July 2019 (thread 9): shame me about my bump, and I'll shame you about your complete lack of manners

[RooKangaroo]

Honestly, I go to catch up on the thread after a few days and you guys have filled it up! Love this chatty group.

How is everyone this morning?

I have the my expert midwife oil in my pack- peri prep your bits it's called, I can get down there just but will be getting OH to help too, off to the third Nct class tonight 😊

@TwinkleDay ooh I've been eyeing up the Expert Midwife range. Spritz for your bits has been highly recommended for after birth! We start NCT tomorrow evening - how are you finding it?

Evening all! Hope everyone is well.

@TwinkleDay - I think we go on mat leave at the same time. I'm also 7th June for my last day.

I've barely used any of my annual leave for 2019 so far, so I'm tacking five weeks onto the start of my leave (to stop work at 34 weeks), and then official mat leave will kick in when I'm 39 weeks.

On my Outlook today on my laptop, I noticed that the calendar shows May and the first week of June, so it all feels quite close now! I used to click ahead to June to work out how far away I was.

@TwinkleDay @RooKangaroo my last day is 7th June too! 1 month left 😱

Hi all, my last day is Friday 28th June, then 2 weeks annual leave then mat leave starts the 15th July (due date 21st).

It's coming super fast now!!

I'm already thinking I might finish sooner than planned - I just wanted to work till the end so I could go right through till the following July as my daughter starts school in the September. But will have to see. Braxton Hicks getting really regular and intense the last couple of days that they just stop me in my tracks - and baby is so low that she just keeps kicking me in the bladder - even my husband noticed how low the bump is...and he never notices anything! Apparently that's to do with lack of stomach muscles 😏 All in all I'm a lot more uncomfortable than in my last pregnancy - nothing serious so I really can't complain but just makes me think I might finish earlier.

I am now on my second tube of tummy oil and I have had no itching so far but I do have a lot of stretch marks, so just keep lathering it on... apparently they are something that runs in the family. But nothing uncomfortable.

I have a week of annual leave racked onto the end of my final day and since cutting down the weeks with more leave I only have 1 more 4 day week and 3 3 day weeks to go. Thank goodness!

Nct classes are good we enjoy them it's a good way to meet people and learn your options, we are half way through now covering stuff like: birth options, pain relief, induction options, 1st stage of labour, 2nd stage of labour, natural 'bring it on' labour methods. Dressing baby, swaddling, and people there are in there 20 30 40s too so looking forward to the next 3 weeks :)

@cravingmilkshake how funny, that's exactly my plan for mat leave/holidays and I'm due on the 21st!

Sorry, due on the 20th I mean but all the other dates are the same!

Had my 28 week appointment this morning. Nothing interesting really it was pretty rushed, and they won’t see me again until 34 weeks. I told them I’m worried since I had a retained placenta last time, but she just said “what will he will be”

Then in the taxi home I had a driver who said I looked like I was still in school (I’m 25) and was too young to be a parent. I enjoyed telling him I had a 5 year old dd and listening to him tut all the way home!

On a more positive note I’ve got some great bargains from Tkmaxx, including a wrap carrier and some swaddling things, which I googled and are very expensive online.
Hope everyone’s okay and not too uncomfortable.

chinks123 sorry you had a rubbish morning - ignore the taxi driver - it's just rude - his issue not yours. And just be flattered you look young! That's how I felt with the midwife, it's a bit unnerving but we can just call them or triage if any issues I guess, I'm seeing the consultant in between but he just seems v stressed and busy when I see him 😏 I just got a mirror out to tidy up "down there" and for the first time saw that I don't have one stretch mark - I have loads but they're all hiding on the underside of the bump - if I can't see them they don't really exist right?!

Thankyou @Kentishgal, I’ll console myself that I feel knackered and about 80 years old but still look like a schoolgirl
They always seem so busy! I still haven’t seen my ‘actual’ midwife. So far she’s been ill, twisted her ankle etc. I’m starting to think she’s avoiding me haha.
I still haven’t got any stretch marks either, but I haven’t braved the mirror yet this time. Think I’ll have to, yesterday’s blind shave was abit frightening..

@Jxtine86, @Capybaras and @Twinkleday, i've been doing the perennial massage once a week, i've been using a waxy moisturiser my friend gave me that's minerals and vitamins but feels like a wax, made by Neals' Yard. Its specific for 'elasticity' so i've used it on bump too. No stretch marks so far, can't comment on down below really, we'll just have to see if it helps! only way I can reach lying down . .

Had 28 wk growth scan and consultant appointment today. generally went well but my bloods were borderline for GD, Iron levels are low so 400mg iron supplement given, and baby is big, estimated 3lbs2 as at today. But, these are relatively normal issues and theres time for this to balance out, the APS condition doesn't seem to be impacting at all so far which is why I'm getting the extra care. They have brought forward the start of induction by a week though, so week 39, and we'll see what next checks show in 4 weeks time.

I'm going to work on diet anyway to see if I can get glucose levels down naturally.

Feeling good really, and glad I can finish work at 34 weeks just incase the date does keep coming forward!

I'm still feeling like crap today 😩 and I can't help but worry about the baby when I'm not feeling very well. I just worry that it has an effect on her even though I'm sure that's irrational. I'm at the MW for my 28 week check up tomorrow morning so hopefully that'll give me peace of mind. Just lazing in bed today feeling sorry for myself really.

I hope everyone else is feeling better than I am! It's crazy hearing about how little time some of you have left at work. I still have 10 working weeks left but I'm only 29 weeks so a little further behind some of you guys. I'm looking forward to reaching 30 weeks because I think it'll start to feel like the end is in sight by then.

Also, @Yukka did they just measure your bump to determine size of baby?

@BeckyButterfly know how you are feeling, (I think it was us that have the same due date and work finish date).

We can all do this x

Hi @beckybutterfly - no I have full growth scans because of a blood disorder that I have, so they measure the head, the tummy and the legs, the amniotic fluid via a scan so they can get a realistic view of size and weight.

Thanks @Yukka 🙂 that makes more sense, I find it strange that they seem to know the size of your baby just from measuring your bump..!

We took my daughter swimming today and they switched on the wave machine - I couldn't fight it and I ended up washed up on the toddler's beach - my husband was literally crying with laughter and I couldn't get up so I just had to lay on the beach like a big fat beached whale and wait for the wave machine to finish. Not my most elegant pregnant lady moment.

@Kentishgal ha ha, can totally visualise that!

I had my Glucose tolerance test today/ wasn't so bad and they said I would have the results tomorrow. I hated not eating though lol!

How is everyone doing? I'm flying to Italy on Sunday at which point I hit 30 weeks! Any tips for travelling whilst pregnant?

@GiGi18 it seemed like all the fridays and annual leav dates lined up so a perfect plan 😃😃 plus I get two whole weeks annual leave in time for Wimbledon!

If you need a planned section (mine would be for low lying placenta), does anyone know how many weeks they’d do it at? X

Same as you @BeckyButterfly I have my 28 week appointment tomorrow and got ten weeks left at work after this week.

giraffe888 the first consultant told me 37 weeks to avoid going into labour but the consultant I'm under now advised 39 weeks to allow lungs to mature and minimise the risk of breathing problems. They've promised they'll bring me in for a section if I go into labour earlier!

@kentishgal mixed answers doesn’t help you does it! X