Due August 2021 - Third Trimester!

[Daffodil21]

Not totally up to date, sorry!

@wimbler - EDD 29 July, surprise 💛
@coffeeandrainbows1- EDD 4 August (but most likely July), Boy 💙
@Jessicapebbles - EDD 5 August (but having C-section at 39 weeks, so really July), Girl 💖
@Smurf123 - EDD 5 August (but likely to be July) 💛
@WhatEvenIsSleep - EDD 2 August, Boy 💙
@ready2020 - EDD 4 August, Girl 💖
@Xaxnxdxrxexaxandrews87 - EDD 4 August, Boy 💙
@Smushty14 - EDD 6 August, TBC 💛
@Rattyclife - EDD 6 August, TBC 💛
@Dia12 - EDD 8 August, Girl 💖
@Biscuitcat - EDD 10 August, surprise 💛
@ElonaWise - EDD 11 August, TBC 💛
@Runnergirl123 - EDD 11 August, TBC 💛
@PurplePansy05 - EDD 12 August, Boy 💙
@Srtdr - EDD 12 August, surprise 💛
@Daffodil21 - EDD 12 August, Boy 💙
@Inmypjsagain - EDD ???, Boy 💙
@BananaHammock23 - EDD 13 August, surprise 💛
@MrsB2019x - EDD 13 August, Girl 💖
@Magik01 - EDD 13 August, Boy 💙
@Aaaaa1519 - EDD 13 August, Girl 💖
@Carefree1 - EDD 15 August, Girl 💖
@DressyGerbera - EDD 15 August, surprise 💛
@lucyrp - EDD 16 August, undecided 💛
@BertieBotts - EDD 16 August, want to know! 💛
@WolfMother326 - EDD 17 August, surprise 💛
@Caz1226 - EDD 17 August, Boy 💙
@Lille4 - EDD 17 August, Girl 💖
@Redskinsucks - EDD 17 August, TBC 💛
@RockyRockyRoad - EDD 18 August, can't wait to find out 💛
@Smallbean27 - EDD 19 August, surprise 💛
@WatermelonKisses - EDD 20 August, surprise 💛
@Alittlexmasmagic - EDD 22 August, surprise 💛
@Millymay13 - EDD 22 August, TBC 💛
@Whatshouldbemyusername - EDD 22 August, surprise 💛
@LottSE20 - EDD 22 August, TBC 💛
@Notinthestarsigns - EDD 23 August, TBC 💛
@Winecoffeeteamum - EDD 23 August, Girl 💖
@LaceyMermaid - EDD 24 August, TBC 💛
@Fran919 - EDD 25 August, surprise 💛
@ava50x - EDD 25th August, Boy 💙
@Ghhh - EDD 25th August, Boy 💙
@northernsquirrel - EDD 26 August, surprise 💛
@LyraShaeLilly - EDD 27 August, Girl 💖
@ame88 - EDD 28 August, TBC 💛
@diamante11 - EDD 29 August, Girl 💖
@HopefulB - EDD 29 August, TBC 💛
@CountryGirl84 - EDD 29 August, TBC 💛

@Ava50x yep, every time I walk up the stairs!

@Smurf123 hope you're ok? X

I've got a really silly question

Do you have to bring your own cot bedding to the hospital..?

@Daffodil21 no, you'll be supplied with a fully kitted out bassinet type thing x

You will need a car seat fully fitted in your car though x

@alittlexmasmagic thank you! We have the car seat fitted now - I was baby sitting my friends toddler the other day so figured we may as well fit it now (it's a newborn to 4YO one)

Also, do you think I should pack up to 1 month clothes as well as newborn in case he's big? (Or would he have to be really big not to fit newborn?!)

3 guesses what I'm doing right now 😂 and totally clueless!

Yep, stairs definitely make me breathless.
To be expected - carrying extra weight, increased heart rate, and squashed lungs!

Getting tired very easily now- don’t know if that’s just body’s ways of getting us to slow down and rest up before the big event?!

@Ava50x so breathless! I walked up a little hill by my house earlier today (really tiny, less than 100m) and I was puffing by the top! I'm sometimes struggling to catch my breath even just sitting when baby is at the wrong angle which is such a pain

@Daffodil21 I've not started packing my hospital bag yet but I was thinking of bringing a few bigger bits just in case! FTM though, so someone more expert may say differently

I've been so sick and tired of pregnancy recently - I really can't wait for baby to arrive mostly just so I'm not pregnant any more. Had a good cry to DH earlier about how rubbish it is just feeling under the weather and sore and exhausted all the time. I've even started wondering about an elective section so I can have baby at 39 weeks and not have to potentially wait until 42 weeks - is that a really bad idea and just because I'm grouchy, or worth thinking about properly?

Awww @biscuitcat, it’ll be worth it in the end!

Whilst I know survival is good at this point, baby will benefit from being in there as long as needed. You can do it!

