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=

@SquirtlesMumAgain a whole night without getting up for a wee even once, that's great! I can't remember what that feels like 😂

@cardboard33 a fellow FTM here and definitely get what you're saying! Obviously I understand I'm pregnant but I always say to my DP 'they're just going to give us the baby to take home? We went through more checks to get the bloody dog' 😂

@Hermagsjesty @Gronk27 I assume they'd call you re any changes in circumstances but could try giving them a call if you're worried about not hearing back? Got my letter through this morning, have been awarded the full amount and feeling very relieved! Had leftover baby shower cake for breakfast 🍰

@caseofellen hurray! Even if you know you should get the full amount it’s a bit nerve racking isn’t it!

I definitely felt "Normal" a lot longer last pregnancy. This time I can't work out if it is just the sickness or being a second pregnancy.

I'm feeling very annoyed, I've just called my community midwife office to arrange my 38wk appointment and the midwife I spoke to give me the appointment for 38wks +5, I explained that I have had all previous 3 babies either 38wks on the day or before 38wks and asked if I could get the appointment maybe 38wks on the day or before if possible and she said no, 38+5 will be fine. At my community midwife app last week I mentioned that I wanted a home birth as an option but the midwife didn't mention arranging a risk assessment (think she was a bit distracted as my measurements had went off the 95th and she was trying to arrange another growth scan) I mentioned the home birth again to the midwife I just spoke to and asked about the risk assessment again and she said I can discuss it with my midwife at the appointment. When I mentioned again that I hadn't made it past 38wks before she said she would have my midwife call me if she needs to see me sooner 🙄. I know that just because I didn't go past 38wks with my previous 3 doesn't mean this one won't go full term or over but I would like to be prepared just incase. Especially if it means my choice of a home birth is removed because the assessment hasn't been completed on time. I haven't actually seen "my" midwife since my booking in app at 8wks, it's always been a different one each time.

Sorry for the long rant but it's really annoyed me.

@cardboard33 I know exactly what you mean by feeling like it's not real still. Before I got pregnant I thought you'd instantly feel different but I never did! I then thought when it starts moving/kicking I'd feel different but nope. I think I should feel like I'm working up to something but I still don't think I've fully mentally prepared myself that my life is going to change so massively. Even though I've done all the baby washing, hospital packing etc I still don't feel like I'm about to have an actual real life baby!

I've woken up this morning feeling sick and a bit faint. Was hoping it was going to shift but I just gagged on my cheese sandwich. I've just got over the flu so I'm hoping it's the remnants of that rather than getting late pregnancy morning sickness as I still so far haven't been sick this pregnancy.

@SharonO225 that is so so frustrating! Surely they should complete all home birth assessments before 37 weeks as you are considered 'full term' then! Especially if you haven't made your 38 week midwife appointment with your other babies  totally get why you're so annoyed, I would be too! Did she say why you can't be seen before 38+5? I know my midwife only works in the area one day a week..

@AssumeItWasSomethingClever I really hope you are just recovering from flu and morning sickness isn't on the horizon xx

@CaseofEllen nope, she didn't say. It sort of felt like she wanted off the phone as soon as she had answered it. All of my community midwife apps are done at the hosp so it will be me going to them, and so far my apps have been done on different days so they seem to run their clinic there daily. I just feel very frustrated now. I feel like I'm having to chase them as they never make appointments from one appointment to the next, I always have to ring them to arrange one. I have been seen regularly for growth scans and consultant apps but when my consultant last looked at my file she said I should be keeping up with my community midwife appointments too as Iv missed a few (hadn't seen the community midwife since 16wks - 34wks) but my community midwife had told me they wouldn't see me again until 34wks as I had hospital apps in between and could be monitored there 🤷🏼‍♀️
I'm 36wks on fri so think I will wait until I reach 37wks and if I haven't heard from my midwife I will call them again to see if I can get the risk assessment sorted before the late 38wk app. Hopefully the midwife that answers will be a bit more understanding of my concerns incase I do go early again. I also have a consultant appointment at 37wks and scan to monitor baby growth as she's a bit on the big side so might mention it then if I haven't heard back and see if they can have a word as they are all held on same ward x

@SharonO225 that's really not good. I'm also seeing a consultant at the hospital but still have normal appointments with my midwife too 🤔 and then to tell you 'you need to keep up with appointments' as if you'd purposely miss these appointments! X

@CaseofEllen I did tell the consultant that community midwifes had said they didn't need to see me again until 34wks whilst I was being seen between times and she didn't look that impressed tbh 😂 but I think that was more because I was already 34wks when this came to her attention so was too late for her to do anything about it at that stage x

@BadBadBeans sorry to hear you're feeling stressed recently, the vivid dreams are horrible. I'm rubbish with the advice but just wanted to say I hope things become less stressful for you soon and that you get some positive news re your results. Your DS sounds so lovely!

