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=

@angelmiracle hope you start feeling reassuring movements soon. As others have said, don’t be afraid to call back if you’re worried.

@babycatcher411 thanks. I was surprised at the advice tbh! All I've read is ring triage and they'll ask you up to check on you. So I wondered what sort of advice it was or where has it come from. There is a Royal College of O&G leaflet on nhs website which states check for ten movements in 2 hours but don't see it on Tommys or Kicks count information.

I've had almost 8 movements in 1 hour now. But could it just be cold water provoking the baby to move?! It's not worth it I'm phoning back it's not the norm for my baby.

Yeah our advice used to be based on RCOG guidelines but I don’t think that’s been updated yet, in line with what the general advice is now, which is to be seen straight away.

Sometimes a reduction in movements can be caused by dehydration, so drinking water does help this and should improve movements if it’s the cause, the reason we don’t advice what we used to, is that could just coincidentally mask the cause of the reduction and result in someone not being seen when they need to be IYGWIM

2 hours feels a really long time to wait. Hope you have been able to get seen @Angelmiracle

At last had some progress with my breathing issues - someone seems to have put 2 and 2 together and hit 4 at last. Someone at ambulatory care clicked my b12 bloods were stupidly low and have invited me back tomorrow to get something done about it, in the hope it resolves a lot of the issues I'm having. The Internet suggests it could be the root cause of a lot of my pain, aches and struggles so would be nice if it were! If not, at least we know in theory it is just giving birth that will fix it all and that isn't too far off now.

@babycatcher411 I've got this TENS machine: www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B001DDZBHK/ref=emc_b_5_mob_t?tag=mumsnetforum-21

I got it new in the packaging for £3 at a mum2mum sale last weekend. The lady had bought it then had a c section and isn't planning on more kids. I thought it was worth a play for £3 although husband is very not convinced as he's a physicist by training/profession and doesn't trust anything where the science can't be properly explained. We nearly had an argument about me buying it at the lady's table but I convinced him for £3 and said he's going to have to stop it with the cynicism as when I'm in labour is not the time to be discussing scientific evidence for things if it's helping me!! What's the midwifery take on them?

Aha I can understand his reaction re evidence, but I’m game for trying anything that might help (even if it’s placebo) as long as there’s no risks.

We do recommend them for early labour, and have a few for hire at the trust I work at, but I have to say, working up on labour ward I’ve very rarely seen them used.

I did have one with my son, and it helped, I’ll not argue whether that was as pain relief or psychologically though!

£3 is a steal as well! I bet you can sell it on eBay after for way more even if you do use it.

@AssumeItWasSomethingClever my nightshirt is a size 20 and I bought that for my last pregnancy when I was a size 10! You can always take it in if you need to lol. Pants wise I'm still wearing my normal ones somehow but have bought a size up for hospital.

Revised my maternity start date today so will be finishing Friday 8th March instead of 15th. Can't wait! Spent this evening so far wrestling to put the covers and sun canopy back on the car seat after washing - never again will I wash that sun canopy! 🤬

@babycatcher411 Exactly. That's my logic too but I'm more open minded than he is about non science/exploring options, even though we are very science/data driven as a couple. He's coming at it from the attitude of "there's waves/pulses/all core the physics stuff (aka his life) but they can't tell you why it might work = bull" perspective, which I can also understand especially given his background.

Interesting that you've not seen them used on the labour ward, as that's where I will certainly be... although I think they're intended more for at the start when you're at home/not in active labour? Or do you think the "type" of person to use them is more likely to opt for a midwife led unit/home birth, at least initially and then if they come through to you then they need more pain relief/help than a TENS machine?!

Again, I'm also sceptical until I've seen it in use but decided it was worth it for £3 and if it doesn't work then it's hardly broken the bank, and like you've said we can always sell it on afterwards.

I figure as well it'll give me something to do/focus on for a while, even if it is a placebo effect! :)

@babycatcher411 I have a Lloyd’s pharmacy labour tens machine. I paid £8-£10 off eBay last time. I used it in labour until I was put on the drip no tens machine was helping with that pain

@cardboard33 ‘Or do you think the "type" of person to use them is more likely to opt for a midwife led unit/home birth’

I think mostly youve hit the nail on the head there.

Those Ive seen use them successfully in our unit are those that have also wanted to/got in the pool.
I think quite a few people give them a go to begin with but by the time they’ve got to us, they’ve shed them or are ready to get rid and have something else.

Hi everyone thank you for the reassurance to ring back and get checked. Of course they said come on in now we've no one in So I went straight away was monitored in no time to a very rambunctious baby 😂 As soon as the straps and gel went on 🙈 Midwife was lovely when I was there. She said if there's no normal pattern resumed by tomorrow come up again- and apparently I don't have to wait the two hours lying on my left!

But so so so glad I went mostly with you ladies encouraging me its not a fuss and for those of you who also done the right thing getting checked out when you knew movements were reduced.