Up to 1 month and Newborn are similar size depending on the brand so it's worth packing both. I wouldn't bother with 0-3 months though as they will probably be too big.

Actually top tip for clothes. Make up a couple of sandwich bags labelled clearly "Newborn vests" "Newborn sleepsuits" "0-1 month vests" "0-1 month sleepsuits" with about 4-5 of these items in the appropriate size inside. Leave these at home/in the baby's drawers.

Then just take 1-2 of each thing in each size into hospital. Once baby is born you can instruct DH or whichever other visitor to bring you in the sandwich bag with whatever clothes you find fit the best, and if it's really stuffy you can skip the sleepsuits and just have the vests. It saves you carting an entire selection in but means whoever is at home doesn't have to sort through drawers and inspect labels.

In theory you can have an ELCS for any reason you like, but it is a higher risk over a straightforward vaginal birth without risk factors, so probably not worth it just to bring the birth a bit further forward. Don't worry, the last few weeks drag but everyone is in the same boat and I promise you will give birth eventually :o In the meantime don't do anything you don't have to do, cool baths are lovely and soothing if it's hot. I'm also living on ice pops. Get stocked up with some good box sets, websites, books/ebooks, computer games - whatever you like to do and take it easy. These things also come in handy for marathon cluster feeding sessions once baby is born...

@BertieBotts I'm literally just going out to buy sandwich bags now! my drawers are organised in size order so was going to get sandwich bags to put vest+sleepsuit+nappy in for hosp bag..? I also have stuff hung up in size order in a little wardrobe with those coat hanger separators I posted a while ago.

You can tell I'm a FTM on maternity leave already 😂🙈

@biscuitcat sorry to hear you're suffering so much! I'm going for an ELCS but for different reasons

You'll not be changing the vest and sleepsuit with every nappy change, so I wouldn't bother with little outfit packs like that. You'll just get annoyed with them clogging up the bag and it will be confusing if e.g. you take one item out of a bag but don't need the rest. Take 2-3 vests and 2-3 sleepsuits (maybe 3-4 if your hospital's COVID visiting policy is really restrictive) just loose in the bag, and a pack of nappies. It will be much easier to find things if they are kept like with like like that. Even if you want to use cloth nappies it's worth having disposables for hospital.

It is useful to have some kind of smaller bag/container for dirty laundry, so that you can keep it separate and (if you have to stay in) hand to DH to take home! I got so annoyed and confused I couldn't tell the difference between whether something was clean and unused or had been weed/puked on but had dried YOUR clothes will get sweaty/milky/worn as well so not a teeny tiny sandwich bag but a supermarket carrier bag or cloth shopping bag or something.

It should be pretty clear within a couple of hours of birth whether everything was straightforward and you're on track for a same-day or next-morning discharge, in which case you don't need any extra clothes. Or whether there's some issue that needs monitoring with baby or you which means you can expect to stay at least a couple of nights.

If you do end up staying a few days, that's where the sandwich bags with extra clothes come in useful, especially in the sense of having sorted out totally simple/easy clothing rather than DH grabbing outfits from the wardrobe because they are labelled, but them turning out to be fiddly or annoying to use in hospital. Also, in this scenario when DH brings home your dirty washing - make sure he either washes it straight away, or at the very least takes it out of the bag to air. You do not want to come home to 3-4 day old mouldering milky gross damp clothes (which will probably have literally started to grow mould if left scrunched in a bag this long). If he's worrying about you then it is something that can be easily forgotten. If you are fussy about laundry colour mixing, buy some colour catcher sheets and just get him to use them with everything.

@BertieBotts thanks for the tips. I'm planning an ELCS so going to pack assuming I'll be in for a few days

The initial outfits are just to start you off until you see what size baby is.

Otherwise you end up packing 5 days' worth of clothing in about three different sizes and your bag becomes full of clothes, 2/3 of which you won't use.

@biscuitcat Hugs. Frankly, I feel exactly the same. I'm going through the worst phase of the reno, noise, mess & tripping over stuff, work is too busy and I wish they all left me alone now, I never sleep well and I'm constantly exhausted and uncomfortable. In many ways I feel I don't have the right to say anything because of my history and I should be pleased that I am where I am instead of moaning about aches and discomfort. So normally I just have a quiet sob tbh. I am obviously grateful and will perservere, I think it's a tough moment because it's still around 7 weeks left which is not long, but from an everyday discomfort POV it can be daunting. Know you're not alone This too shall pass.

