The March-ers 2019 - #8 3rd Trimester

[Angelmiracle]

Thread 8!

Things are ramping up now mamas.

Get your hospital bags at the ready
👣👣👣🍼❤🤰🏻🤰🏽🤰🏼🤰🏿

Thread 7 link:
www.mumsnet.com/Talk/antenatal_clubs/3414226-The-March-ers-2019-7?pg=1&order=

Good news on head down baby @assumeitwassomethingclever. Hope they stay that way!

Definitely much more achey this time - wondering how much of that is 2nd pregnancy and how much is just the fact it isn't as small a baby

SE ladies got a call today from Maternity Allowance. I’m getting the full £145 there was just a query on whether I’d ticked 2 or 4 weeks to be paid. Said it takes 5-10 working days for the first payment-not sure how that correlates to what I asked for in terms of start date! It doesn’t matter for us though.

Also, proud of my OH. He’s suggested taking October off with shared parental leave so I can go and do my Halloween job which is very important to me.

Did my last job yesterday so officially on maternity leave now and feel a bit strange! Done a little bit of nesting (sorting shit out) today.

For those of you who got involved with the cat/thread convo, just had a cat flap put in so we’ll see how that goes!

Does anyone else get a bit overwhelmed by Mums or MILs buying things? I’m VERY grateful but feel like saying at some point I would like to make a decision or buy something for my own baby. That being said pretty sure I’ve decided I want a new car seat and they don’t come cheap! Any recommendations for a rear facing one compatible with an iCandy Apple 2 Pear?

@Daisy2990 sorry I meant to write a series of 3or4 blood pressures.
Doing a set of bloods pressures gives a better idea than a single solitary one.

There isn’t many things where I would just find another piece of equipment and trust the ‘better’ reading. But it is very common for electronic BPs to be higher than manual. And with manual BP then I can be 100% certain of what I’m hearing when I use the steth.
Best practice is always to do manual but convenience/time management often results in electronic BPs being done.
That said and done, if you’ve got a consultants appointment tomorrow, it would be worth a mention and possibly a recheck, it only for your reassurances.

Re the urine sample, sounds like she’s sent it to be cultured ?infection as opposed to re the BP given the timeframes.

@Gronk27 my mum has only bought the odd thing when she’s spotted it, this is grandchild number 2 for her, but MIL I believe has a wardrobe full of clothes, because she can’t help herself when she sees something cute. It’s their first grandchild though, so I’ve just adopted the attitude of whatever.
Thankfully though, the purchases are nothing overbearing or things we wanted to get/decide on together as couple/family, but I can definitely see how some people would find it OTT.

Hello, I'm new :)

First timer due on the 17th March (though OH not keen on an Irish name...), I understand there's a facebook group? Would love to be added.

We were really lucky first time round. My parents offered but without guilt to buy a pram if we wanted them too, so took them up on the offer. Mil just bought bits for baby, and she has done this time... Super cute clothes to be fair!
Thankfully my parents are very good at offering money without the need to direct the purchase so we could actually have what we researched and wanted not them giving and input - much harder when they feel because they are paying they can have a say!

@Gronk27 oh good news on the MA! I finally got mine in the post today. Hope they are as speedy with me as they have been with you. Fantastic news about your Halloween job, too - I'm so pleased for you! And your DH will love that time, I bet.

I've decided to plan in a treat day for myself the week before my CS. I'm going to get my hair done, and I'm going to stock up on good books to keep me going during breastfeeding. I'm also going to spend the whole bloody day with myself and nobody else (I'll use one of DS's nursery days) as I guess it'll be the last time I'll be able to hang out just on my own for quite a while! It's going to be glorious. And will definitely involve cake.

Thanks everyone regarding movements... I've decided to just see how I get on and accept that I've got a very very very hyper baby then mention it again at my appointment next week. I'm seeing an actual midwife in a non hospital setting so it's quite exciting as all of my many appointments since the booking have been at the hospital with the maternal medicine consultant. Hopefully that doesn't correlate into what it's like when it gets into the world. According to google it doesn't... and google is always right, yeah?

It's the first grandchild for both of our parents. They're very excited but trying not to let it show. My dad wrote that "[My name] and her husband, whom she married in March 2016, are expecting their first child in March" in his Christmas cards which was a big deal, my mum didn't know until she got some replies back... apparently he's keen to ensure that people don't think we a) aren't married and b) got pregnant straight after getting married, for some odd reason.

