September 2020 4

[ChipsAreLife]

New thread...

@Sara7455 hope you get a good rest tonight

@Sara7455 ah that's nice on one hand you have some peace but also expect you're feeling lonely and fed up. Hope you get a good rest and get out tomorrow 🤞

You guys have given me a kick up the bum so have ordered a snuzpod, a bouncer, boring stuff like nappies, maternity and breast pads, breast pump and a hakkua. I want a sling for school runs but can't decide what one!!

@Piper1879 looking lovely!!

@Lilice mine was but shifted the other day and it's now all over and quite high up!!

@emma278 yes my bump goes hard too!!! Even more so when I have braxton hicks, so uncomfortable!! Finding it hard to bend over so have to squat lol!

@ShiningStarz no you're not mad you just want what's best. I wouldn't worry for the first two months, main thing is lots of cuddles and skin to skin to make baby feel love secure and loved. When it's more alert with more awake time you can do more stories, songs etc. You can lots of lovely soft books that crunch up and have mirrors and things in them, they're fab for when they're little as they like the sensory element.

@Sara7455 ah that's nice on one hand you have some peace but also expect you're feeling lonely and fed up. Hope you get a good rest and get out tomorrow 🤞

You guys have given me a kick up the bum so have ordered a snuzpod, a bouncer, boring stuff like nappies, maternity and breast pads, breast pump and a hakkua. I want a sling for school runs but can't decide what one!!

@Piper1879 looking lovely!!

@Lilice mine was but shifted the other day and it's now all over and quite high up!!

@emma278 yes my bump goes hard too!!! Even more so when I have braxton hicks, so uncomfortable!! Finding it hard to bend over so have to squat lol!

@ShiningStarz no you're not mad you just want what's best. I wouldn't worry for the first two months, main thing is lots of cuddles and skin to skin to make baby feel love secure and loved. When it's more alert with more awake time you can do more stories, songs etc. You can lots of lovely soft books that crunch up and have mirrors and things in them, they're fab for when they're little as they like the sensory element.

Sorry didn't mean to post twice! Told me it hadn't worked 🤔

Haha @Lilice great idea for the car trips!! Might get DP a slight headache tho 🤣🤣
Thanks@ChipsAreLife fab advice
Thanks ladies x

@ChipsAreLife what's a hakkua?

@Lilice it collects breast milk when feeding or pumping from the other side I believe. Have a google. I've ordered the tommee tippee one

How are you feeling? @Sara7455

Some if you are in your third trimester!! Officially I will be next week!! I still feel great. Walking lots everyday. I'm getting leg cramps, lower back discomfort and hip cramp when I wake but it's fine as soon as I walk it off.

Morning all, thanks for the overnight good wishes. BP stayed stable overnight so hopefully they’ve cracked it with the drugs for now. Had a tour of neonatal yesterday and should be meeting the paediatricians today so I can be a bit more prepared for the likelihood of baby being born premature. Hoping baby can keep cooking as long as possible of course and feeling a lot more positive after a stable night!

@ShiningStarz - weird benefit I’ve found of being in here is that my hips haven’t been hurting sleeping in the hospital bed even though I’m barely out of bed. Would have been in agony sat down this long at home!

Oh @Sara7455 that's good news! Do you know when they'll hopefully let you home?
That's good you had the tour so it feels less daunting. Got everything crossed baby will stay put for as long as possible? Is it likely they would give you a c section? If so and you have questions please ask x

Doctor has just been round and it looks like I’m staying at least another week. They’re happy I’m doing better so I get a day off blood tests tomorrow but they want me where they can watch me.
Keeping everything crossed baby will stay put as long as it can but if it needs to arrive within the next 6 weeks it does look like I’ll be having a c-section. Did you have one previously @ChipsAreLife ?

@Sara7455 its good they keep an eye! Are you allowed anyone to visit? X

@Sara7455 I had a c section, mine was an emergency one so slightly different as hadn't prepared, but for afterwards I would recommend some big pants! I either wore my OHs boxers or some cantaloop pants which my sister bought for me from John Lewis (they have a special panel in which sits along the incision).

Fingers crossed baby can stay put as long as possible, but at least you are in the best place for them to take care of you both.

@sara7455 Keeping everything crossed for you!!

@emma278 no visitors on the ward unfortunately but they are letting me out for a little bit to see OH when he brings things in for me so they’re not unsympathetic to the situation. Neonatal are allowing both parents to visit though which is reassuring to know if we’re going to need them.

@Lazydaisydaydream thanks for the big pants advice. The JL ones sound interesting but hadn’t thought about the boxers option! Not sure about stealing OH’s mind, haha! Going to read the positive birth company’s c section chapter I think as it’s good I get to be prepared. How did you find the recovery overall? Definitely seems more daunting somehow

@Sara7455 yes ive had two, third one this time 😬First was a crash second elective so have advice for either.