Regarding ELCS, I wouldn't do that for discomfort reasons as it would probably hapoen in week 39 anyway, so as harsh as it is, in reality it wouldn't really help that much timing-wise. But of course you can choose to have it for any other reason, whatever feels right for you! I'm very seriously considering it and haven't decided yet. He's definitely still breech, I also had many thoughts about how I went through the MCs before which I won't be bringing up here, but I don't in fact trust my body to cope well with labour and I think that's my fundamental fear. I am also very worried about being traumatised after if something goes wrong because I've already been through a lot of difficult stuff in this department and the impact can be immense. I just would like him to arrive safely and for us not be traumatised in the first few weeks/months of his life, so I will be basing my decision on that. Most of my friends and family members had CS (EL or EM). Tbh, all have said they'd have gone down the ELCS route in hindsight, but it's what you feel is best xx

@PurplePansy05 this is the exact reason I'm going for an ELCS ❤️

@Daffodil21 ❤ You don't need to explain, I totally get it. In fact, I had a sob session because of this in front of my MW, she just asked a simple question about giving birth and then paused to let me think about it and it suddenly all came out. I thought she'd ridicule me, but instead she was extremely sympathetic and told me that every clinician would be and it's completely understandable. She then referred me to have a chat with a consultant and consultant MW too regarding ELCS and other options to get on this path if that's what I wish to do. I felt so grateful. And I am still thinking it through, but just very happy to know the options are there. ❤ xx

@PurplePansy05 I mentioned it to my midwife who said it'll be a discussion with the consultant. Mentioned it at my appointment with the consultant and he just said how we don't need to discuss that yet. My normal consultant still hasn't come back yet so it's still the stand in who just doesn't listen. Got another scan + consultant app on Monday where I hope he actually engages in a conversation with me about it, as my next appointment won't be until 36 weeks. My normal consultant did say she may suggest a CS because of history though so I don't think it will be a battle. I hope not anyway!

Got my first Peanut 'date' on Saturday with a woman who's due 2 days before me and lives a couple of towns away. Hope it's not too awkward!

Yesterday we had such a busy day. We were out from about 11am to 9 pm, dropping off moving boxes, picking up various things for hospital bags, picking up a hoover, having lunch, having dinner then the cinema. I am so so tired today. My OH is away into Edinburgh for a man date and I was going to get stuff done in the house but my mum took me out for lunch and I've done bog all since.

We're away for 4 nights to Crieff tomorrow and it's meant to be a holiday but we're going to self catering accommodation with OHs parents and brother and family. They'v all booked swimming for 8am every morning! Screw that. They'll want to do loads during the day to entertain the 2 wee boys but beyond going to the spa I've no plans apart sleeping and eating.

Also getting a bit beyond bored with being pregnant. The next few weeks will definitely be the test of body and patience.

For those of you who know you’re going down the CS route, (and those who don’t know yet!) the positive birthing company course gives some hints in looking up ‘natural’ or ‘gentle’ caesarean, for things to think about for your birth preferences….
Worth looking at if you haven’t considered already….

So looking at a list of things by NCT to take in your bag for baby they mention a hat, mittens and booties/socks. This is something I'll learn soon enough I guess but will a hat and mittens etc be a bit warm for new baby at this time of year or is that ok?

Hat is normally needed when they are first born because newborns can't regulate their temperature at all, so they need to wear one for at least the first day or so and maybe the second as well. You will probably get at least 1-2 little cotton hats with outfits. We ended up with loads and they never get worn after the first few days.

Mittens probably means scratch mitts rather than little knitted gloves. This is because newborns have really sharp nails and they'll scratch their own face all the time and it makes them bleed. I don't like them and just cut their nails :o but it can be a bit nerve wracking when they are first born.

I don't see the point in socks/booties either - they will probably be in a sleepsuit which covers their feet. Socks just fall off and get lost.

All ok here thanks guys. Still getting the tightenings and woke up with them during the night so needed to take some paracetamol. Hoping to get swab results and bloods on Tuesday and I'm going to push for them to repeat my bloods if needed as my white cell count was high when they came back. Midwife said would need repeated doctor said if I was feeling fine they didn't so wouldn't!. But with all the tightenings since I think it might be worthwhile getting them checked just incase it's an infection of sort? I didn't think of it to I was home from hospital but will be asking on Tuesday.

@Ready2020 a lot of sleeps it's have integrated scratch mittens so you just fold over the cuff in sleeve.
I got loads with ds and they were rarely if ever used.
Hats we brought one but in the end ds was given one by hospital... Just a wee knitted hat. Just as well too as ours would have been far too big for him in the end. I just bought one wee sleepsuit set for this baby that has a wee cotton hat with it but I'm only bringing the one.
Socks / booties you only really need if your bring outfits like leggings etc. Like @BertieBotts said you won't need them for the sleepsuits.

Yes checking for a UTI isn't a bad call. Actually you can get home test kits at pharmacies, but your GP will be able to do it as well plus they can test for anything else it's likely to be at the same time I suppose.

Thank you for all the sympathy ladies, it's helped to hear 🥰 I ended up calling the hospital this evening as I had some weird crampy pains and the midwife said it sounds like pelvic girdle pain - so that probably explains why I've been extra grumpy and uncomfortable. She advised taking it easy, having a bath and having some paracetamol so hopefully everything will feel a little less miserable after that!

Hey ladies.

Happy Father's Day to all your partners and anyone celebrating it as a partner, support system, etc x