Due June 2020: thread 7. The one where babies appear

[AndddddHerewegoagain]

Hi everyone. Starting another thread!! Hoping we start having babies appear very soon!!

Anyone else feeling exhausted? I've napped today like I do most days and I'm still trying to get the energy to wash my hair, tiredness on a new level today! 😴. Really hoping my sweep on Sunday will start something off but I'm not holding my breathe with it being my first baby.

37+6

Had my 38 week appt today and all went well. Head is 4/5 engaged. I'm getting a sweep at the 40 week appt. I'm expected to go overdue due to being a FTM. She's recommended I try fresh dates, sex and exercise to get baby moving quick. Only doing dates, I think 😂
I'm quite worried about going overdue, but my trust policy is no induction until 41+5! My gosh! I'm already knackered!

38+3

Sorry that some of you have had a stressful time recently.

@Blizy I would be cautious of sudden swelling - it was the only pre-eclampsia symptom I had. My hands, feet and face were swollen, but strangely, it was only my midwife that noticed my face!

I had quite a positive antenatal appointment today. Baby continues to grow along the average line, estimated weight 6lb 3oz today! The placenta blood flow measurements have improved too, so I don't need the weekly monitoring I've been having. We agreed a plan for trial of vbac if I go into labour myself, otherwise will be having a c/section on 11th June!!! I'll be 39+1 then, only 20 days from now! Felt a bit emotional at having the date confirmed, but I'm so relieved there's an end in sight! Back to clinic in 2weeks time to get my consent forms and pre-op bloods etc done.

@Blizy - with my daughter (born in heatwave) my feet went from a size 5 to an 8 they were so swollen! I'm still a 6 to this day (which apparently is "big" compared to the rest of me ). This time I've only had one evening of swollen feet and can wear any shoes I want (bliss!). Midwife never worried though. It was more annoying having to go out and buy a cheap pair of plimsolls to wear for a month!

I do think heavily pregnant women should be prescribed slip on shoes though - who has capacity to do laces up and breathe at the same time?! I keep eyeing up my one year olds velcro pumps...

@newbyxx I'm also knackered. Anaemic and my 3 year old likes to get up at 5.30. I managed an accidental 2 hour nap yesterday afternoon. Feel like I want to get all the sleep I can now, as there'll be none of that happening once baby's here!!

@Missgemini I'm eating dates too! Baked into traybakes though cos I don't actually like them 😄

@BirdGarden I agree! I attempted to put trainers on the other day for the first time in a while and it was an exhausting experience, I soon ditched that attempt and have been wearing my trusty Birkenstocks!

Ooh @Missgemini that’s exciting though that baby is almost fully engaged already!

Interesting that the midwife actually recommended dates, I’ve been trying to eat them on the off chance they actually work, but struggling a bit as I don’t really enjoy them. Might try mixing them into something like you @MissisBee

@Gigitree Birkenstock's are a life saver!! 👍🏻

@gigitree - I live in Wales, no chance of sandals out here

My first midwife said "women who eat dates don't go over their dates" so I started scoffing them at 40 weeks. Too late! This time I started at 37 but perhaps you're supposed to eat them throughout (I think there was a study in middle Eastern cultures were dates were a daily food stuff and women never have "long" pregnancies??). Luckily I loooove them but so does small child, so I have to try and sneak them in when she isn't looking for those that aren't keen have you tried the proper big expensive ones? I think they're like eating some sort of caramel toffee thing

@Busylizzie85 100% don’t think I’ll be wearing anything else on my feet for a long while 😂

@BirdGarden Haha! I’m sure you must get the odd dry day here and there??

Oh are you!? Whoops I thought it was just from 34 weeks! I have been eating the mejool ones but I’m not enjoying them that much so think I’ll save my money and just buy the cheap ones and try to make something out of them!

I just put my shoes on for the first time in ages and they are tight!! I've had slightly swollen feet for a couple of weeks now, worse in the evening.

About to go to my 36 week appointment

@gigitree - it's dry today, but incredibly windy, daughter actually refusing to go out in it (she is only little). It's usually one or the other sigh I'm not a native either so I'm probably not hardy enough!

