September 2019 #8 - The 3rd Trimester Begins

[TwittleBee]

New thread!

Here is the start of the final stretch!

Google Doc for reference:
docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1VUDuTLeibUnnaCWCjb-pqUe4Wnq-fTau4HJgmE1XE3c/edit?usp=sharing

@IVEgottheDECAF speaking of fanny daggers... since yesterday evening I've been having shooting pains/ stabbing pains around my public bone/ really lower abdomen/ pelvis. Is this the pain you mean by fanny daggers?

I had similar last week and was told it was PGP pain by the doctor but these pains are just a bit stronger. They're not in a pattern/consistent and only last a matter of seconds. I have a consultant appointment tomorrow so trying to decide whether I can wait until I seen them and discuss then or should call the maternity unit and mention it to them.

@dustydoorframes thank you! That's what I was afraid of so want to make sure that I only get a newer one. There's one in Edinburgh just now but I can't get there this week.

So. My pregnancy app today says that at 30 weeks the baby is the size of a Cantaloupe Melon or a Motorcycle Helmet.

Now, I'm no expert but those things are not the same size surely? I'm definitely more helmet sized....

db92 fanny daggers are literally felt in your fanny sharp shooting pains right up there. . .

Maybe it's a helmet for someone with a very small head?

When people are referring to fanny daggers, is the pain in your actual doot or is it at the front of your pelvis? I've been waking up on turning over and getting pain in my mons pubis where the bones meet, but I'm fine on getting up and walking about.

Just realised that I was at my three months to go point yesterday- obvs text DH to tell him we now have like 2 odd months before she's born (unless she's late- likely) and he's shitting himself.

I believe fanny daggers are caused by baby pressing on nerves around your cervix. Lovely

Maybe a baby sized helmet?!

Fanny daggers have always been like shooting pains for me. Sometimes known as lightning crotch! A bit like a sudden electric shock in the worst possible place.

Yeah fanny daggers for me have been like lightening shooting pains in and around my cervix so that makes total sense @IVEgottheDECAF

I'm having loads of braxton hicks today and lost my mucus plug last night (to be fair this is about the third time I've lost it). I'm wondering if stress can bring on BH?! Does anyone know??

Consultant appt done. Passed by GTT, have slightly low iron but just need to eat a bit better. I requested to see the lead consultant rather than the idiot I saw last time. He was so much nicer and he said I can have whatever birth I want. If I want a C-section then he's totally fine with that. Latest he will let me go is 37/38 weeks.
He's not at all concerned about twin 1 being smaller, said the graph they use is for singleton pregnancies so he would expect them to be on the lower end. As long as she follows her own growth curve then there's no issues.
I'm feeling alot more information informed, just need to make a bloody decision about csection or not!!

@boodles101 what do you feel you are leaning towards?

Shit, just had a phone call, I bloody do have gestational diabetes

easterbuns I feel like a C-section would be better for me mentally, knowing what to expect etc but naturally would be better for the rest of my family as the recovery would be shorter. My DS birth was pretty horrendous and don't really want to go down the same route as that. If someone could guarantee a successful natural birth with no complications then I'd do it. But we all know there's zero guarantee and I'm at more risk of complications. So makes sense to me to just avoid it!

Glad you had a better appointment boodles you sound much happier

decaf definitely much happier.

Kyles oh no! How do you feel?

@happydays00 Dr yesterday said to me that BHs are usually bought on by thirst and certain movements. MW interestingly said BHs promote blood flow to the uterus which is why you might find they coincide with baby's movements. I could see on the monitor yesterday every time i was getting a BH, baby would start moving.

It's a tricky situation for you to weigh up the options @boodles101 ! I'd probably go for the C-Sec as it's planned then (this comes from me who wants a homebirth haha!) But I also know I've loads of family and friends who could support.

Been getting contraction like pains every 50 minutes all morning... Been timing them... hmmm.... Think I'll wait to see if they get any closer before calling triage, selfishly don't want to spend a 3rd day up there.