@CaseofEllen how are you feeling now you've been in on the monitor? Are movements feeling ok now? I feel the same, just want him here now so I'm not having to second guess every move or lack of move!

@cardboard33 I know what you mean about it not feeling real. I finished work on Friday so I'm hoping to get the rest of the washing finished and my bag packed before Friday. Sometimes I just can't believe it's happening. Then other times I'll feel him move and feel really overwhelmed. Like a mini panic about having to know to what to do to look after this tiny person. Then it goes back to not feeling real. Maybe once you finish work it will start to. I think once I've been off a few days it might all seem more real.

@SharonO225 that's really frustrating! Maybe even try again sooner and hope you speak to another midwife who can at least tell you the reason why you can't be seen before 38+5.

@AssumeItWasSomethingClever hope you're feeling better soon and it's just the leftovers from the flu and not pregnancy related sickness!

We're still going to hospital twice weekly for monitoring. All been ok with baby and we have another scan on Friday to check his growth but all seemed ok last time. Midwife today said he was 3/5ths engaged at 35+4 but then I read that it doesn't mean much in terms of when he'll come. But still, nice to know he's heading in the right direction! I thought I'd be having less heartburn but no, still the same amount but more pressure round my bladder and could barely walk this morning!

@SharonO225 I'm glad the consultant didn't blame you though! Definitely not very good communication  when I was 25 weeks I saw a different midwife to my usual, she said I didn't need a 28 week appointment as I was having extra scans. When I got home I happened to read the NHS website for what happens at each midwife appointment, turns out if I'd of listened to her I would have missed my anti-d injection (- blood type) and could've put baby at big risk!! Wasn't impressed..

@melissa112 I'm feeling more reassured as the monitoring was good, although a couple of tightening were detected they checked and my waters haven't gone. Had a bit of bleeding since the speculum which the Dr said was normal but can't help worry, it's the first I've bled all pregnancy. Dr said that because babies big the movements may feel different but the pattern shouldn't change, I.e. more rolls, less kicks but he was lovely and said to come back if I'm at all worried glad you're still having your monitoring! My baby boy was 2/5s engaged at 34 weeks and I also hoped this meant he would come in the next 3/4 weeks 😂 feel your pain about the bladder and walking issues, I have to literally hunch over on the way to the toilet! Xx

@CaseofEllen oh gosh that could have been dangerous! Iv never thought to question appointments as I know you get less with subsequent pregnancies and this is my 4th so assumed they were just following procedure. I've just told hubby about today's phone call and he's not impressed at all. X

@melissa112 I'm really glad your monitoring is going well and you are getting reassurance, it's great that they have said to come back again if you are worried. I'm starting to think my hospital are just letting me down a lot, hubby has just reminded me that I'm still waiting on an appointment for a heart scan and monitor to take home since my consultant referred me to cardiology with pregnancy related SVT at 32wks.. still no appointment and still getting episodes of elevated pulse. Il prob have baby before the appointment at this rate x

Lol @CaseofEllen @melissa112 think I have got my wires crossed on that message.. I'm reading posts then trying to remember who wrote what when I'm replying 🙈 sorry xx lol

Got my cheeky wipes kit. Looks like a great system, handy travel bags and all. If anyone wants 15% off their first order let me know and I’ll recommend you.

@sharonO225 are you midwife or consultant led care? It may be that which is causing the issue. Definitely push them sooner rather than later I think though.
I wouldn't be overly concerned about not being seen before 38+5 because at that point it is more about planning for the end so if baby is here that's fine (not that I made my 38 week appt last time either, but that's what she told me it was for), but the fact they aren't progressing the water birth bit or at least saying yay/nay isn't on.

