BFP after IVF - the journey continues (part 2)

[HopefulllHolly]

SENSITIVE CONTENT

Continuation of previous thread for anyone with a BFP following IVF to support with anxieties and other worries that come along with pregnancy after infertility.

@AnnieStar12
@DippyDuck19
@DogMummy87
@Edf
@Fluffyted
@Leaf86
@LouP87
@Natty2
@SETTC87
@ThePeachGoose
@jas1996
@lemonyfox
@oliviagrace2307
@summerchild92

Please tag anyone else I’ve missed accidentally!

@HopefulllHolly read your messages late last night so am relieved to see this morning you have been feeling her move. Cheeky little lady hiding away having you worrying! But if ever in doubt always get checked out!!

@Sierra26 I had an FET and stopped my meds at the end of 12 weeks after the scan.

@Natty2 thank you ☺️ I bought the giraffe on Facebook marketplace. It's a Melissa and Doug giraffe I think you can get from John Lewis but they are soo expensive. Think it's £120 for the 5ft one (which is what I have) and also comes in a 4ft. I got it at a bargain for £40 so worth checking on Facebook.
Also glad your bonus scan went well and managed to get a little video.

Hi ladies 🤗 just catching up ... sorry I thought I popped a message on in reply to most of you the other day but I didn't post it 🙈 my baby brain is reallllly showing these days!! I'm so forgetful and living in my own world 🤪

@DippyDuck19 love your nursery!! Gorgeous shade of colour 😍 and soooo cute!! Awww so can't wait for all our babies to be here.
Sorry you're already having braxton hips!! Hopefully they'll ease out 🤞🏼 what do they feel like?
Sorry you had a leak in the baby's room!! That's so gutting but glad you were able to clean it up straight away. Hopefully no more leaks!!

My back is deffo feeling the strain now, I can sit down for a short time before I have to shuffle around or stand up 🤣 oh the joys!
I desperately need to get a pregnancy pillow 🙈 what's everyone's favourites? I'm stuck on what one to get as I have no idea about them really.

I've started to wash the baby clothes 😍🥰 it's the best feeling seeing these tiny little babygrows!! I've been buying nappies & formula & newborn wipes for a few weeks now, stocking up & getting used to the extra baby bits to buy in the weekly shop!
I think I'm gonna pack my hospital bag at the end of November but have started to buy bits like disposable knickers (🤣) and sprits for your bits etc, weekly, so it's less to think about later on.

@AnnieStar12 I'm so glad you are feeling more movements now!! I think mine started all in similar places - now they're all over the place!
I haven't looked at disposable wipes to be honest. Probably should really, but I just want for pampers to start with.
I've also been referred for pregnancy physio!! Not sure what that will cover really. My appointment isn't until the end of November so ages away, I'll be 33 weeks by then 😅
Good luck with your obstetrician appointment!

I originally planned to go maternity leave on 18th December but I'm actually thinking of starting at the beginning of December now it's getting closer. I have annual leave to take so I might just use it and enjoy the rest / nesting stage before the Christmas festivities start life gets super busy. I'd love to just get fully into nesting mode now and forget all about work 😂

@HopefulllHolly awww sorry you had a moody midwife!! It sucks when they are like that, because this is such a happy time for us all!! Always a let down when the midwife is in a bad mood.
Glad your urine & blood pressure are fine 🙌🏼 I hope your migraines ease out - sounds horrible!!
It's so strange how midwives work so differently in different areas - my next appointment is at 28 weeks so next week but that was 4 weeks after my last one! Then my next appointment will be at 31 weeks. Did she listen to your baby girls heartbeat? My little lady still hasn't got a patterns, hopefully that's nothing to worry about, I'm glad yours has a pattern - makes it much easier to keep an eye on!!
Good luck with your antenatal course!
Aww your countdown app sounds cute. Which one do you use?
I had a little freak out in my head the other day when I realised that I have less then 3 months left!!! And I suddenly felt like that was no time to prepare, then gave myself a talking too and realised I have plenty of time 😅 pregnancy hormones at its finest.
Thats sounds scary that your baby girl didn't move all day!! I'd be in pieces, you started very calm, well done!! And your baby girl is perfectly fine, she must have found a cosy spot! It's so horrible though in those moments - I think you did amazing! I'm so glad for you that she's having her dance parties again & moving lots.