As far as I'm aware they've only really bought things when we've asked them to (like go to Aldi/Lidl and buy X, or go to Tesco and see what clothes they have in the sale) although husband's mum is doing a lot of knitting and was asking us over Christmas what designs we liked. My dad got a £50 JL voucher for doing a survey which he's given to the baby (as opposed to us/my sibling) and keeps asking what we've got with it... he's definitely expecting a toddler rather than a baby from the comments he keeps making about it being essential that we child proof the house right now etc.

Welcome @hollyberryboo - are you Irish, then? or do you just like Irish names? Either is fine, just curious!

We've been given money by my MIL to buy whatever we needed. With it, we bought a cot bed and matress and used the leftover money along with vouchers we got for our wedding to buy a pram.
After we accepted it she started dictating advising us on what we should and shouldn't get. Part of me wishes we hadn't taken it as I can just hear her saying "well, I would have got one that... xyz"
My parents just said if you want anything just buy it and let me know how much we owe you.

Had my growth and placenta scan, baby estimated 5.8lb and head very very low although they didn’t need to tell me that as I’m walking like John Wayne
Placenta is out of the way woohoo no c section required
No other issues, bright bowel still present but not as noticeable today.
Back on the 14th Feb for 1 final scan

Thanks @babycatcher411 I appreciate your reply.
Yes, she did say infection and I should ring GP to check result. I wasnt sure if this would rule in/out pre-e automatically.
Will see what happens tomorrow.

Thank you @cardboard33 :)

Not Irish, no, but would feel appropriate if arrives on due date as it's St Patrick's day, though I have a feeling I'll go over. Bit of an overthinker, so worried about the commitment of picking a name!

Hi, does anyone have any experience with gestational diabetes? I had a GTT at 28 weeks which came back negative, but due to repeated glucose readings in my urine I’ve been asked to monitor blood sugar for a week. I thought they were just being precautionary and all would be fine but I’m on day 2 and some of the readings are coming up high. I’m back next week to see the diabetic consultant and see what she has to say but now worried they are going to diagnose it and a bit anxious about what that means.

Great news @wineandchoccy and yay for the bowel kit being so obvious today. Hope it is all OK when little one arrives!

Thanks @SquirtlesMumAgain I feel a bit more relaxed tonight although now just need to worry about going into labour and when 😂

@Angelmiracle been very achey today around my back, below bump, shoulders and elbows in particular. The tightenings have calmed down so they were happy at the hospital and told me to rest so I've been at home having a rest day and back to work tomorrow.

@Dalesgirl16 @Hollyberryboo congratulations and welcome to the group!

@toastfiend so glad your dog is in the mend.

@Jellybean023 no experience but it may be a case of adjusting your diet rather than insulin. I hope it's all ok for you.

It's just that MIL went mad with the nephews, some of you might remember the five prams, and there is everything you can imagine. Three second hand car seats, milk machines, enough clothes to sink a battle ship, etc. She doesn't agree with not using second hand mattresses, car seats, etc as hers were fine, etc, etc. My Mum is super excited about her first grandchild, which is of course lovely, but I felt like I wasn't even allowed to go to Aldi myself to look at the deals as she was so on it! I am really grateful, just feeling a bit overwhelmed. My parents are buying our cot which is amazing. I've had lots from friends, also much appreciated.

@babycatcher411 good attitude, I shall try to channel it!
@squirtlesmumagain my parents are normally the same, I think this first grandchild is very emotionally charged!

@assumeitwassomethingclever it's as tricky as a wedding!

@badbadbeans Yes it was super speedy actually! And yes I hope DH enjoys it and he admitted it would be good to see what it would be like to be 'at home with the baby all day', etc and spend some time with his daughter. A treat day sounds like an excellent idea. I've done a to do list of beauty treatments, including getting my hair done as well. I want a date with DH before too!

@cardboard33 I think google is right this time?! Yes, I feel like everyone is jumping the gun a bit trying to buy things that won't be needed any time soon, I need to get through the birth and first couple of weeks first!

@wineandchoccy good news!

Hi,

I've posted this elsewhere too but not getting replies and totally freaking out so figured some of you may be able to help xx

I'm 33 weeks pregnant and had a letter today following my blood tests saying that I have elevated MCV.

