February 2019 babies. The third trimester: it's all starting to feel very real now!

[maxiflump1]

Here we are again ladies with another new thread..... maybe some of these babies may make an appearance on this one!

Waiting is the worst right! You're counting down to your due date and then boom - you're over due! I hope these babies don't keep everyone waiting too long x

Happy new year everyone! Fourteen working days left for me (it doesn't sound so bad like that). Last day will be 31/01 when I'll be 38+6. I feel like I've been struggling more the last few days with an achy/stiff back. Definitely feeling it more this time. Not sure if it's just this pregnancy/being bigger or having a toddler to run around after. Probably a mixture.

@lanalawr I’m similar. I have about 15 working days up to 25 Jan and then I go on leave - I’ve just got three days this week followed by 3 x four day weeks - doesn’t seem like long at all but I feel ready to go on leave soon

I’m shopping for my hospital bag and things I’ll need when LO arrives. A few people have said I should get a breast pump? Do I need one at this stage? Does it need to be the Medela swing (which is what everyone seems to recommend)? It just seems like a lot of money but I do plan to BF so is this an essential? I saw a Tommee Tippee set for about half the price but the reviews are not quite as good...

It's not essential @AliceRR but it'll depend on whether you plan to express. I didn't buy one with dd as I'd planned to bf and if I needed I could buy one later. When she wasn't feeding well and my nipples were quite literally falling apart the community midwife recommended that I stop feeding her directly and express instead. It was the medela swing she suggested. It was expensive but I found it to be a good pump, although it wasn't used for long as bf didn't last much longer than that unfortunately.

@AliceRR I was wondering the same about a breast pump. In the end I ordered one and picked the Mendela Swing. Boots and John Lewis have deals for the swing plus other bits for expressing at the moment, about £100 for either bundle so £40 off.

It does seem expensive but I figure I'd rather have it if I need it as I would like to express and it's helpful for BF latch issues. Always get sucked in by a bargain too other wise I probably would just wait to see if I needed one!

Happy new year everyone!

Ooh I have...14 working days left, Yey! Finish on the 30th of January and I don't work Mondays so 2 x 3 day weeks including this week, then 2 x my normal 4 day week. I am working from home tomorrow and one other Wednesday too which is so much easier! Ready to finish now, I've had two weeks off for Christmas and I'd already mentally checked out beforehand to be honest! I'm not going back until 23rd January 2020 so that'll be a lovely feeling

16 days here. Finish on the 25th.

@lanawr @Rowse Exactly, with the sales on it seems like a good time to buy it. I initially thought I’d just see how it goes as I also plan to breastfeed but people with babies tell me I should get one. I just done want to spend a hundred quid on something I don’t need but then it seems likely I’d need it at some point including if I can’t get baby to BF immediately 🤔

I bought a fairly cheap manual pump.

I don't want to express too much and felt that would be enough for the odd pump.

Has anyone had pain between their shoulder blades? Last 2 days it's been constant like dull ache pain nothing seems to shift it, tried massages, making sure postures good, hot water bottle etc.

No idea what it is wasn't sure if he's pressing against a nerve?

I just have a haakaa manual silicone cup pump to catch the drips from the other boob whilst feeding.

Going to see how I get on feeding before comit to buying an expensive pump. They say ideally should not pump and express in first 6wks anyways to allow milk to settle in and prevent nipple confusion.

If I need one before hand for what ever reason. I will rent a medela hospital grade one from our hospital.

I have worked with madela before and really rate them as a company. So if I manage to feed sucessfully then want to go on to expressing. Deffo be getting a medela one.

@twiglet sounds like acid pains? They are around shoulder blades. Try an anacid maybe? Having the worse bilary collic today and thats where the worse of my pain is.

No!!! My back has 'gone' - feeling very sorry for myself, could very much do without it 😭😭😭

3ish weeks left at work
Hospital bag packed 32+5 weeks currently
I feel super organised aha

5 weeks till section. On leave currently and mat leave starts next Tuesday. No more work! I’m exhausted!! Am currently working my way through ironing the baby clothes... will pack bag in a few weeks. Hoping I have enough energy to do some fun outings with DD before this one arrives!

Oops I have 13 working days left! Can't count!

Back to work tomorrow for 2 weeks, section booked for 3 weeks today. Pretty much sorted although yet to pack a bag. Growth scan tomorrow so we’ll see how he’s doing and whether there is a chance we have to move the section forwards. I’ve never been this pregnant before!!

I never went back to work after having DS (16m this week!) So don't have the mat leave countdown this time around which is strange. However I've got a section date booked for 29th Jan so 4 weeks today unless they come of their own accord before then! They are actually both head down at the moment so I might be induced rather than have the section but will wait closer to the time to decide. Excited but slightly terrified by the fact we will have 2 more children by the end of this month!! 

@2019Mama you can pm me your email address and I'll get you added to the fb group. Just let me know when you have.

Wow congratulations @Lulabell1 what a surprise! Hope you're both doing well!

@MrsY87 I’ve pm’d you

I thought I’d posted already... but 21 working days left for me.

It’s starting to really hurt when I walk for any length of time though, and the morning rush around getting my two off to school, catching a bus into town, the walk from there to work and the two flights of stairs to my office is taking its toll a bit!

I’m feeling the need to stop for rests more and more. Pregnancy also makes my asthma flare up, so I’m having to carry an inhaler everywhere.. I’ve about had enough now, six weeks to go!

Five and half weeks of work left for me. I'm at 31+6.

I've got an appointment at the hospital because the baby is measuring big and they want to rule out gestational diabetes. The midwife said they'll show me how to self test my blood sugar levels and I'll do that for two weeks.

It doesn't sound like the test I remember some of you doing a few weeks back and wondered if anyone has experienced a similar one?

She didn't say anything about not eating or drinking before my appointment and it's at 10am, so not particularly early if I am meant to fast. She said I carry on my diet as normal for the two weeks whilst I test.

She also said she'd book the appointment and text me the day and time, which she has but this means I won't get any more info in a letter before my appointment now.

My last day before maternity leave is on Friday and I cannot wait! It's the commute I'm finding a struggle rather than the job, not sure how I'll feel when it actually starts though.

@Notquiteagandt thanks gaviscon didn't really do anything but some milk helped a bit.
Realised that the bad heartburn is linked to my iron tablets. It's catch 22 need to take the tablets with OJ but that makes the heartburn worse and dairy stops the iron from being absorbed

I have 15 days left off until the 7th and finish on the 25th I work from home up to 2 days a week which has really helped in this last trimester!

@twiglet I have the exact same problem with my iron tablets. Both the OJ and the tablets itself give me extra heartburn so it's a vicious circle. From experience milk helps initially but can come back to haunt you a few hours later! I have an awful cold lurgy last few days and haven't taken iron tablets for last two days as the cough I have brings up all my acid and was making me sick 🤢