@ThePeachGoose I'm so glad your 20 week scan went well 🥰 amazing news!! Congratulations on the 20 week mark too!! It's crazy how big they get from the 12 week - 20 week mark!
Glad you get another scan at 36 weeks!! One big plus side from doing IVF is the extra scan(s). That's annoying about the whooping cough vaccine - bizarre they ran out!! Just don't expect that from the antenatal clinic 🙈
Awww that's so gutting about your friend!! Sorry she's putting so much stress & anxiety onto you, that's not good at all. I think you are doing the right thing my messaging & engaging with her less. You need to be at your calmest now and think if she can't give you that then it's deffo for the best to have some breathing space away from her. Sad because she's a best friend to you, but she isn't putting your needs first at this time.

@Sierra26 I did a FET and was medicated - I stopped everything after the 12 weeks mark, as told to my midwife & clinic. The oral medication (oestrogen) ran out on the day of the 12 week scan so stopped them then, and I stopped taking the injections & pessaries (both progesterone) 3 days later.
My IVF clinic did tell me to the plan though - at the beginning of my FET round. After my 7 week scan she just said keep taking the medication you have till 12 weeks or your medication runs out. Then the midwife at my booking appointment (9 weeks) said to stop taking it at 12 weeks as there was no need to take it then as the placenta will be doing all the work.
I was planning on taking the progesterone until they ran out as I had another week of injections left and lots of pessaries but the side effects & pregnancy symptoms got so bad I decided to just stop after the 12 week mark (I was actually 13 weeks by then as the 12 week scan measured me a week ahead of what I was) and it helped massively with the side effects.

@Natty2 aww that sounds amazing about your little scan video!! How sweet & something to treasure forever 🥰 so glad you had another scan - what a bonus!!
How lovely!! Have a lovely time away, how exciting. Yes deffo enjoy the calm before the renovation & baby prep takes over! All worth it in the end 😊

@HopefulllHolly I’m pleased you were able to get some reassurance moves in the middle of the night, true to her pattern! hopefully she’ll have a more active day today and you’ll be able to relax a bit

Thank you for reading my rant, ladies. You are all right and I know it. I need to start distancing myself for a while until I’m in a better place. It’s funny that I haven’t spoken with her since Monday (which is unusual, she must have sensed my irritation lol) but the anger, frustration and rumination has remained with me. I definitely need to work harder this week at putting myself and my baby first. I’m sure that this was all amplified by the pregnancy hormones and I may have been able to handle all of it better outside of pregnancy, or just not care as much. Because now in addition to everything, I’m also angry that she would dare to put this on me right now 😆

@HopefulllHolly I have little patience for those sort of people myself, but this was a bit different because it was one of my best friends so I was giving her more leeway. She used to be such a rational, collected, soon-to-be 40 year old lady, but it almost feels like she’s not that person anymore. She’s painted herself into the victim corner in the past few years, and has stopped wanting to grow and work on herself, it’s always someone else’s fault. I can’t help her if she doesn’t want to help herself, you're right

@AnnieStar12 aaaah sorry that you have to deal with something similar, it’s not what you need during pregnancy! Hope that you can find the time and space to focus on yourself too.

