Due August 2021 - The Final Countdown continues...

[Daffodil21]

Continuing the previous thread!

I'll let @PurplePansy05 post the updated list

@Ava50x Thank you for this! Yes, I've used up all of the colostrum expressed pre-birth, so glad I expressed. And DS was on the boob first so your words gave me a lot of reassurance.

I second @Inmypjsagain, 100% bring sugary snacks and drinks, Haribo, Lucozade etc. My sugar has nosedived after the birth and especially after spinal - if spinal makes you feel sick it's a sure sign of a glucose dip btw. Plus the tiredness and lack of sleep, exrra sugar is a must IMO.

We will be staying few more days I think. I'm finding this hard, visiting times aren't enough IMO. Just hoping DS won't end up in SCBU if hypoglycaemia persists, the midwives talked about it being an option but I really hope it won't be needed. xx

@RandomCatGenerator if you like peanut butter you could try these. I used to do them as snacks in the fridge for me and DS. In a bowl mix peanut butter and rolled oats and some honey until it’s at a consistency that can be moulded and isn’t super sticky. I don’t have measurements as just played it by eye and added more of whatever I needed. Roll into small balls and put in the fridge. You can also add things like chocolate chips, seeds etc. They are a good protein boost.

Thank you @Whatshouldbemyusername I will update on here once we have settled.

@Inmypjsagain I think going for the L and XL is a good shout - my boobs are even a bit bigger than yours and the XL is comfy for me 😊

Does anyone know how common it is to see/not see your mucus plug? I've noticed nothing from mine yet, and would love for that to be because I just won't see it but have a feeling it means baby is still comfy for a while yet!

@WolfMother326 I definitely noticed from about 37 weeks that I was feeling more tired and sore. I'm 39+2 now and have periods of feeling really active (like being productive today), and then totally knackered afterwards, plus my back is killing me and my Braxton Hicks are getting considerably stronger. I feel like it's my body telling me to slow down a bit before baby arrives

@biscuitcat as I said I didn't even see mine with DS1! My waters just went and that was it, never saw any plug!

@Inmypjsagain yasss I'm hoping so, bras drive me mad honestly. So confusing 😂think that's a good shout!

I’ve had days where discharge is thicker but most days I have no discharge. With dd1 I had a bloody show and that was it, I was told to come in where they said I was bleeding more than I should, kept overnight and then waters went the next morning.

It’s so different this time that it’s thrown me off, went from strong braxton hicks last week to non existent now, baby was all soft swishy movements whereas now it’s really hard kicks all over.

Tell me I’m not the only one lol

I’m super behind - congrats to those who have had their little ones ❤️
Lovely to read everyone’s experiences.

@PurplePansy05 everything crossed little one’s hypoglycaemia subsides to avoid that SCBU visit.

Good luck to those who have babies due soon - super exciting!

@biscuitcat with my first labours I didn’t see mucous plug or have my waters break until I was in established Labour so perfectly normal to not have anything ahead of time.

@Magik01 good luck! Will be thinking of you today.. can’t wait to hear your news 😊

I think I might have had my first night of Braxton Hicks. Woke up feeling quite uncomfortable and belly is hard as a rock. Then was getting proper pains that I had to breath through. Got up for the loo and farting helped a bit 😂

I tried to just go back to sleep which I did for a bit. Now though when I stood upright the pressure pain was quite intense and when I went to the loo there was a pinkish tinge on the loo paper that had the most weird smell. I don't think it was blood. I wonder if it was amniotic fluid? It didn't smell bad or off.

So now I've no clue what's going on. My belly still feels hard and I still feel a bit of pain. But it's not contraction pain. I guess I'll just wait for my scan at 11am and see how I feel.

@Ready2020 I still don’t think I’ve ever had braxton hicks 🙈 when I’ve looked it up it says everyone gets them so I must have though! I do feel big movements quite often but it doesn’t feel like a contraction. I was telling myself my body knows I’m not giving birth naturally so it doesn’t need to practise 😂

Could the pink tinge have been a show or maybe the start of it? At least you have a scan anyway so can see how you get on then

I think I may be getting small contractions! Waves of pain. But manageable and quite spaced out. So it might just be the start of it all which is exciting but I'm not sure if I should call and try get my scan brought forward to earlier this morning. Probably best to call and check.

@sarah13xx it might possibly be something. A big part of me thinks its amniotic fluid but I've smelled that smell before today after going for a pee so maybe it's just different discharge.

Exciting ladies! I had my show yesterday and woke up with regular tightenings this morning!! So hopeful this is it! I'll keep you all posted good luck to everyone else with your sections or signs it's all getting very real!

Ah yes @lucyrp, sorry I missed you saying that! And thank you too @WinterBabyof89 😊

I've been up since 5 this morning as when I woke up to wee I thought baby wasn't moving as much as normal - luckily they woke up, but I've not been able to get back to sleep which is a right pain!