The letter doesn't explain what this means or tell me that I need to take anything so naturally now I'm worried as I have no idea about any of it. It just says that I'll need to have another blood test 6 weeks after the birth.

Does anyone have experience of this or any midwives around who know what this actually means? I just wish they would explain things in the letter so you actually know what they're talking about!!

They also sent a separate letter at the same time saying that my bloods showed signs of a water infection so I need to take in another sample so that they can rule this out. I keep thinking surely if I had a water infection it would've been picked up by the midwife on the same day when she did the usual urine checks? And what if it's not a water infection, what do they think it can be then or do they just leave it at that??

Sorry I'm a natural worrier and hate not having things explained to me properly!

@jellybean023 no personal experience but one of our close friends was diagnosed with GD at around 25 weeks and went on to have a "normal" pregnancy. As far as I'm aware she didn't need to take insulin or if she did it was clearly a non issue, it just meant she was then classed as high risk and had to have all of the appointments that go with it. She didn't have the GT test (or whatever it's called, they do it with certain ethnicities and if your BMI is high) it was just picked up in her urine samples and then she had extra tests. It all sounded very very manageable and nothing to worry about as long as it's being monitored.

@amyem no advice but hope you can get some answers soon. From vast experience of the NHS (not midwifery specifically though mind, just lots of other depts), if they just send a random letter then it's usually non urgent/serious whereas they tend to call you and get you to come in immediately if there's anything drastically wrong or that they need to do something about immediately.

So I've just lost my antenatal care really suddenly. The neighbourhood midwife scheme I'm under is closing with next to no notice by end of January - they've made everyone redundant. All we've been given is a self-referral form for the local hospitals, no clarity on transition process or anything. (There is no transition process, clearly.) Texted my midwife last night and haven't heard back - not that I can blame her under the circumstances; she's probably trying to work out how to keep a roof over her kids' heads. Was meant to have my 34 week check-up today (am 35 weeks on Saturday), no clue if it's happening.

I'm totally flabbergasted and stunned. They'd just started investigations for cholestasis, which thankfully my GP was following up as the lab had failed to run the most important tests. So I was worried enough about that and telling myself it would probably be ok - now I'm not even sure where I'm meant to call if baby stopped moving or similar. Also concerned about the postnatal period, as I'd counted on the support of them coming to visit and continuity of care to make sure I stayed well in terms of my mental health. All of that's up in the air now.

Will try and confirm if my appointment is still happening in a minute, then try and self-refer to the hospital. Wish me luck?

Appointment today is still happening, hopefully I'll have a bit more clarity later.

@wordsmithereens how frustrating and worrying! I suppose they don't really know what's going on either. I say if you are worried about less movement or anything like that you raise hell and keep ringing 111 or the hospital or whoever you can! Were you giving birth in the same hospital anyway? They are maybe the best to contact in the meantime about your other appointments-they do routine appointments at my hospital that I normally go to at local GP for. Hopefully things will have settled down postnatally, so that support will be there from HV and midwives albeit starting up the relationship again and perhaps having to re-explain things (although Lord knows my midwife doesn't retain any information and no-one seems to look at any notes). My midwife informed me on my last appointment that she was leaving the surgery and it would be someone else. I don't have much of a relationship with her anyway and she was so scatty it doesn't bother me much as long as the new lady is nice/professional! Hope your appointment goes ahead and you can get some answers.

Thanks @Gronk27. It's a bit complicated, because technically I'm not booked in at my hospital of choice yet (or any hospital, for that matter). The scheme had a birth talk scheduled for 36 week appointment and I think the official booking with the hospital was meant to happen round then, so at the moment I don't exist on any of their systems. I have a very limited idea how any of the hospital procedures work, what postnatal support even exists, if any, had counted on my midwife being there as a backup in case I went into labour and partner wasn't around as they become your birth partner, etc.

There's women in worse positions - the scheme was also designed to support home births, so there are women who are full term and not booked anywhere who now have to work out where to deliver.

I'm just extremely glad I did the hypnobirthing course cause it means I'm already tied into additional social support networks, so it's not a complete freefall.

@wordsmithereens crikey, that’s a big stress at this point in the process. I’ve never known of a service to just stop like that. I hope you get a bit more clarity from today’s appointment.

Where in the country are you?
Our MLC unit is closing with minimal notice, but that is just the birth centre as opposed to the entire service.