Was there a particular concern you wanted to talk about at that 38 week appt?

@SquirtlesMumAgain I believe I'm consultant led (but it's not actually marked off anywhere on my file for consultant led or midwife led) due to my first being small and having previous pre-eclampsia so they wanted me monitored with growth scans throughout. With my first app with my consultant I was given all the other app dates so I knew exactly when I would see them again. I wanted the 38wk app as I wasn't sure what it consisted of really, more of touching base than anything and whether that was the appointment that i collected my labour pack (for homebirth) or not. And to discuss when the midwife comes to the house when I'm in labour if I do go ahead with homebirth (Iv went really quickly with all previous labours and worried they might take to long to come) when Iv called labour ward in the past they've always told me to stay at home a while longer as I don't sound like I need to be there yet and give it a while longer for things to establish more lol thankfully Iv always ignored that advice, bounced straight in the car and and got there just in time 🙈😂 just a bit scared of the midwife takes her time that il be delivering by myself x

I was told that if I was solely consultant led then the midwives couldn't discuss my birth plan. Could it be that?
I have an appointment with my consultant next week to discuss exactly my birth plan. Was told fairly early on as my previous baby was small at term that I wouldn't be allowed to give birth out of a hospital setting, but that probably varies hospital to hospital.
May be worth speaking to your consultant team incase that is the case that they need to make the call, then you can push back at the midwives

I've been getting a bit dizzy last few days. Part of me thinks I've been over doing it. Had a proper room spinning moment in the kitchen earlier. Defo need to remember to take my pregnacare as well in case it's Vit D as I was very deficient last Christmas and that gave me dizziness. Going to mention it to the midwife on Wed.

Hello everyone! Totally fell off keeping up with the thread...pregnancy is exhausting! Hope everyone’s doing okay and not too uncomfortable, I’m feeling like a whale currently! Will try and catch up with some of the convos...

@CaseofEllen can you imagine the outcry if they did background checks before letting you have your baby! So true though 😆

@SharonO225 eurgh I don't understand why some MW's can be so oblivious to people's concerns. I hope you manage to get something sorted.

@Gronk27 hope you're doing ok.

@squirtlesmumagain interesting reg the consultant/midwife birth plan. I've been consultant led all of the way through to the extent that the only midwife I've seen was at the booking app and even then she was the specialist one. However they made me also book in biweekly appointments with the midwife from 32 weeks onwards in addition to my ones with the consultant specifically so we could discuss things like birth plan. I'm making 3 in total then the consultant will put them all together into one big one apparently.

Maybe it depends on area/trust? As your experience has been the opposite of mine but I obviously have nothing to compare it to.

@SquirtlesMumAgain I don't think it is as I haven't had that prob with my last 2, my first was small when he was born and since him I have had growth scans with consultant in each pregnancy since and I did my birth plans with the Midwife's then too. Both the others weights have been fine since the first. The Midwife's always refer me to the consultant when I'm booked in then my care seems to be shared (is that a thing) but during births etc Iv never had a consultant present it's always just been with Midwife's as normal x

Shared care is a thing so may well be that.
I would imagine it does vary trust to trust - everywhere will have its own procedure and guidelines it follows I would guess. Doesn't harm asking the question, especially if it gets you progress on the home birth answers @sharonO225.
I've had to transfer consultant because they need to sort my birth plan and my previous consultant couldn't see me until 2 days before my due date. It may well be because they are anticipating a late drop off her current growth line and having to action something sooner rather than later. Obviously every case if different, we can only work on our experience of each different hospital and area :)

@SquirtlesMumAgain yeah I think each hospital changes the policies in how they do things so often too that it's just hard to keep up with them. So many things change from one pregnancy to the next
It makes it difficult keeping up. I think I will give it a week then call again and just request a call back from my assigned midwife. Hopefully that way I can explain my concerns to her personally and she will know how I feel about it. That way there will be no missed messages or crossed wires and I will hopefully get the risk assessment completed in time so I still have that as an option. Thanks for talking to me about this today tho, getting it off my chest actually helped.. I could have cried I got so worked up earlier when I came off the phone lol it must be my hormones x

How are we all feeling today? I've officially started maternity leave now and Im 38 weeks on Friday and I am already so sick of being pregnant. I can't wait now this baby to be out. Anyone else feeling like this?