June 2018 #4

[ClareB83]

Just restarting the thread as we're close to 1000 posts again.

June 2018 #3 www.mumsnet.com/Talk/antenatal_clubs/3100612-june-2018-3

I finish work on Friday and cannot wait! Have 2 weeks holiday and then mat leave starts at 37 weeks. Have done a bit of nesting but still a fair bit to do. Feel good in myself but the insomnia is what is giving me grief I managed nearly 6 hours last night was only 3 the night before so that is my main reason for finishing work earlyish (naps cake and me time of I stop kidding myself...)

Everyone is coming so close to being off now then! I can't wait for more baby news to start arriving!
I hope you are all managing to keep cool with this stunning weather

Waw, I can't imagine working until 37 or 38 weeks (even though I wanted so initialy) you are amazing!
I'm almost 34 weeks(Wed) and already really tired after work.
My sleep becomes worse by day, I turn from one side to other millions of time due to Braxton Hicks' and wake up about 5 am :(.
We moved 3 weeks ago and still need to put the nursery together, didn't bring the cot from my home-country yet...I think I get a bit stressed thinking the girl might come earlier.
At least I have clothes for her and set of bottles so this weeks I'll wash and prepare a bag for her and myself, just in case.
I hope she won't come before 38 weeks though...

I'll work until end of this month, and my replacement will come only next week...this might be a bit of stress for me on top of everything 🙈

Checking back in after a long break away, was on the first thread! 36+2 today and had a scan at the hospital to see if the placenta had moved as it had been blocking the cervix. Thankfully it’s moved however baby is now measuring 42w!! Doctor is happy for me to keep going, but it’s easy seeing as he’s not got to push this giant baby out!

@hoopdeloop
Great news about the placenta moving! Has your baby always been big?

Our baby was on the 50th centile at 32 weeks and 75th at 36 weeks. I got given a lecture about diet and sent for a random blood glucose and a hba1c (no risk factors for gestational diabetes).

Both came back within the normal range (although hba1c in particular is hard to interpret during pregnancy, which is why NICE don’t recommend using it in the second & third trimesters iirc).

Tbh I’m feeling a bit annoyed that they’ve not followed it up at all. I found out the random blood glucose from the locum community midwife the day after the test, and got the hba1c result by phoning the hospital and asking for it. For now I’m continuing to cut out all sugary food and reducing carbohydrates. I don’t know whether the scan was inaccurate (but same doctor and same machine as previous scans, and fundal height measurements have also gone up, although not by as much) or if the scan was accurate what else could have caused such a big growth spurt.

I’ve got a consultant appt at 38 weeks anyway, so am just hoping that they’ll be helpful and reassuring.

@shutupanddance1
What test do they do for diabetes in your trust, if you don’t mind me asking? Here everyone gets a random blood glucose at booking and at 28 weeks as a screening test. Anyone picked up by those tests or with any risk factors (BMI, ethnic origin, family history etc) gets given a glucose tolerance test.

Sorry about the essay everyone. Been getting a bit stressed about it, although I do appreciate that it’s fairly minor in the grand scheme of things.

DS1 measured big throughout the pregnancy and I had growth scans and he was 8lb 9.5oz so I wouldn’t say particularly big. DS2 (who I’m pregnant with) seemed to be a bit smaller but has taken a bit of a growth spurt and now a huge one as he is measuring almost the same weight as DS1 at birth! They said I wasn’t at risk of gestational diabetes but to be honest, I’m not sure what they look out for before deciding to test. Hopefully your tests go well, but very frustrating. They’re maybe just erring on the side of caution

Hi all, for some reason this always drops off the threads I’m on page so just posting to keep up! Well done to all the late workers!

34 weeks today and feeling like an absolute whale! 🐳

Wow @Hearts22 you have a beautiful bump! 6 weeks to go!! I'll be 34 weeks on Thursday and lots of colleagues have commented on how I've suddenly grown.

On my growth chart I've gone from being not even on it and having growth scans, to jumping up onto the 50th centile. Maybe the babies have growth spurts around about now?

@hoopdeloop congrats on your placenta clearing the exit!! Is this your first?

On another note - are any of you drinking raspberry leaf tea? I've got a bag of it but I'm unsure when to start drinking it. Some websites say traditionally it's taken from 32 weeks, one cup a day and gradually building up to 3 cups. But other sites say not to drink it before 36 weeks. Can anyone shed any light?

@honeybee03 I'd heard 36 weeks too. Maybe ask your midwife?

My next appointment is at 36 weeks, so I'll just hold on and start then :) Most of the info I've found suggests that it's the right time to start.

