April 2023 - We’re nearly half way! ✨ 🍼

[Cuppasoupmonster]

New thread! Hopefully this one will see us through 20 week scans and crossing the halfway point! 💕

As ever if you’re missing from the list give me a shout and I will add you:

Cuppasoupmonster second baby 7th (induction 37w) 💖
Milkandfenty third baby 1st 💛
Searchingtheskies second baby 2nd 💛
Biscuitsplease first baby 2nd 💖
Chocolat first baby 3rd 💛
Bluebubbles12 second baby 4th 💛
Erber third baby 4th 💛
CariadBB first baby 5th 💛
Skylark1990 second baby 7th 💛
Melissa2023 first baby 8th 💙
Tubbytele second baby 14th (CS 39w) 💛
Alwaysseeingstars first baby 9th 💛
Lj2022 first baby 10th 💖
Emeal123 second baby 11th 💙
DBS94 first baby 11th 💙
tattlytote second baby 12th 💛
Bernesemum first baby 12th 💛
Lid88 second baby 13th 💛
Ncbn first baby 14th 💙
Kennadams fourth baby 16th 💛
Margo34 second baby 16th💛
Aliceinslumberland first baby 16th (CS 39w) 💙
Appleandcheese first baby 18th 💛
Xalexandra first baby 20th 💛
Piggybean first baby 20th 💛
Tropicana1 second baby 20th 💛
Puddingbear 27th (CS 39w) 💛
Springblooms08 first baby 21st 💛
Hannah223344 first baby 21st 💙
Gilm0reGirl second baby 21st 💛
Pommy1 first baby 22nd 💖
Deek88 second baby 24th 💛
Marshmallowmountain first baby 25th 💖
LauraA31 first baby 26th 💛
Peachesthecat third baby 26th 💛
Allfurcoatnoknickers second baby 28th 💖
Limoncelloo 29th March second baby 💖
MamaMenna second baby 30th 💖

@cheekysausage childcare costs are a lot of money aren't they, DD does three "9am-3:30pm" a week for fun and socialising and before the 15hrs kicked in it was between £550-£650 a month. Now it's £300ish with the 15hrs. A friends baby daughter goes 4 full days a week and it's £1100ish, I nearly fell off my chair! And the prices are going up like everything else as all their bills have gone up too. Makes working for some women impossible with those numbers.

Morning ladies, friendly reminder to do your pelvic floor exercises! I keep forgetting and was doing them religiously by this point with DC1 🙈

@Springblooms08 I did pregnancy pilates from 16w with DC1, it was online during the first lockdown but it was so lovely and it gave structure to my week as it was the same time every week. This time around with the toddler at my ankles it is so much harder to commit to a regular exercise slot like that, I go swimming when I can instead, aiming for once a week but doesn't always happen!

Saw my friend and her newborn yesterday (5weeks) - it was soooo nice to see how my 2yo responded to the newborn and how there was no problems with me cuddling or holding the newborn either! Was so worried how my toddler would be as 2yo keeps saying to other toddlers when we're out and about "NO that's MYYYY mummy!" whilst clinging on to my leg 🙈 I'm now slightly reassured my toddler with be a great and doting big sibling 😍

Also on childcare costs though, the newborn I saw yesterday has already had space reserved for them in childcare for in 1 year time 😱 my friend said it's going to cost them £93 a day 🤯 my DD childcare costs £65/day. The government tax-free childcare scheme helps though so that covers 20% of the bill but still, childcare bills hurt!

The postpartum strength training I had been doing incorporated pelvic floor conditioning just by the way you breathe and engage your core while lifting, squatting etc. It's been sooo much better for my pelvic floor than kegels! It's cured issues I had even before pregnancy, like an overactive bladder.

I'm determined to keep going with the pregnancy strength training because I think it will help my pelvic floor and keep my body strong for labour. And it's really improved my posture, my back was all weird after counteracting a giant bump last time. So I'm hoping that won't happen this time if I keep it up!

@ancienthouse do you have a link for your strength training? Is it suitable for someone who is starting from 0?
@Margo34 do you have any instructions for how often to do pelvic floor exercises? I should really make a start!!

Uk childcare costs are eye watering, I just don't understand how anyone on a normal income can make things work with one child let alone more. Here in Germany we pay less than 300 euros a month for 8 am - 2 pm five days a week and that includes breakfast and lunch. Plus we are taxed as a couple so have a more generous tax allowance and the German equivalent of child benefit is really generous. Families are well supported here.

Dreamt I felt baby moving last night, it was so realistic I wasn't sure at first it was a dream 😂

@MamaMenna yes I think so, there's an introductory pregnancy core basics bit for beginners. It also has a pregnancy tip each week about something helpful and it has content from midwives, pelvic floor therapists, lactation consultants and others I think. It's American but I love it.

getmomstrong.com/

@MamaMenna I was instructed through my pregnancy pilates last time and given exercises to do daily to reinforce and build core strength as @ancienthouse said. We already use our pelvic floor muscles a lot anyway we're just less aware of them, the exercises I was given were around using breathing to strengthen them. I don't have any links unfortunately!

