Due June 2020: thread 6

[AndddddHerewegoagain]

Hi everyone. Hope you don't mind me setting up the new thread didn't want to run out of space on the other one!

Thank you @Rinoa really appreciate this xx

@Mj2196 your baby's measurements sound similar to mine! Did they tell you why percentile that head measurement is? I don't have another growth scan until 36 weeks so have to wait until then to discuss birth options! I'm really anxious about him being h so huge and the damage my husbands enormous head did to his poor mother, I am hoping they consider me for c section!! No one seems willing to say what they would recommend for me yet!

Those are great @Rinoa thanks! I haven't been walking as much so I def need to get myself moving. I was hoping to try prenatal yoga or Pilates but of course that's out the window.

@newbyxxx it's your birth plan so I don't see how she can stop you from putting cesarean over induction as a preference. You will need her to refer you to a consultant to discuss though so frustrating that they are the gatekeepers to this pathway! I also don't think it's right that they harp on about c section risks but glaze right over instrumental birth risks.

@AnonyHB I have a Bjorn bouncer which DD loved - not so much to sleep but when she got bored of staring at the ceiling she was happier to be more upright and look around.

@Girlinajumpsuit I've been the same with period type cramps - quite different to the Braxton Hicks I've been getting. I wonder if it's changed to the cervix in preparation for labour.

By the way they have a post natal clubs topic under Being a Parent so hopefully we can start a June 2020 thread there and slowly move as our bubs arrive! It will all be about night wakings, feeds, nappy rashes etc!

@BabyBird20 95th😬 . I saw consultant today & he said scan at 36weeks. if baby doesn’t turn it will be section, but if baby does it will my choice .
He wrote that I would choose to be induced at term/not aloud to go overdue as first choice and an elective as 2nd choice . He gave me a leaflet on c sections to read and told me to think over my options !

I read online that you're supposed to not lie back and to sit up at the end of pregnancy or baby may end up back to back, and being doing that today but sitting up all the time is quite uncomfortable. Are you guys doing the same and I just need to remember it'll be worth it? I'm 33 weeks so not sure if I'm worrying too soon. Much more comfy leaning back but I am hoping for natural water birth so would be much easier if baby is in the right position.

@Mj2196 I feel your 😬😬 Mine was 105th percentile at last appt and I've still not been given a chance to discuss birth options!! What is your preference at the moment? I don't want to make it to term if he's already this big, would consider early induction I think but looking at the risks of then needing interventions anyway I think an elective c section would be better. I just hate the not knowing!!

RCOG has good patient information leaflets on sections, instrumental delivery etc. They also have Green Top Guidelines, written for HCPs, if you want to read in more depth. I've found reading the guideline for VBAC has really helped with my decision making.

I've had Braxton Hicks for ages, but this last week or so, they've been a lot more uncomfortable. Not painful as such, like a very mild period at worst.

Me too @MissisBee - also I'm feeling like the Braxton Hicks is lasting longer. Definitely feel like my body is on the getting ready stage. I'm sure it will take a while but it's doing something it wasn't doing 2 weeks ago!

That's kind of how I feel. Like my body is doing something different and getting ready. I've had twinges all day today as well as a general dull achy bloaty feeling like I'm on my period and loads of pressure when I stand! Definitely feels like baby's getting ready to come out but from everything I've googled this is not a sign of impending labour and could still have a while yet!

@BabyBird20 I’d prefer a natural water birth 😂 but hey ho . My last induction is putting me off but it may be completely different . If at 36weeks baby is head down &hasn’t packed too much weight on I’ll be happy to be left to term+3 before induction but not 42weeks like last time . If baby goes over that 95th I’d be tempted for an elective due to the recovery from my previous tear.😖

@MissisBee the nhs leaflet they gave me was a bit so/so actually , I’ll have a look online thank you !

Thank you so much ladies you’ve all put my mind at ease as it sounds like loads of us are feeling the same period type cramps, pelvic pressure and general “gearing up for birth” feelings. I’ve had the same today which have been quite uncomfortable, sometimes worse in different positions. But mostly I think it might be baby doing good stuff like wriggling on down into my pelvis (hopefully).