And exciting times @Ready2020 and @Hoares3! That sounds promising for both of you, fingers crossed you get to meet your little ones soon! Xx

@Ready2020 it’s so hard to tell! I’ve heard people say put a pad in and they ask to see it 🤦🏼‍♀️ but they can tell you whether it’s amniotic fluid or not.

It’s terrifying me that everyone’s getting these signs 😂 hope if I keep my legs crossed for the weekend my baby will stay in til Monday!

Morning all! Oooh exciting for @Ready2020 and @Hoares3 - this could be it ❤️

@sarah13xx literally started getting BH from week 33 and now at week 37+5 they are getting more frequent and the tightening and hardening is spreading more across my belly.

Let me ask the women who have had babies previously, does the baby always have to drop a few weeks before baby's here? Coz mine is still sitting very comfortably up high. At my 36 week scan I was told baby's head is low down in pelvic region hence I'm getting some pains but no sign of belly drop or losing mucus plug 🤷🏽‍♀️

Good luck today @Magik01!

Exciting to hear things progressing for people! Like @sarah13xx I'm keeping my legs crossed for Monday!!

@Daffodil21 I was doing very little the last few weeks anyway but avoiding doing much involving bending down or walking now to avoid any chance of starting it 😂 it’s annoying because I feel well enough to be out walking etc and won’t be able to do it after baby arrives so have just ended up making myself house bound for way longer 🙄

Last weekend without a baby! 😬 don’t know if the reality of it has even set in because I’m just so focused on the actual op! X

Getting ahead of myself but starting to think how am I going to tell everyone on Monday 😬 I will message my two group chats of friends but don’t really want to have to individually message every person who’s contacted me recently to tell them. Is it acceptable just to put it on facebook the next day and have a lot of these people see it on there? Will message our parents etc as soon as he’s here then wait til im maybe out of recovery to tell my best friends. Don’t want people to be offended but also don’t want to have to tell my entire phone book he’s arrived when some of them are friends from years ago who I’ve barely spoken to while pregnant but they’ve popped up in the last week or so asking how I’m getting on 🙈 I can imagine there’s enough to be thinking about in hospital than replying to so many messages!

@Ready2020 that definitely sounds like a show and with the contractions as well you may have your baby soon.

@Magik01 good luck for today

Defo to FB announcement. Last time we told family immediately and any best friends but everyone else got the FB post update 2-3 days after he was born! I think that's totally normal. It also means that any family members in the extended family get the chance to hear it from your parents etc rather than finding out through some random person.

Baby doesn't need to "drop" or engage before labour. It can happen days or hours before or even as contractions start. It's just more common to happen earlier with first babies.

@sarah13xx we told immediate family via WhatsApp very soon after the birth as they knew we were in hospital. It was about midnight though! close friends over WhatsApp the following morning then I did an Instagram post once we were home. I only have people I know on Instagram anyway so it reached the remaining people I wanted to know. Whatever way you decide to tell people is right though. There is absolutely no need to message people individually. I’ve already had friends badgering me for a visit but our toddler is taking a while to settle into the new dynamic so we are keeping visitors to a minimum for now or when she is in nursery.

@BertieBotts I think that sounds like the best plan. Very few of my best friends have had a baby yet and anyone I’m friends with but not that close to has just posted it on Facebook and hasn’t messaged me directly so I don’t think they’d expect a message anyway! Will do a post when I’m home as long as I’m feeling okay

@wimbler I think that’s what we’ll do. We’ll tell the very close family while my partner is still there and I’m in recovery then can tell the other family members/best friends later on that night. Definitely take your time and let everyone settle into the new little routine. Never understood friends who contact people so soon for a visit, I waited a full 2 weeks before even texting my friend to ask when she would be ready. I mentioned to them when I saw them last about how I plan to take the first week to recover though so they won’t ask me 😂 even thinking the in-laws will be a lot in the first week. We don’t really have a casual drop in for a visit situation with them, it’s very formal visits so it’s not like they’d be coming to help us 🙈

Yeah people won't expect an individual message! Also it will exhaust you trying to keep up with loads of thank you posts whereas if it's on a comment thread you just post thanks to all :o

Thanks everyone for commiserating on the final stages - makes me feel better somehow. I am still swimming 2-3x a week, although much slower than I was about a month ago!

@Aaaaa1519 - I am also just getting really intense pelvic/side pain on one side. Its the side that the baby is positioned on (left) - wondering if it's the weight?

@sarah13xx Please keep walking daily even if only small walks. You shouldn't decrease your activity especially with an upcoming c-sectikn as this will increase your risk of blood clots after, especially in your legs. I kept up with my walks every day and also did lots of cleaning and tidying up as usual right up till the very day - I went for a 40 min walk at 5am on the morning of my C-section to watch the sunrise and calm down my nerves. Best thing I've done.

I have no swelling, no clotting issues, I'm on the move and with less and less pain. It's so important to think about your recovery in advance. Take good care of yourself xx

@PurplePansy05 did your peeing calm down straight after your section? I honestly cannot wait to not have to go to the bathroom every half hour!!!