@Natty2 thank you! you are right, I need to put my peace first. So sorry to hear that you’re dealing with pelvic pain! Referring yourself to the physio is the best move. Fingers crossed that it helps! A friend went through something similar and her physio was a lifeline. Hopefully you are still able to enjoy Devon and that the pains will calm down a bit while there

@Fluffyted I got the bbhugme and I’ve been very happy with it. You can control its firmness with these adjustment clips, it’s easy to shape into what you need, and it’s also long so I use it in 3 places (between knees, underneath my bump, underneath my arm to stop my shoulder from collapsing). I called the maternity this morning and thankfully they have the vaccine back in stock, so I’ll go in later to get it and get the Mat b1 form too. You are right about my friend, I need to accept that and take a step back oof

@Fluffyted thank you ☺️
Braxton hicks are not painful just really uncomfortable. Your bump goes tense and rock hard for a few seconds. I usually get it if I've walked too much or too fast.

As for the pregnancy pillow, I also have the bbhugme and like it. Couldn't sleep without it.

I ended up going to hospital as she still wasn’t moving much today so rang them and they told me off for not going in sooner (in a nice caring way). Anyway, went in and she was moving so much they couldn’t get her heart rate monitor to focus on her heart, I just couldn’t feel anything. They think she’s in a position very low down in a ball so that’s why I couldn’t feel much. Have to go back again if I continue feeling very little. The midwife was easily one of the loveliest people I’ve ever met so that made all the difference. Anyway - phew! A stressful few days I hope I can have a good sleep now tonight!

@HopefulllHolly ab I’m pleased you went in and got some reassurance and hopefully they made you feel comfortable to go in whenever you need in future!

@Fluffyted i got a cheap-ish basic maternity pillow off Amazon in my last pregnancy. Think it was like £30 and it’s fantastic - does the job perfectly. I have been using it again for a couple months now.

@Sierra26 mine was a fresh transfer and I was told to take progesterone until 14 weeks. My experience was the nhs didn’t really care too much about it, so it was the ivf clinic advising me on that one.

Ive had a productive day - I’ve got out all the baby clothes and other baby bits and pieces and me and my mum have sorted it all in to age piles and I’ve been washing it all day. I must be on my 5th washing cycle now! And I’m only on the “up to one month” size. lol, I forgot I had so much and I’ve been ordering bits of vinted too. Hope it’ll fit in the drawers!! But it’s been nice handling all the little baby suits 🩷

@HopefulllHolly ah I’m so pleased you went in and I’m pleased you had a good experience with the midwife. For our education, when are you supposed to go in then? As soon as you notice a reduction in movement? Hope that you’ll sleep well tonight and all the way through the disco party lol

@AnnieStar12 you are very on it! We have a big bag of 0-6 months clothes coming our way soon from my SIL that I’ll need to do the same to.

I finally got my whooping cough vaccine today (which apparently has diphteria, tetanos and polio boosters in it) as well as the Mat b1, so I can get cracking with that!

@AnnieStar12 Awww that’s so lovely! Bet you have a tonne of stuff by the sounds of it! I don’t really know what I’ve bought at this point so I’m excited to go through it and wash it and put it away like you. I ordered the nursery furniture today - was planning on waiting until Black Friday but I found it with a discount code and the cot mattress included so I saved about £250 on it and I don’t think I’ll find it cheaper than that on BF really. So fingers crossed after the weekend after this one we’ll have the room painted and furniture up and in and then I can unpack like you! 😍😍😍 I think I am starting to nest now - my other half says I’ve gone “turbo” with doing things around the house and organising stuff. Which I have to be honest but I am enjoying it. The midwife today did tell me to slow down a bit though as I had been getting shooting pains in my stomach and she thinks it might be from overdoing it. 🙃 Need to try and calm myself down a little maybe. It has meant I’ve bought new bedding and duvet and mattress topper so I’m now tucked up like princess and the pea 😂😂 Slight silver lining!
Midwife was wonderful and I’m so glad I went - I’ll definitely not be scared to go in again if I need it. She told me she sees some women every day for movement checks because they are so anxious, so I felt less silly. Still slightly silly as baby was moving like mad and I couldn’t feel a thing! Cheeky little madam already making me worry.

I can’t believe we’re all here and closer to meeting our babies than not. So excited for everyone to start having them! Maybe (if anyone wants to) we could have a WhatsApp group for late nights when we’re in the wide awake club) ☺️ Or just a new group on the pregnancy board!