Agree with @Lazydaisydaydream huge pants are a must. You want them to sit as high up as possible because your scar will be very tender and sore for a while. Also make sure you have good maternity leggings, or over the bump track bottoms to wear after.

A nightie is good to wear straight after as you'll have a catheter in for a while.

Whilst it's a common operation remember it's a major surgery and you need to rest and take all the pain relief you can in hospital, oramorph really helped me. When you're discharged you don't get anything as strong so take it when you can! Also make sure you keep on the painkillers regularly at home even if you don't feel bad because it just keeps the pain at bay for the first two weeks.

Be aware that when you laugh or cough it's agony for the first week, I felt like my stomach would fall out if I laughed. I had to tell DH to stop being funny 😆

Get a good sized water bottle and a flask so you don't have to get up loads for drinks or wait for them. Plus easy to eat snacks like flapjacks or fruit.

Re recovery my first was awful but that's because it was a crash as I had sepsis after a long labour so I felt awful because of that. Second one loads better, I was walking to the park the week after and felt pretty good. But just take it easy, I often found that I would feel really good one day and push myself and then feel dreadful the next.

The benefits are I cracked BF as I could just sit and feed all day as I wasn't overly mobile! I also got really looked after and could just focus on cuddles and Netflix 😉

Sorry that's quite long but I had no bloody idea going into it as I thought I was going to have a natural labour 🙃 so felt unprepared!

Oh and just be prepared for when you try get out of bed that you can't use your core anymore and it feels very strange. You'll probably need someone to help you the first couple of times

Thanks @ChipsAreLife - really useful advice! Trying to take it easy is definitely not one of my strengths so will have to be careful not to overdo it like you say!
OH is self employed so once I’m home I doubt he’ll be able to have too long off to take care of me so big water bottle and well placed snacks sound like a definite must!

I've been stressing this morning about the sprog not really moving and was just considering ringing midwife and now he's bouncing around 🙈 I really think I'm over analysing his movements but it's hard not to when they make so much of a big deal about contacting them if there's any change!

Fingers crossed your baby can stay put as long as possible Sara but glad you're being well looked after. Showing you round the neonate unit is a nice way to hopefully make you feel a bit more prepared! Does this mean you'll have to let your partner take care of all the prep at home!?

I made my partner bring the BP cuff home from work today so I can check my own because realised how important it is. They're not using it for customers atm due to covid so may as well be here!

@MooseWL I am exactly the same regarding movements but I have noticed I can easily have a day of not much and then a day of really active. It's so hard to know what to do! But if I'm doubt, I would always ring the midwife. I was told nothing was too stupid to call for and they would rather a quick 5 min chat to reassure you than stressing. How many weeks are you? I've been told it cannot really settle down until 28 weeks. There is no pattern to my movements at all. I also think, for me anyway, being in lockdown, stuck at home by myself all day makes me overanalyse much more than I would if it were more "normal".

@MooseWL definitely call your midwife if you are worried. I think @WillowT is right that they normally wait until 28weeks until they expect a real pattern but I’m sure they’d be happier to reassure you than have you sit at home worried. They’ve told me they can’t put you on the monitor until after 28 weeks as baby moves too much and they just keep losing the signal but I’m sure there’s other things they can do.

My community midwife just called to check on me even though I know she’s been speaking to the unit here and knows I’m being taken care of. Very appreciative of all the lovely midwives in my area this week!

OH is indeed now in charge of all the prep at home! I think he’s mainly ferrying supplies here for me at the moment though. Neonatal have said we don’t need to get anything special as prep for baby probably coming early so at least that’s one less thing to worry about!

@MooseWL I was the same yesterday. Our little one barely moved and then DP kissed my belly and he kicked!! I find that when I lie down changing from flat to sides and rubbing or lightly tapping i generally get a response. But yes always phone midwife, I was given the same advice.
I also agree with the stressing more cause we are at home!!!

My pram and car seat arrived today OMG!! That's pretty much everything now apart from snuzpod 💜

@willowT I'm 25 weeks today but been feeling kicks since about 22 weeks. Normally he's active in the morning and I think i was just a bit anxious today because yesterday he was really wriggly. But he's definitely perked up this afternoon so must have just been asleep! You're right being at home alone all the time definitely doesn't help because nothing to distract you from it!

@sara7455 @ShiningStarz ahh my maternity pack says if you report reduced movement they should get you in for checks. So don't know if they'd scan you maybe. I actually don't get great vibes from my midwife she seems a bit scatty from the first time I met her. Though I think after 20 weeks you can ring the MAU as well so might do that if it happens again!

For all you thinking of cloth nappies Tots bots have an offer on a trial pack so it's half price so it's £28 and you get 3 different types of nappies. I ordered it yesterday 😊

@MooseWL I was like this yesterday. Totally normal to stress I was. What are you doing to try get it move? For me a really cold drink or a bit of sugar and lying on my side helps. Also do the star jumps then lay down.

If you're worried call the MAU

@Sara7455 bless your DH. I'm sure he'll do a great job. Hope you're feeling ok and not too bored?