June 2019 - Part 7!

[Kescilly]

Hi ladies! Picking names, packing hospital bags - third trimester here we come!

I thought I'd start out with the stats this time and I'll post the updated name list in a bit. I've just included the data that I have, since a lot of people are missing bits (or quite possibly I've missed their posts). We come from all over, so I'll put that bit in another post later as well.

Our average age at estimated due date is 33! That should help some of us who are feeling older.

And that's not just because we're all second-timers! In fact, most of us are having our first baby this year.

Baby #1 - 31
Baby #2 - 26
Baby #3 - 9
Baby #4 - 1
Babies 1&2 together! - 1

Fifteen of us are expecting lovely little boys, nineteen of us are expecting darling little girls, and at least sixteen of us are waiting to be surprised!

The average due date is June 13th, and the most popular due date is June 24th. We don't have anyone expecting on the 15th, 23rd, 27th, or 30th as far as I can tell.

And if you happen to have a baby on my birthday (June 16th), your baby will be born on Father's Day this year!

@toomanyflatwhites thanks for the laundry suggestions! We are going to be using disposables but I figured that there will still be plenty of very dirty laundry.

@Kescilly I'm the same with my cat! He has slept in the cot, on top of the new wardrobe, in a drawer full of baby stuff, and on the rocking chair. He must think it's his room or something, and it's the reason I haven't set up the next to me crib yet because I know he will love to sleep in it.

I was going to start playing baby crying noises on my phone more regularly to try and get him used to what is coming.

@Kescilly buying own monitor is actually something I've been thinking about this morning! Is it easy enough to use and reliable?

Aw our cats are our babies too, I feel so sorry for them that their wee lives are totally going to change and they have no idea. Chewie heard a baby cry on TV a couple of months ago and his face was a picture! He looked really put out 😂 He's a real daddy's boy and sleeps on my husband's chest like a baby would, Yoda is a mummy's boy, apparently he cries the house down when I leave, joins me in the bathroom every morning when I'm being sick too 😂

I spoke to our vet about making it all as stress free as pot for them, she recommended playing baby noises on our phones and bringing home a blanket from hospital which baby had used for them to get used to the scent, like you would for a dog. Also said about keeping things as close to their normal as possible and making sure they still got attention so they didn't become jealous. I've kept the nursery door closed so they're used to that already.

Our two cats are VERY routine but pretty independent- the one always comes for a fuss every morning (I think he wants to make sure we're still alive and to check that breakfast is coming soon as a result) so he will have his five or ten minutes then. Then he goes out for the day and comes in to sleep at night, he might pop and say hello but that's about it.
The other one sleeps in his hideouts round the house all day but regularly changes place and checks in when he does. He likes a fuss or a sit on a lap in the evening then he goes out for a bit at night. They're so funny and independent I'm hoping they won't take to much offence to the change.

The dog is a daddy's girl but she has been staying close to me lately- she's been excellent with babies and small children (and lambs) whenever she's met them so hopefully we can keep her 'involved' so she doesn't feel left out, she's very easy-going.

@weebean I have my own monitor which I have been using since bfp bought from amazon it is the omron one (like used at the gp) it has instructions on correct use and seems to be giving fairly accurate readings (mw usually comes out slightly higher than my readings but I do have a bit of white coat syndrome so not sure how much part that plays).

I have history of high BP linked to combined pill when younger and family history of high BP (my mum was put on bed rest in hospital with both me and my brother when pg and my dad takes tablets to lower his) so also been taking 75mg of aspirin since 12w.

As it seems fairly stable I don't check every day but every two /three days.

@fee1234 ours immediately went in the new wardrobe as well! They’re so inquisitive. I’ve been bagging up baby clothes that we haven’t had space to put away because I know he’d love to stretch out across all of them and distribute cat hair everywhere. I should probably try the baby noise thing. We’ve had a lot of building work going in and he’s had to be cooped up so I don’t want to add any stress right now though.

@WeeBean I found ours very easy to use! I’d suggest that whatever you get, take it in the next time you get your BP checked and check the reading with your own monitor. That way you’ll have an idea of how accurate it is. I have a little Google spreadsheet with the numbers so I just add it in on my phone. We got one of the Omron models, I can look it up when I get home if you’d like. I think some people complained that the cuff wasn’t large enough but it fits me fine and I do not have slender arms.

@Heyha your cats sound like they might handle the transition well. The dog too, if she’s good with children. I was always told that cats are independent but mine is like a little shadow. The second I sit down, he settles on me for a nap. He’s been with me through a lot with me though, something like nine moves (including across the US and then over to the UK) and a divorce as well. So I’m very attached to him.

@blondcat @kescilly 2 recommendations for omron is good enough for me, thank you! I'll check them out.

@Heyha sounds like you're on to a winner with both cats and dog! They all sound very easy going 😊

Our cats are indoor cats, as per the conditions of their adoption so getting out of the house to get their heads showered isn't an option lol

@Heyha I think dogs can smell your hormones and know you are pregnant and become more protective! Both my parents' and brother's dogs stared at me intently, wagged their tails and never left my side when I was with them (this is not normal behaviour of them - they usually have their favourite humans they follow - my mum and my sister-in-law respectively)

I had my second appointment with an obstetrician today. He seems very good and infinitely reasonable as do most of the midwifery team (who fully encouraged me to have a glass of champagne on my birthday) and he's suggestion is for me to be induced after week 39 but before due date. I feel quite two ways about it - firstly, it rules out birth centre and also makes a C-section more possible - but it does reduce some risks of stillbirth and also means I'd have potentially less time being pregnant - important factor when I'm getting pretty crippled with pain on my pelvis and coccyx.

