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!

Just wanted to give you some support weebean. Sounds like an emotional rollercoaster. Remember to be nice to yourself! allow the fears and worries to surface but then also allow them to fade into the back ground. For me I find I need to feel the emotions and stresses but that doesn't mean the real me who has been caged for this whole pregnancy for my own sanity isn't sat there comfy looking up and rolling her eyes at my uncontrollable thoughts. Lol.

33 weeks now and SO thirsty - anyone else?

@Daffydillo ALWAYS thirsty. And also so hungry. I feel like I'm constantly consuming, like the very hungry caterpillar.

@allfurcoatnoknickers glad it’s not just me. I always have an Evian bottle nearby and refill several times a day! Also struggling with hay fever, mines bad enough with medication normally let alone without

@daffydillo I've been so thirsty throughout the whole pregnancy. I keep getting up at night to drink (and pee!) at least 3-4 times....

Also slightly embarrassingly, I've started drooling at night. I've never done it before so it MUST be a pregnancy symptom!

Hug for you @weebean, bloody hormones!

I'm mega thirsty too especially for anything fizzy. I'm selfishly quite glad the bank holiday weather has gone to pot...

Also first world problems, if I sit on my ball thing I can't get in a good position to watch the telly 😂

Oh @WeeBean sounds like you have an awful lot on your plate and it's no surprise with the pregnancy too that you're stressed and worried.

You do seem to be anxious about a lot of stuff, maybe it's worth a chat with your midwife? Obviously with so much going on in your life it's not surprising to be worried, but there is such a thing as prenatal depression and just something to watch out for.

And naps I hope you're doing ok. It must be very tough for you right now

Thank you @Kescilly and @Heyha! Just had a massive nap, for like 3 hours and feel so much better for it!

Also extremely thirsty all the time and drooling at night, which is disgusting 🙈

Drooling... and snoring poor DH

@koalasatemyhomework sorry I missed your post before and thank you! Yeah I'd thought about that, haven't actually seen my midwife since 24 weeks, was switched to consultant care just before I had my 28 week appointment and was told my midwife appointments were cancelled to then be told they weren't but not before I missed an appointment. Last chat I had with her was in a busy hospital hall last week where she said I could just come and see her if I wanted but didn't really need to, didn't fill me with confidence lol

@WeeBean I can see why that chat hasn't filled you with confidence! And it's not the easiest subject to talk about especially with a midwife you don't know that well or feel will dismiss you.
I think it's worth calling her or the midwife team if you can though.
I'm quite lucky that in our area they have really improved the care since my last pregnancy and they offer prenatal councelling if you feel you need it. I was offered it at my booking appt as I had PND last time. I declined as I don't feel I need it at present but essentially have a note on their records so will get referred straight away if I struggle.
Anyway, hope you manage OK and in the meantime try where possible to take some time for yourself - do some relaxation or meditation, or a quiet activity you enjoy. I used the Headspace app free 'lessons' when I had PND and how use the techniques for general relaxing.

WeeBean I'm glad your nap made you feel a bit better, that is a lot to be dealing with while pregnant.

Going back to braxton hicks, I had some really early on at about 20 weeks where I was getting them when I first got up in the morning. I thought I'd not had any since but last night I was sitting on the sofa in my bra (as you do) and noticed that my bump suddenly looked different. It looked swollen and my belly button went back in. So I touched it and it was rock hard all over, went back to normal after a minute or so. I didn't feel anything and wouldn't have noticed at all if I'd been dressed properly or doing something.

My stress now is about childcare for ds. My mum lives 5 minutes away and looks after him once a week anyway so they have a great relationship and she'd said right from the start she'd be available day or night when I go into labour which seemed perfect. However due to a family emergency she now isn't available so I've had to arrange to work a week longer in order to take the days off that he'd normally be with her meaning that I'm now going to have one week between finishing work and induction, and I'll be having sweeps and lots of appointments that week. Both ds and dh will also be off work / nursery that week. We just don't know what we're going to do when I'm actually having the baby now. FIL is close but he's not really the looking after kids type, and definitely not likely to get up in the night to help. Mil is great but she's a 45 minute drive away and then we're the same from the hospital. She also has the type of job that can't be left without arranging cover.

I'm really sorry for all those who are struggling. I feel like we are on the home stretch with our pregnancies and soon we'll have cute babies galore! I try to focus on that when my coccyx is killing me....