Oh twittle you just cant get a break can you!

Yes i have been told bad BH linked to dehydration so if you seem to be having very strong or frequent ones a drink can help

@kyles101
Welcome to the club! If it is any consolation the testing is really easy and painless-got my kit yesterday.

Thanks @Megan2018 from an objective POV I think it'll be pretty interesting to see the blood sugars etc and what you eat having an affect. From a human POV I'm seriously narked off. I definitely have eaten more shite in pregnancy that before though so I guess I only have myself to blame.

Funnily enough @boodles101 I did need to pee loads yesterday afternoon and I've been really tired the last week - I assume they're linked?

Feel like pants

Ah, @TwittleBee I hope everything settles down for you. You must be getting frustrated.

@kyles101
Nothing you have eaten in pregnancy makes any difference to whether you get it or not - they were at great pains to say that at the clinic yesterday. You could've lived off nothing but cake and it would still not have made an ounce of difference - you either get it, or you don't. It's all to do with pregnancy hormones creating insulin resistance (unlike type 2 which can be caused by diet). What you have eaten up to now has no bearing on whether that happens in someone or not. Diet only matters now in terms of trying to control it.

I've managed to have a pub lunch today including a few chips and got an acceptable reading so feeling less stressed about managing it (had a gammon steak, 2 fried eggs and chips but only ate half chips) with a lime and soda.

@kyles101 you absolutely do NOT have yourself to blame (and it's taken me two pregnancies to come to terms with that). GD has nothing at all to do with what you have done or eaten, it's 100% down to your placenta and hormones. You can't cause it!

I've had two very different experiences with it - first was fully diet controlled with very little diet change and no need for meds. This time I'm on overnight insulin. Neither are my fault, it's just my body and the way it handles insulin. Plus, getting older.

Shout if you have any questions - the website and Facebook group that I've recommended before are my absolute saving grace. The advice is different to the NHS guidance, but it does explain the research behind it.

@boodles101 glad you had a more positive experience. Lots to weigh up though.

What are the rates of natural delivery vs section in a twin birth? The Gas And Air blog (Clemmie Hooper aka MotherOfDaughters on Instagram) has quite a few multiples birth stories if that's your thing!

@boodles101 glad it went well, an elective section sounds perfect to me in your circs. I have 2 sets of friends with twins and they both opted for this and had easy recovery and no stress as everything was planned to perfection.

I’m a member of the GD club too. Got my first appointment tomorrow. I’m a big bag of tears at the moment, in the midst of a renovation, my brain seems to have turned to mush, can’t sleep and tears are only a blink away. Sorry for the pity party but need somewhere to vent. OH is more of the tough love school...

@firstbabybean sorry you get to join our crappy club! It's really overwhelming and you have a lot going on. You get into the swing of things really quickly and it may not even affect you all that much.

Personally, I'd have a big old cry and tell OH where he can shove his tough love! Good luck with your appointment tomorrow.

@TwittleBee you must be sick to death of triage!!! Timing quietly yourself sounds entirely reasonable! Hope they've petered out now though.
@kyles101 and @firstbabybean pah to the GD!! And yes yes to it being very much a side effect of pregnancy, and not brought on by diet (although of course you can sometimes control it by diet). Tough love??? WTF????? If his internal organs were straining themselves silly while being squished flat he would just soldier on, would he?
@boodles101 yay for the better consultant! Do you need to decide any time soon? Maybe if you keep things open for a while it will all get clearer closer to the time?

Thanks @Megan2018 and @Stroan, much appreciated. It's difficult not to blame myself, but I promise I will stop. I knew I'd seen a website link somewhere but can't find it again for the life of me, I don't suppose you could link it again?

Ah, @firstbabybean sorry you're in our boat too. I'm sure Megan and stroan will give us lots of tips along the way. I had a really weird moment last week actually where dh was messing around trying to slap my behind coz I'd done the same to him, completely messing around and not hurting me or anything close to, but I bust into tears and literally could not force myself to stop. Strange things these hormones!