It’s quite breezy here in East Sussex too @BabyBird20
If it’s dry then I’m wearing my Birkenstocks lol! Though tbh since being on lockdown I’m bare feet the majority of the time because I don’t go anywhere 😂😂

@Magpie21 hope the appointment goes well!
Yeah mine seem to have like a baseline level of puffiness that never really goes away 😂😂

Thanks ladies! I see the light at the end of the tunnel.
Although, I must say, being 4/5 means baby is only starting to move down. 2/5 and 1/5 mean proper engagement from what I understand.

I must admit that I want a June baby, so I won't do anything to fast track baby until the 31st of May 😂

38+3

I asked my midwife about when they check baby is engaged, she said some don't go down until actual labour do not to worry about it.
What are Birkenstock's? Feel like I'm missing out here.

I bought 2 huge packets of dates before my ELCS was confirmed. Now I don't know if I should eat them as I don't want to bring on labour before my date!

Which ones are the nice ones @BirdGarden? I have the Holland and Barrett ones that I'm now thinking of making some sticky date pudding with instead.

Luckily living in Cornwall, flip flops are worn pretty much all year round 😁

What are dates supposed to do? Is there a certain amount that needs to be eaten everyday? I've only ever put them in sticky toffee pudding but don't think I should eat that everyday 😂

@Missgemini that seems to be correct about the numbers, at my last midwife
App at 36+4 I was 2/5 engaged and she said this means baby's head is full engaged, also at my growth scan they struggled to take head measurements as head was so low in pelvis. Hoping this means he's on his way as I'm 38 weeks tomorrow but we shall see x

I've read that dates help "ripen" your cervix. It's supposed to be 6 a day from 36 weeks or something. Apparently there is a small amount of evidence that they work!
Here's what I made with my dates
www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/date-apple-squares
Plenty of butter and sugar in there too!

Although I've a date for a section, I'd be quite happy to go into labour before it and try a vbac. Trying to restrain myself with the colostrum harvesting at the minute as I've started a bit early, but it's just sooo satisfying. Once I hit 37 weeks, I'll go for it though.

@BabyBird20 I really hope it's going to be an easier one for your at next appointment. I'll have my last scan with nhs on jun 1 then will see MW so I'll have a measurement report to discuss with them on birth plans. Let's see how it goes. 🙂

Thought I'd share the story of my "reduced amniotic fluid" with you all... I've been seeing a fetal specialist privately the whole pregnancy because of previous complications and he's been great. We booked a package of scans with him and on Wednesday it was the last one for my 36weeks where he discovered reduced amniotic fluid. Out of the four quadrants, only one had waters with depth 4.3cm. I was asked whether I had gushes of waters coming out that I would have to change my underwear during the day. Well I do have more watery discharge that comes out as "a gush" but never was that wet. They still suspected it was membrane rupture which can lead serious infection to the baby, so referred me to have the Amnisure test done at NHS (a swob test which can check whether these's waters in vagina). I had that done on Thursday (yesterday) which came back negative. We followed up with a full scan as well where it showed waters in all four quadrants this time with deepest pool 4.7cm.. which is enough ! I was very relieved of course but also found it odd - can the amount of waters fluctuates overnight? If it can go up all of a sudden can it go down again?? Trying to write to the consultant again see if can find out more ... frustrating really 🤪

36+5

I haven't looked into the evidence myself, but my midwife says there are randomised controlled trials (the best level of scientific research) that prove that dates work in ripening the cervix and inducing labour. As I said, I haven't researched it myself.
I actually love dried dates, so scoffing them at 40 weeks won't be a problem. Haha

@newbyxx fingers crossed baby is on the way, my baby's head was engaged from 35+4 they couldn't get head measurements as he was so
Low down and he broke my waters and came at 37+0 xx
So exciting! Can't wait to see some babies arriving, hope everyone's okay x

@MissisBee ohh I LOVE dates. No matter it's the Middle East type of medjool dates or Chinese dates which is softer and bigger. Maybe I should get some in next week too hehe 😍 slightly worried about the big amount of sugar in it - I'm big enough already , so is my baby's head! 🤪

@umabb wow, that is quite stressful. Glad things are normalising! Fingers crossed they continue to remain normal.