We bought a pram yesterday for a delivery in a week's time after weeks of googling them and pushing them around at John Lewis. It is all starting to feel so real now! I'm also starting NCT classes today. It seems like it's a bit late to start, but at least the classes are grouped quite close together. I did a breastfeeding and hypnobirthing class already, so my anxiety about a new baby is reducing - though the anxiety about the birth is increasing.

@WeeBean if it makes you feel better I normally drool at night anyway even when I'm not pregnant disgusting I know lol!

Had one of my regular fortnightly growth scans today. All well and she's estimated at 5lbs 12oz which isn't too bad considering I'm 2 days shy of 37 weeks and DS was spot on 6lbs at 38+2 when he was born. If they're right (as I know there's a margin of error) she might end up heavier than he was when she's born. Reassuring there's nothing wrong but still doesn't explain the reduced movements I keep having. Still I'll be having my usual weekly CTG at week's end and then I think it's time to start slowly introducing some natural remedies (sex, walking, pineapple, curry) to get things going so my cervix is 'prepped' for my first sweep next week at 38 weeks. DH will be happy, we've not DTD since about halfway through this pregnancy!

Midwives today. Not my usual. She kept banging on about mental health referral. There isn’t anything wrong with my mental health (speaking as someone who has really struggled with depression in the past) in just really stressed and obviously a bit worried about the whole low lying placenta thing. Felt like all she saw was my history. I’m almost 35 weeks pregnant and my husband left, I’m going to be bloody emotional! She also wrote my fundal height down wrong in the book, she wrote 33 when she told me it was 32. I’ve already had one small for gestational age baby so it’s important this stuff is correct. All very frustrating . Hopefully the consultant will be more helpful !

Still got another 2.5 weeks at work, which felt like a long time until I wrote that down! Ha! It feels like such a slog though, I’m finding teaching infants full time plus a toddler at home really really hard. I’m exhausted. Don’t feel I can do anything else’s until work is finished and then I can sort the house/baby things out.

Last night for bed I had a sliding sheet, pillow between my knees, maternity cushion behind and also a ‘dream belt’ bump holding thingy. Height of attractive! I find night time so painful with my poor hips.

I’ve got a growth scan next week, I am nervous. So far they’ve said baby is big but manageable, I am very scared he will be massive, my bump is enormous.

I had an appointment with a consultant today due to previous breech and looks like this one could be the same! Pretty annoying as I won't get to experience even one contraction (I know it's weird, but I really would like to know what birth is like!!) but at least I know what to expect with an ElCS. Also, I'll get to meet baby early! Anyone else possible breech? Or is it just my womb that's clearly the wrong shape!

This baby seems to think it's funny to wake up and swim about every time I'm in a meeting 🙄 then go to sleep when I'm sat marking or relaxing.
I took my first ranitidine today and it has been AWESOME, why I didn't do it sooner I've no idea!
@naps I think it's good that you've took no notice of the unhelpful midwife, you know what you need and want so you'll be fine!

I’m in the drool club too 🤚 (in life not just in pregnancy, I embrace it). So mad to hear the size of all these babies from growth scans. I’ve got one on the 24th. It was to try and help me decide on my method of birth, but I spoke to my midwife yesterday and have told her I’ve decided on a c section. I think I always knew it was what I wanted, but I’ve been really scared to say it to a medical professional. She was so lovely and supportive though, and is sorting me out with a consultant appointment and some ELCS literature. I feel very relieved. I still sort of want to try for a natural delivery but various factors make a section the right thing for me.

@Kimbishop86 not weird at all, I was induced last time and after 20+ hours of labour got the epidural. It was bliss but meant I don't really know what it feels like to push as I was numb from the waist down and had to be told when to push. Hoping I get to experience that this time round

I’ve got a bit behind with this thread as it moves too quickly for me! I woke up twice last night with really painful knees and the only way of stopping it was getting up and walking around. Has anyone else had this?

@stellarfox Not sore knees, but my legs are in agony. So achy and with horrible calf cramps waking me up at night. According to my doctor it's an electrolyte imbalance, and i should eat bananas or drink coconut eater. Shame I don't like either of those things. I wonder if banana bread counts...

Walking around is the only thing that helps me too. So conducive to a good night's sleep.

@allfurcoatnoknickers - I had awful crampy restless legs at night, waking me up every hour , bought magnesium oil spray which is safe for pg - BetterYou brand (UK made) - there might be others if you are somewhere else. It has made a massive difference. Some ppl also supplement magnesium orally but I haven't had the energy to try get a doctors appt to double check its ok.

@lstef I'll try and track some down! It's driving me nuts