@Alice0606 it's worrying when that happens, isn't it? Mine went up suddenly at 33 weeks and I got sent for a second GTT, even though I'd passed my first! Still not got GD and they reckon it's just a big baby. I did have a private growth scan to reassure myself of the measurements and check for excess amniotic fluid.

@Honeybee03 What's the raspberry leaf tea for?

It tones up the womb apparently @Addy2 ! I've read lots about it making labour shorter, I thought it was worth a go. No harm in trying eh!

There are loads of forums and info online about it, and there is some info here too - www.motherandbaby.co.uk/pregnancy-and-birth/birth/getting-ready-for-birth/raspberry-leaf-tea-in-pregnancy-what-you-need-to-know

You can buy it as teabags and capsules, but I managed to get a bag of the loose tea on Amazon.

@Elizabethlemon I hope your follow up tomorrow puts your mind at ease.

Thank you @usernamegoeshere.

It’s been a really tough week. I had a phonecall from one of the midwives at the hospital today to say she’d been asked by my community midwife to attend the appointment with us, I think partly to act as an advocate. She also said my MRI results were back and they confirmed what the sonographer and consultant guessed, that the baby has a blood clot on the left side of his brain. Obviously this is gutting and sounds terrifying but I’m trying to cling on to the tiny amount of reassurance they gave us last week. I know this is ridiculous but the midwife sounded really miserable on the phone which has made me nervous and presume it will be bad news! I can’t think rationally at the moment though and I know that.

Husband and I are going to sit down tonight and write a list of questions. I’m just hoping we get some proper answers tomorrow and I’m also hoping they may say that they will get him out ASAP and perform a c section as I just want him here now so they can look after him and I’m sick of waiting (as I’m sure we all are!)

@ElizabethLemon I hope that 1) the midwife on the phone was just grumpy and her mood wasn’t anything to do with the mri results and 2) that tomorrow brings you answers that you need.

@Alice0606 I actually live abroad so it’s completely different from NHS - I’m a private patient and I haven’t met a midwife yet . I did the 12 hour fasting test first and then the 4 hour one after, my results from first GTT were slightly high so I had to do the second test and it was completely normal. Here they do the 12 hour fasting test as standard as they believe it’s better care, so says my OB anyways.

I’m not using the raspberry leaf tea this time round, last time it didn’t do a damn thing .

@elizabethlemon - keeping my fingers crossed for you.

Will be thinking of you tomorrow @ElizabethLemon

@Honeybee003 I might give it a go then. No harm in trying and all that!

Good luck for tomorrow @ElizabethLemon thinking of you x

@ElizabethLemon best of luck today. Must be so worrying for you but I hope you get the answers you need. How many weeks are you now? As you say maybe getting baby out is the best thing so they can see whats going on. Sending hugs xx

Good luck @ElizabethLemon 🧡

@elizabethlemon sounds sensible to have a list of questions with you, also it's nice you have a midwife advocating as it might be hard to take everything in so she can recap for you if needed. I'm sure miserable was just her telephone voice. Let us know how you get on

Good luck @elizabethlemon xxx

Thanks everyone, your kind thoughts really are appreciated.

We’ve had our appointment and I think it’s the best possible outcome even though there are still a few things that are uncertain. The consultant explained that the clot isn’t actually within the brain but in the membrane surrounding it, this is obviously a good thing as it’s less likely to affect the working and development of the brain. She didn’t seem to think there would be any lasting damage purely from the clot as long as no complications occur. She also didn’t think that the baby will need any treatment after birth, they expect the clot to dissolve itself. They confirmed that the rest of the brain is perfectly norma. He will need to have an MRI soon after birth just so they can get another look and hopefully confirm that there will be no lasting concerns. The consultant explained that it is very very rare for this to happen perinatally and that usually small babies that have this have suffered head traumas or contracted meningitis or similar. They weren’t able to offer an explanation as to why the clot would have appeared, I think we’ve just been really unlucky.

In terms of the birth she brought up a c-section and I explained that I felt it was preferable both for the safety of the baby and also my own emotional well-being. She seemed happy with this but couldn’t approve it so I have a meeting with an obstetrician on Monday morning to hopefully approve and book a c section ASAP. So I’ve got to try and keep this baby comfy and safe until then, fingers crossed he doesnt decide to make an early appearance! The midwife that joined us for the scan and meeting was wonderful and it was so good to have someone as an extra pair of ears. She sat with us afterwards, went through everything and is going to contact a paediatric dr on our behalf to see if she can get any more info about what will happen once the baby is here. The staff have been absolutely amazing and I am so grateful to be receiving such fantastic care.

Thanks again for all your kind thoughts. I hope everyone else is doing well. I feel
like we’re due some more baby announcements soon!