker My Dad calls DD "little baby grumpling" which makes me imagine she's in a fairy tale?

@zampa - Hoping everything is okay Xx I have a sneaking suspicion that grumpling will be a nickname for our DD when she arrives. I used to call my niece a lil grumpling when she was having a moody/tantruming phase
@agnu - Please do contact your midwife. Mine told me she would rather receive 100 false alarms than have something happen because the mother didn't want to bother anyone. I'm sure it's nothing but still worth calling even if just for your own peace of mind.
@GingerHanna - The Bump bands are the best invention EVER! I hope your awful cough goes away soon and you get your maternity all sorted out.

Personally I made it through the meeting without killing anyone. I don;t think the assorted men around the table dare argue with me. In other news one of my work colleagues bought her little 6 week old DD in for a visit. When she came to me for a cuddle she cried! Hoping it's not an omen as she was quiet for everyone else.

Just to give you an update, the consultant was lovely to me! She was apologetic that she couldn't do much more for me but will do the following; refer me to a midwife who specialises in hypnotherapy to help me get to sleep and also refer to a continence nurse to get me some strategies to deal with the nocturnal peeing.

She is also making referrals and appointment for after I have the baby to get me mended so I can enjoy motherhood. I've come away feeling much happier!

She also suggested leaving for maternity leave immediately but agreed with me that I may as well stay until the end of the week when I'm going anyway.

That's nice to hear @theotherendofthesockportal - interested to know how your hypnotherapy goes, please share any tips if it works

Glad to hear that the consultant was good to you @theotherendofthesockportal. Have you tried the guided hypnosis sleep videos on You Tube? I'd really recommend them prior to your appointment.

Home now after an extra scan where everything appeared ok. I still can't feel baby as much but assuming it's down to positioning. Have an appointment with my consultant on Thursday so not long to wait.

@lydiangel83 I will definitely update you on the hypnotherapy.

@Zampa I will look up those videos on YouTube - I'm happy to try anything. Which position has your baby moved to?

@Zampa @theotherendofthesockportal glad to hear things are going better. Definitely agree that the hardest thing is getting to speak to people about concerns but once you're in the system it's much smoother.

We had an extra follow up scan today to check on baby's growth (now at 32 wks) in the last 2 weeks baby has gone from 8th to 14th centile :) and we have another follow up booked for 3 weeks time. Here's a bonus pic we got of baby today :).

@theotherendofthesockportal Baby has been breech since my midwife appointment at 28 weeks. Her feet are currently back towards my bladder, which I think is why I just feel pressure on my bladder rather than more kicky movements.

@izzibee29 Amazing photo. Modern medicine, eh!

Just finished our hypnotherapy course ladies, if anyone has any questions?

Aww lovely photo @izzibee29! @Zampa from what I understand you feel less kicks and more sweetly movements at this stage?

@Julesbegone - I would love to know more about your hypnotherapy course. My most burning question is, will it help me sleep?

@Julesbegone what did you cover / how does it work?! Desperate for sleep!!

@lydiangel83 @theotherendofthesockportal despite not thinking we were 'hippy' enough for hb, both myself and my husband thought it was invaluable. My preconceptions were totally wrong and I've taken a hell of a lot from it.

Yes, the relaxation exercises and other things suggested, like using an aromatherapy diffuser, do help you to sleep but I'm afraid they don't prevent you from waking up. I'm 34 weeks and still getting up as many times in the night for hip pain, heartburn, needing a wee etc.

However, for getting you into the right frame of mind for birth, and teaching you what negatives to stay away from/ minimise, it's really good!

izzi DH wondered why I was cooing over "a pile of snow"! It took several minutes of me pointing out all the features before he saw it! I thought it was cute! How exciting to get to see your baby's face like that!

@AGnu hehehe that made me chuckle

Aw very cute pic izzibee!

Have been to gestational diabetes clinic appt today and all was ok - I think they were slightly amused at my obsessive notes and highlighting of anomalous results. Next appt in 4 week where they will do a scan and book a date for a section! I joined a gestational diabetes group on Facebook and discovered an amazing treat breakfast I can eat which made my day.

7 days left at work!

Buttery I'm on Facebook gestational diabetes group - is breakfast treat banana pancakes by any chance? I also love the sugar free jelly and whipped cream :) omelettes have been my saviour so far ( oh and the nature valley bars) thank god not got long to go though as I'm craving a bowl of cereal! Xx

HI all. I'm sorry I haven't been on this for a while. Have been inundated with work and prep for baby that I've barely had a moment! I'm glad to hear that things are going well. Can't believe that we are now at 30+ weeks! I'm 31 weeks today and am full of cold but powering on through. Had my midwife app and everything is ok. Baby was in a very strange position... kinda diagonal with bum in the air! Is still within normal growth range. I only have a tiny bump as I'm very tall so anyone I talk too cant believe im as far along as I am. Was looking forward to lookong pregnant so feel a bit disappointed not to have a good bump! Hopefully will get one soon. Much love to all x x x x

Treasure I had the nature Valley bar with clotted cream. Omg it was SOOOO good and my reading afterwards was 5.6! Have you signed up and paid for the recipes on the website? I'm wondering if it's worth doing.

Anyone else taken antibiotics for urine infection whilst preggo? On my second course (first was back in May) and great so sick I really don’t think I can finish them!

@motherhippy16 I don't look particularly big either although babycakes is measuring bang on 50th percentile. My conclusion is that the media portrays pregnant women as HUGE and also that I only notice the other pregnant women who also look HUGE., leading to an unrealistic expectation of how pregnant I should look.

@lydiangel83 I have taken two different antibiotics whilst pregnant this time and they didn't make me feel ill. However, I felt so ill in the first place I probably wouldn't have noticed! Do finish your course though as otherwise your UTI could reoccur.

I thought I was finishing work at 36 weeks but thanks to my "excellent" planning, will actually be 35 weeks. I am thinking of all the things that I will be able to get done in that time! Very pleased!

Thanks @zampa ......tis a bit infuriating when everyone comments on it everytime I see them though.....but It's just so lovely feeling him really kick and move now that I brush the comments aside and smile! @lydiangel83 I've taken antibiotics for utis and it's been ok. I get them all the time anyway so I have to be really careful. I spoke to my midwife and she reassured me. 4 weeks till maternity leave.... can't wait! X