Due May 2020 (7)

[sao81]

Continued from thread 6!

Congratulations Itsy! Hope Margot is settling in well at home!

I've been having strong braxton hicks all morning, they've slowly been ramping up the last few days but today actually a little painful!

I saw my doctor yesterday (I'm not in the UK), she couldn't get a good measurement of baby's head as it was further down in my pelvis which I'm taking as a good sign! Definitely have a dropped bump though

Know how you all feel with lack of sleep and a large belly! I've taken over half the bed with my pillow fortress and hubby is sleeping on the edge hehe. It's the hip pain that does me in.

Really need to finish packing my hospital bag today (where I am a 3 day stay is standard) but all my clothes are in the wash and the weather is rubbish. It was lovely last week!

How big was your first @november90? Bump size can be waters, blood, uterus position as well as baby, I know its worrying given a first time experience but second births can go much quicker and easier. DS1 was 8lb4 and DS2 was 9lb7, DS2 came out much quicker and I didn't feel so battered and bruised afterwards. Hopefully you will have a sympathetic midwife today!

@Schlobbob well she measured my tummy and she measured it at 38cm... but I know that changes a lot during the day. She remarked that the head was down but the back down the side and told me to watch my posture so baby doesn't turn. I tdont really understand that? Anyone else been advised something similar?
My first was 9lbs4oz, but at my growth scans this one appears to be measuring a little lower, but I'm very concerned 🙈
Midwife just said I should accept I don't make small babies 😩🙈😂

My bump was 43cm at the 36 week check. Wasn't told about posture

Thanks everyone - Margot is doing fantastic, feeding well and pooping !

Everyone who is wondering - all the aches / pains / heartburn from pregnancy have stopped ! I can't tell you how happy I am to be able to eat chocolate and drink coke without it hurting for hours !

With growth scans, I had a grand total of 14 scans with Margot due to previous large babies - I measured small from 34 weeks, and my bump didn't grow at all from 36 weeks. When I had a growth scan at 38weeks and 5 days they estimated her weight at 7lb9os, she was born 39weeks and 1 day and weighed 7lb5oz so take it with a pinch of salt what the scans say !

@november90 I guess she meant that it's better if baby isn't back to back when you go into labour. The heaviest part of the baby is the back of their head so if you're reclined on the sofa it's easy for the baby to turn back to back. So keep scrubbing those skirting boards

@AlmostAlwyn that makes sense because she said she felt the babies back was at the side at the moment! They can still be delivered back to back can't they? I've not been refered for a scan or anything and I'm 38+3 so she can't be overly concerned!

@itsybitsya @Raindancer411 thank you for sharing your measurements ladies! ❤️

Joining in with everyone else who is very over being pregnant now. I seem to have hit a wall in the last two days and just feel dog tired even though I am getting the most sleep I have had in two years at the moment!

Would anyone like to share what they have been buying for their babies recently? I have been enjoying online shopping a bit too much lately 😅 I bought my toddler new wellies and sleeping bag from m&s and some water shoes for playing in the garden. A Milton steriliser for the new babies bottles etc as it will fit under the kitchen sink cupboard and one of my least favourite chores last time was bottle washing and steralising so hoping that will be helpful. And some mam nipple covers as they were a life saver whilst trying to breast feed my first, and some colostrum syringes incase I struggle again this time round. And some warmer weather clothes from Asda and h&m in size 0-3 (some little shorts and rompers) as I had a winter baby last time. And some cotton button up pyjamas with shorts from Sainsbury's as I am SO HOT ALL THE TIME.

This baby better arrive soon otherwise I won't stop 😂

@november90 they can! It's just not optimal, so can take longer, and there's more chance of needing intervention, etc. But I wouldn't overly worry about it. Lots of back to back babies turn in labour even. My baby was back to the side as well and no one was concerned!

@Lu1u I'm with you on the shopping! Waiting on a potty and new drink cup for my toddler. Some more muslin squares for baby because when I got our others out the loft they were a bit gross 😖 I'm also waiting on a delivery from Porridgeheads, a company on Insta that is handmade clothes. Very bad addiction. And I have a basket ready and waiting on H&M with a mix of new baby rompers, toddlers summer pjs and summery loose bits for me for after the birth 🤣 all the money I'm saving on childcare I'm spending on the babies 🥰

@november90 Margot was back to back and came out facing the ceiling rather than the floor, wasn't ideal and midwife said that it made it more difficult as her head wasn't designed to come out that way, so she's got bruising now and her head was a bit of funny shape and swollen - however it's fine now except the bruising
I didn't need intervention and did it just on gas and air it just takes longer to push
In my notes I was officially in labour for 3 hours 32 mins and pushing for 1 hour 16 mins

Just got back from midwife appointment at 38+2 days. I said I was concerned that I'd gotten really big quite fast (also now have the lovely stretch marks to show for it!! 😫)

Midwife said I'm a true case of Polyhydramnios (too much amniotic fluid). My abdomen is big & distended like a drum. She couldn't really feel baby's position so has phoned the hospital to ask their advice. But at the moment with Covid they might not be interested in seeing me.

My bump was measuring large 6 weeks ago, I had a growth scan that said baby's tummy was measuring large at about 4 weeks ahead & I had a lot of fluid at that point. A Doctor checked the scan details & saw nothing really wrong but suggested I might have gestational diabetes. Was tested & negative for GD. After that I heard nothing so was just left being told baby was big & too much fluid but nothing more was being done which had been concerning me.

Last appointment I saw a different midwife who didn't seem concerned at all but had my usual MW this time & glad she's seeking advice about it. Even if nothing needs doing it just felt weird to be told things are measuring too big but just being left.