Anyone here been induced before? Was it longer/shorter labour than you'd expected - more or less pain? I'm not keen on an epidural so pain is also a factor here...

@heyha @swiftfox I have two Jack Russells and I swear BoyDog (who is a sensitive soul) knew I was pregnant before I did. He's always been cuddly, but he's really gone into overdrive of late. He sleeps curled around my bump, or in the small of my back at night - better than any heat pad. He also likes to place his little paws on my bump and look sagely at me, which is hilarious.

GirlDog is much more laid back, and we accidentally acquired her when I was pregnant and didn't know, so she's never known me not pregnant.

I've been doing a ton of work on training them, and they're used to being baby gated out of portions of my flat, so I'm pretty relaxed about how they'll be when the baby arrives. Adorable dog photos attached. Sensitive BoyDog is the wirehair.

@allfurcoatnoknickers your dogs are ridiculously cute!! Their wee faces 😍😍😍

Very cute dogs! My Dog senses my pregnancy too, when i was pregnant with DS, he would always rest his head on my belly, and stopped jumping up at me. With this pregnancy he has been very cuddly (now too old to jump at anyone). Ive been washing some of the baby clothes we kept from when DS was small, and i swear when i was getting them out the dog gave me look as if to say oh god not again lol

@WeeBean thank you! They are sweethearts. Such good little dogs. I'm very excited to introduce them to the baby - I've been doing lots of prep work to get them ready, but they like children, so I think it'll go well?!?

My mother kept suggesting that we get rid of them on the grounds that they might kill the baby I shut that down pretty quickly.

@Fizzytonicplease what kind of dog is he? Mine like to rest their heads on my belly too, it makes my heart melt. Pregnancy has made me quite misanthropic, but it's made me love my dogs more than ever .

He is a choc lab @allfurcoatnoknickers , unfortunately old now and we feel he is on borrowed time 😥. But he is amazing with DS, although he did ignore him until DS started eating solids and then he was a permenant fixture under the high chair.

@allfurcoatnoknickers I love your dogs! how cute! I am hoping for a dog in 2020....

Also you have a log fire! I want your life!

Our cat was all over the baby stuff before ds was born and sleeps on me in bed so I was worried about her getting too close to him when sleeping and did the whole foil thing to try and put her off. As soon as he arrived though she avoided him like the plague so it wasn't an issue. I think it was the noise and the sudden unpredictable movements that did it, he's almost 4 now and he can just about manage to give her a quick stroke before she runs off. The only thing she's interested in this time is the wardrobe but she's a bit stupid with stuff like that anyway, always getting herself shut in cupboards.

Tell me about it 😂

@swiftfox Dogs are one of the best things that ever happened to me! Both of mine are euthanasia list rescues, so I like to think it goes both ways.

We love having a fireplace, it's also very useful since our heating is absolutely terrible and craps out when the temperature dips below freezing. My apartment is long on charm, short on practicality. A bit like me really

Love all the talk about pets! I have two cats. We already had Walter when my little boy was born, and he was so cute with him. Guarded the moses basket and was just really sweet. I'm a little more worried about Bertie. Haven't had him that long and he's terrified of everything except me and my partner. I just hope the change doesn't send him back into hiding like when we got him.

I had my 31 week midwife appointment this morning, and my first appointment with the joint antenatal/diabetes clinic this afternoon. Everything went really well. They are pleased with my sugars etc. Current plan is ELCS at 39/40 weeks unless I go into labour before then, in which case I'll see how it goes. Will be offered sweeps at 38 and 39 weeks. We'll review all this again at my next appointment, based on the diabetes control. I honestly feel so well supported and listened to. I cannot fault the care I'm getting in relation to all aspects of the pregnancy and my own wellbeing. It was the same last time.

Ps these are my boys. Walter at the back and Bertie at the front. Both rescues.

We do seem to have quite a collection of lovely pets on here don't we
@coastergirl I'm a bit worried about one of ours (the indoorsy one) as well as he always hides whenever anyone comes round even if it's someone that's been loads and likes cats. I'm not sure how he's going to cope with baby noise disrupting his daily nap regime so I think I'll try playing it on my phone as well.

Sorry to change the subject from adorable pets!

But is anyone planning on doing a group B strep test? I was thinking about doing a kit privately and then sending it off. I’m 35 weeks now so need to make up my mind soon!

@Heyha I think I'd better try playing crying sounds too. Fingers crossed our pets will cope ok!

@Kescilly I'm so glad you posted that! I definitely want to get tested if there's a chance of me having a vbac. Any idea how long they take to arrive? If there's enough time, I'll wait until after my next consultant appointment in three weeks. I'll have a better idea of my sugars etc by then and maybe what might happen with the birth.

@Kescilly I think they're automatic in the US? So I assume I'll be having one. Appointment next week, so I'll report back.

I'm glad everyone else is as silly over their spoiled pets as I am .

@Kescilly let me know if you do and how easy it was to do and how long it took to arrive, as ive been researching it and i would like to do it too but im only 31 weeks.