@Margo34 @ancienthouse thanks and I'll check out the link

Thanks ive just done a few exercises now 😉 luckily my pelvic floor seems to be pretty strong even after the forceps, I’ve never leaked a drip (not to brag but just in case any of the FTMs here are worried!). I’ve never been particularly religious about the exercises either but I remember doing them a lot in the early months after the birth.

Do any of the 2nd time mums feel like this baby is a bit bigger? Or is it just because the bump has popped earlier this time 😂 my big sis (first baby) was 7lb and I (2nd baby) was over 9. Don’t want history to repeat itself 😬

@Cuppasoupmonster I have no personal experience as am a FTM, but I know that out of my mum's 4 children, each baby was smaller than the previous! On the flip side though my sisters two were the other way round 😂

@Gilm0reGirl our nursery costs for 4 full days are about £1100 too! With the tax free childcare it comes down to about £900 but still mega expensive.... It is totally dependant on salary whether it's worth both parents going back to work. DH and I just had a chat about the plan once no.2 is nursery age/I have to go back to work as I want to go more part time to 3 days a week not 4, and ideally put the kids into nursery for an extra half day so I get that half day to myself/to do chores 😅So they'd go 3.5 days a week... not sure if it will be feasible but I am hopeful that as DD will be 3 by then the 30 free hours will help... 😬

Thank you @ancienthouse for the link to your strength training I am going to check it out as need to do something!

Yes pelvic floor- so important. I think pregnancy yoga often has some exercises incorporated for it, and the NHS squeezey app is helpful to remind you when and what to do.

@MamaMenna that sounds like such a good set up re childcare costs & family tax credits etc... the UK needs to get with the program!

@Cuppasoupmonster I think second babies are often bigger but as @alwaysseeingstars said not always the case! My baby was 8lbs 8oz and I had forceps (low) and I have healed well and never had incontinence issues (except when spewing during first trimester this time! 😅) so even if your baby is bigger, it doesn't mean it will cause issues so don't worry! Also as you are being induced early it's unlikely baby will be suuuper big anyway :) I think obviously having a properly big baby can make labour and delivery harder but for the most part, our bodies are very good at adapting and we wouldn't usually grow a baby 'too big' - this would be rare (I know @ancienthouse you feel this did happen to you so I know it can happen - I think positioning of baby definitely plays a vital role too!)

@Skylark1990 yes I think my baby was just too big! My husband's genes run strong, his family produce 10lb babies whereas I was only 7lb at birth even though I was overdue! When I asked at my birth reflections appointment they said it was obstructed labour because the baby was so big it couldn't move into a better position, it was so squished up in there and I'm not tall enough to accommodate such giant babies! I asked how to have a smaller baby next time, she said "get a smaller husband" 😂
So we'll see how this one grows. I think it will be big but I'll be doing everything I can to try to help position etc. but sometimes there's just nothing you can do. I'm much more accepting of a csection this time if I need one though, on my terms.

@MamaMenna I hope you find something that works for you. I think there is a free trial for that one so you can check it out.
I honestly think it's the best money I've ever spent on myself. I struggled with the programme at first but I've seen so much improvement in so many things, and I've never been so strong in my life!

I was really sad last week when doing my pelvic floor exercises on the loo that I leaked a little bit, and then coughed quite hard and some pee shot out 😭 before pregnancy I've never had any problems with that sort of stuff and I felt I had very good control.

I had previously thought leaking pee was caused by the baby being heavy and pushing down but I read in early pregnancy an increased amount of progesterone can cause muscles to relax and cause pee to leak...

Grumble. I'm so gloomy lately 😅

I'd forgotten about the NHS Squeeze app, thanks @Skylark1990

@ancienthouse I sympathise, I don't think my baby was big as yours but I struggled giving birth to him because he was nearly 9lbs and his position wasn't great. I remember in the 2nd trimester he used to push into my ribs and literally take my breath away at times because of how squished he was. Really hope that doesn't happen this time!

I’m so achy today I’ve not really had too many aches and pains so far 😩 I know my body is stretching though so trying not to overthink it, it’s just like a crampy stitch that comes on and off, anyone else experiencing this? I’m 18+2 xx

Thank you ladies, pelvic floor app installed and first session completed and 20 mins of prenatal yoga just completed. I'm calling that a kick start to doing some exercise 💪

Yay @MamaMenna ! I also made it my mission to find some prenatal in person yoga classes nearby and have now successfully enrolled in Thursday night classes, starting tonight! I've booked the next 5 weeks block then will see from there but they look really good :) The instructor said that lots of the women going are due in March or April so that's a bonus! Hopefully can meet a few people.

@Emeal123 I get this too, I'm 18+6... I think it's very normal!

@Skylark1990 pregnancy just provides constant new worries doesn’t it! So glad for this group 🙌🏻

Thanks @Skylark1990 youre very knowledgable and always make me feel calmer! DH was a tiny baby (5lb10 overdue!) and I was a whopper, and we joke together our genes meant DD was bang on average. My poor mum had a shoulder dystocia with me and loved telling me all the gory details so I think that’s worried me about anything big baby related!

@ancienthouse have you checked out Spinning Babies? I plan to start doing the exercises at around 28 week - aiming for every other day 🤞🏻