Waiting for a phone call back, so we shall see.

Anybody had anything similar?

It puts my mind at rest abit though that he's not just a huge 13lb baby which is why I'm big.

Just a quick recommendation ladies that are planning to breast feed. I have just got the hydrogel breast discs, can get them on amazon and they are like instant relief for the nipples!!! They can aid healing too. Def worth while buying xx

Evening ladies- hope your all ok. I’ve been having a constant pain in my left side from ribs to lower pelvis for a few hours now- every so often I get a sharp pain. I don’t know if it’s early labour or something I should be concerned about?!FTM so totally guessing if contractions can be like this( I didn’t expect them to just be one sided). I have tried to go to the loo thinking perhaps it’s that but don’t seem to need it!! Any advice? Don’t really want to ring triage if it is something and nothing- but worrying as I just don’t know. Xxx

@May2311 it doesn’t sound like my last labour but why not call your triage just to be sure. Better safe

@May2311 if you're worried give them a ring and they will advise over the phone. Personally I'd run a warm bath and monitor it, you can always take a paracetamol if it becomes too uncomfortable. Probably just the muscles and ligaments stretching all in prep for the big day 🥰 every body is different though, you know if something isn't quite right xxx

@May2311 i agree with @Clairesoph when i rang the unit they usually ask you questions to help decide - put usually they said run a bath sit in for a bit ( take paracetamol is no harm). then they would say call back if no better or u worried x i'm like u i don't ring the midwife cos i don't want them to say come in for an assessment as usually they send me home after and i feel like i wasted my time- but last time i actually found out the group B strep thing . so if i hadn't got that check up i wouldn't have known!

@MarshmallowsOnToast oh sorry to hear about your stress and worry. i've not had a similar personal experience yet but i am like you i pick up on these vague words and loose ends- i prefer to know something for definite or it plays on my mind. i think there is no harm in contacting your midwife by phone or email and just say exactly how you are feeling about the communication - they can help u if they know this is something that is bothering you - also they will learn to improve from your feedback x we r all human not perfect communicators

@May2311 I would call just for advice really :)

Another recommendation - if you haven't heard of padsicles, then look them up! Add witch hazel, aloe vera gel and lavender oil to a maternity pad and put it in the freezer. Great way to soothe your delicate area after all it's been through!

I'm 4 days postpartum and just made some today (only aloe vera gel with lavender and tea tree oils as I didn't have any witch hazel). Just put one on an hour ago and it seems more comfortable to sit already!

Well I didn't make it to May, baby arrived today via induction! Can't wait for all the forbidden in the past but not anymore foods waiting for meat home! 😂😂😂

@MarshmallowsOnToast I had polyhydramnios with my DD but it was only discovered when I went in with reduced movement at 40+4, they told me I had to be induced and I refused as my yoga teacher had scared the crap out of our whole class about not letting them induce you!! I was crying my eyes out in the assessment unit and they asked my DH what was wrong and when he told them we got the eyes up to heaven routine and told that it was obviously my choice but they would have to ask me to come back in the morning for more monitoring. So I went in early the next morning, thought I’d be put on a monitor and then would be let home, we didn’t bring the hospital bags, had nothing, my DH even rang work and just told them that he’d be in later 🤣... they monitored me and said I should have a scan, it was then they found all the extra fluid and I was asked if I had been tested for gd etc.. It was then decided that since I was overdue for the safety of the baby and me and no explanation for the extra fluid that I should be induced... and it really wasn’t that bad, so I was really annoyed after that I had such terrible things about induction put in my head ...

Although the next morning when my waters broke you could definitely tell there was extra fluid, I flooded the cubicle I was in!! I ended up having an emergency section as they thought I was going to have a jumbo baby, she was 8lbs 10oz so big enough but not huge!! They only discovered during the surgery though that my uterus had twisted so a vaginal birth would have been way too dangerous anyway so I’m glad we made the decision we did...

It seems to be a pretty common enough thing but I have found that at the moment you do have to keep on top of midwives if you want any more answers so there’s no harm calling and asking if there’s anything else you should be doing, tests you should be having to determine the cause...

With regards to the shopping I’m trying to restrict myself, we don’t know what the twins are but I have SO many clothes from DD I’m hoping one of them is a girl?! If not then there’ll be a lot of shopping to do which isn’t necessarily a good thing... i was made redundant on coming back from mat leave last time and my husband has had to take a salary reduction due to covid so we’re trying to reuse as much as possible..,

I’m spending more money now on trying to entertain my 2 year old!!

@MonaLisaDoesntSmile omg .. congratulations x what did you have? how are you feeling? do share details when you ready about the hospital environment and are you home already? i'm so ready to have this baby and be done with it x

Evening all. I'm pretty sure my waters have gone in the last hour?!? I was woken up by a very wet feeling, and as soon as I stood up water literally came gushing out of me and continued to do so for about 10 mins! I wasn't expecting that.... now less here wondering if this is it it or if I just peed myself.... a lot haha!!!! Wish me luck xxx

@facevalue a boy!
Induced at 39+3 due to reduced movements. Was dialated at 2cm, good contractions, they admitted me and then baby decided to chill down and after 16 hour wait and a sweep they decided that maybe a little push was needed.
If all goes well will be home tomorrow, I'm absolutely shattered. The postnatal ward is like a railway station, bright and loud lol. Everyone was great, but just longing for my bed and partner and DS who stayed at home. Giving birth alone was quite scary, I made my peace with it a while ago they I would be in my own, but still...

@mrsf1204 oooh good luck!! How many weeks are you?

I just turned 36 weeks today, my last day at work is tomorrow. So glad to finally finish.