Is anyone else not leaking colostrum yet? Some days if I have a squeeze tiny drops come out and then some days not even that happens. I'm starting to wonder whether I should be leaking some by now?? I'm not sure what's the norm?
35+3 x

@newbyxx I only get a bit if I squeeze. With DS there was none at all before he was born. Nothing to worry about at this stage. Despite him being early, we got breastfeeding established fine

@peetieswie yeah my midwife told us that we should sit forwards and never lean back for that reason but it’s impossible. I’m 32+3 and baby is usually left or right side but she’s always switching back and forth so I don’t think there’s any point worrying about her position yet. I’ll just make sure to sit forwards more towards the end. Also I am doing some exercises from the spinning babies website every day to help her find a good position. I think it’s most important during labour to stay in an upright forward position to help baby turn as the contractions should help them get into the right position anyway apparently (so long as they’re already head down).

@newbyxx i was the same with my first. No colostrum at all and I was advised to try and harvest some before he was born. Could get 1 drop out at the most. This time I've been alot more successful though still not producing loads. Apparently it ramps up from 38 weeks onwards, but as others have said a lack of colostrum now has no correlation to breastfeeding success rate

@LillianFullStop have you started trying to harvest colostrum yet? I can't remember how far along you are xx

@newbyxxx and @AndddddHerewegoagain I'm 35+3 and not even a dribble of colostrum. I'm going to start at 37 as I don't want to kick off labour too soon before my ELCS date - as it is I'm really thinking things are going to kick off early because of all the cramping and BH!

I didn't get much the last time either and had do problems breastfeeding once the milk came in. I remember a midwife on the ward tried to express some for me as I was trying to feed DD but still nothing came out that I could see. DD had wet nappies though so I think she was managing to get some out just couldn't express for some reason!

I've not had any colostrum leaks I'm 35+3 today. I asked midwife about harvesting and she said I could harvest if I leak but wouldn't advise to try to express before 37 weeks as that releases hormones that will kick off labour. I won't try to express anything I think at this point , if I leak I leak!

Hi Girls
Is anyone getting headaches? They are waking me up in the night and they feel like an altitude headache. I woke in the early hours on my right side with my left temple pulsating and painful. Don't know if its a pregnancy thing or not and if I Google it'll probably fill my head with bad thoughts.

@RPPs I had nasty headaches last week for two or three days on and off, right side mainly eye area. Thought it could have been stress or tension. Mine went away after a few days and thankfully has not come back.
Might be a coincidence but it sounds very similar.

Argh! Woke up with the most horrific dreaded leg cramps, screaming in agony. DH woke in a panic trying to calm me down (good practice for labour ha), woke dd in the next room up but the cat stayed blissfully asleep in between me and dh. Oh to be a cat!

@Magpiefeather you have my full
Sympathy!! Urgh it's awful! Happened to me twice and both times left my legs so sore I could barely walk for a couple of days after! I asked my midwife who basically said yep they happen and can't do much about it but gentle exercise, stretch the toe towards the knee and massage the muscles. 😬😬

@RPPs I was having horrendous headaches a couple of weeks back. Was panicked that it was preeclampsia. Called my midwife, who advised that I should be drinking 3 litres. She thought I was dehydrated.
I remember she asked if I was getting swollen etc? Thankfully, I had recently had an antenatal appt where things like urine and BP were normal, so she could rule out preeclampsia.
I committed to the water from the next day and my headache completely disappeared.
As you can imagine, I gave up with drinking 3 litres a day after a couple of days! Haha!

36+0

Morning all! Has anyone suddenly got really uncomfortable moving in bed? 35 weeks today and although hadn't been easy to turn over it was quite funny. Now it's actually so uncomfortable! Turning from left (where my hips either sore or numb) and heaving my huge bump over to the right is actually painful! When I got up this morning the whole bump aches and felt tighter. Only going to get worse isn't it! Haha.

Sorry to those having leg cramps, I've escaped them thus far but had them in normal life and omg it's awful!

Not long to go for some of us now!!

@Ginfilledcats
I've been uncomfortable for some time due to my pelvis, I dread turning over!

@RPPs I have been getting headaches for a couple of weeks but I had an awful migraine under my left eye on Sunday that made me sick with it because it was so painful! It's gone now but lasted a good 24 hours. I was wondering if it was my sinuses but it sounds like it's quite common with pregnancy around this time?!

33+3