You wouldn't believe the comments I got in real life - 'they run out of room' 'they have quiet days' etc!!

@babycatcher411 I agree with the tens opinion you have lol. I bought one and used at home until 5cm dilated and as soon as I hit delivery suite I couldnt wait to rip those pads off 😂 More distracting than pain relief for me personally. The warmth of being in the bath was nicer - but I needed the noise of the tap running constantly. MW panicked I would drown myself lol

@Angelmiracle so glad that all was ok with the baby for you last night. It's definitely worth going in if ever unsure. I've also had the same real life comments, including some saying that they will get quieter the closer you are to due date which I know isn't true.

I'm glad he was bouncing around for you though. I'm back in for twice weekly monitoring now and another scan in 2 weeks. Yesterday morning on the monitor they worked out he had around 100 moves in an hour 🤣 I'm sure he just waits until the monitor gets put on him! But he normally very very active so even 10 an hour would be a big reduction for him unless it was one of his normal quiet times. And it's nice to have a lovely midwife too isn't it who can reassure you that you should come straight back even if everything looked fine on the trace.

Had an antenatal class and the midwife said the baby should be reacting to lights and sounds etc in the belly.. and should be moving when stimulated. All the other ladies were giving lovely examples and stories. I was just nodding my head but internally I went into full panic mode as I don't think my baby does react to stimuli in that way. Should I be worried he has a problem with sight or hearing... I couldn't sleep at all last night as am worried baby isn't reacting the same way as other babies. Am I being irrational?

@Harley8888 I have only noticed that baby has reacted to light when my daughter was playing with a torch and shone it directly on my belly. I drive a lot with the radio on loud plus a noisy dd and there is no pattern to baby’s reaction of these sounds. I really wouldn’t worry I often find in a group situation people agree with the herd and are probably panicking now the same as you

@harley8888 my babies movements are very random, she has busy days and quieter days (although not so quiet so that I would be concerned) she doesn't seem to especially react to anything except me relaxing! I don't notice her as much when I'm busy/active as well. I'm not sure I'd want to shine light and things at her, seems a bit mean to me! I'm trying to trust my instinct and if she's seemed quiet then I sit for a bit and concentrate. If you are worried though then do speak to your midwife of course! Just wanted to share that I don't seem to have a similar experience to others either who have routines, etc.

@harley8888 I wouldn’t worry that there are any hearing or vision problems. They all have individual patterns. I haven’t noticed mine responding to light at all. He does respond to the sound of my DS and DD’s voices though - he always has a wriggle around when they clamber into our bed in the mornings!!

@melissa112 thanks! Yeah I feel that now I've been I'll not have any hesitation at all to go up if it happens again. I hope he keeps bouncing away on that monitor for you - as the midwife said that's what you want! My growth scan is tomorrow so I'll be asking consultant to thoroughly check all's well.

@Harley8888 I have never heard any mum mention their babies reacting to light. Mine will wake when DH alarm clock goes off but that's all I've noticed and I wouldn't have been concerned if they hadn't reacted either. As @Wineandchoccy said I think they're used to all the daily noises etc and as for light you would probably need to purposely shine a torch on your tummy.

@wineandchoccy @gronk27 thanks for the reassurance. I usually only notice movements when I'm relaxing in the eve and don't have really have triggers. It just worried me when people were saying their babies follow a torch around their belly or move a lot to a particular song or their partners voice. .. I was like omg why are these babies so advanced and mine just bobs about in the evenings lol I have a scan tomorrow so might ask the sonographer her opinion.

Anyone else started mat leave yet - I had a huge list of things to do that i was planning on doing on mat leave but all I can seem to do is lie down in bed.. I'm SO exhausted and feel very lazy and sluggish.

I remember them mentioning it last time in our NCT class but no-one had noticed it and we tried with a torch with no success.
DS is absolutely fine bar his selective hearing, but that's being 3!

@Harley8888 I just have one that bobs about too. He has no discernible response to anything I do or don’t do really.

I know baby’s are aware of lights and sounds but I’ve never heard of people saying they actively respond to certain stimuli (outside of cold water and poking!).

So got to the hospital for my growth scan and got told I'm not down for a scan - it's a "review" but they didn't tell me anything else. Anyone know the difference?

How odd @whatalearningcurve... How can they review if they don't check how big baby is?!
Is it with a consultant maybe to discuss the tracking so far?

@SquirtlesMumAgain I think it's incase the midwife has been measuring wrong. But there's definitely not a mistake. I am massive ha. They've just found protein in my urine which isn't great so having to do another urine sample. Kicking myself now because I've also had a banging headache for the last few days which ticks another pre-eclampsia box - but just ignored it because it just felt like my sinuses playing up (pre pregnancy I had to take anti histamines daily in summer and winter but obviously haven't been able to have them for 8 months)