@HopefulllHolly I love the idea of setting up a whatsapp group or a new group on the pregnancy board. It’s been lovely, educational and reassuring to go through pregnancy with such a lovely group of women, and I’d love to do it all over again in our early parenting days. I think I’ll go “turbo” mode soon as well as I had a mini panic attack today looking at the calendar and realising how much there is to be done in so little time, considering there’s Christmas in the middle with all the family gatherings and Christmas shopping, and we’re going away for 10 days as well. I got a mattress topper and a new pillow, along with the bbhugme, when I started sleeping on my side and it’s been feeling absolutely fantastic on my achey bones. For some reason, my bum perceives every surface, from sofas to armchairs and beds, as rock-hard 😂

Side note, a couple of friends moved back to Australia recently and had their baby there, and they were telling me that the norm there is to do a baby parenting class from birth to 12 weeks, which is great for getting timely info and questions answered, as well as making parent friends when the babies are here. But the model sounded very NCT-like in that it was done by area so everyone would be from your neighbourhood. Do we have anything like that here? I feel like every class I’ve seen is mostly focused on labour with some other bits thrown in, and after birth most people seem to do sensory classes.

@HopefulllHolly I am in full turbo mode too, lol! Been moving all the rooms around to make one of them the baby room which kind of means I am revamping three different rooms in the house. I’ve been working at home and doing house stuff in between meetings, and even doing some cheeky internet shopping while on zoom calls! Well down finding your baby furniture at a good bargain price.

And yeah I like the idea of a new chat / thread for the early days too. Sometime nice to know someone else is awake breast feeding at 3am lol!

@HopefulllHolly im glad you got the reassurance! I’m constantly questioning movements at the Mo so it’s good to know how lovely they were!

also up for WhatsApp for those night time feeds, anything to improve the 2am lull!!

@HopefulllHolly glad you got checked out and everything ok.

Exciting you've ordered your nursery furniture at a good price. Mines coming this weekend. Can't wait to start sorting all his clothes out.

A WhatsApp group would be nice. I'm already in a January 2025 one. Although I'm one of the last due dates and not many FTM or ivf pregnancies so don't feel as connected with them as I do you guys!!

@AnnieStar12 that's my job tomorrow, washing all the baby clothes. Hoping it won't be too many cycles.

@ThePeachGoose Oh my bum is very sensitive too - everything is uncomfortable to sit on now. And MY BACK! (I can’t remember who said recently their back is killing but mine has been horrendous the last few days - I’m wondering if it’s because she’s so low down and putting pressure on it, but it’s agony). I’ve booked a massage on Sunday night so very much looking forward to that! The lady who does my massages has offered to come and massage baby too once she’s here which is lovely - I’ve heard it’s good for babies! I’m planning on going for a massage when I start labouring as she’s only down the road and it’s so relaxing - figured it can’t help with oxytocin!
On the class thing - I don’t know, I don’t think so? But then I haven’t really been looking for one and tbh to me it sounds stressful trying to get out the house with a newborn while sleep deprived and sore to go to classes - but that’s a personal thing. I’m very much planning to be cosy in bed for the first week she’s here and hibernating together. ☺️ I can see how it would be helpful though!

@AnnieStar12 Haha we’re all going full nesting mode it sounds like! Sounds like you’re doing lots - take it easy! I’ve been running around doing stuff in between meetings too - hung a pair of new very heavy big curtains today in between calls 🤣 Had the coving people back here too so the nursery coving and ceiling rose are up and look very pretty! Can’t wait until next weekend when we can start painting!

@DippyDuck19 I think I’d find the January one overwhelming - too many people! And I feel like I know you all now ☺️ so I’ll make one closer to the time so we can keep in touch. Exciting your furniture is coming this weekend - are you doing the assembly this weekend? Ours comes on Friday - so excited!!

@Natty2 Hope you’re having a nice time in Devon if you’re already down there! I love it down Cornwall and Devon way, lots of lovely coastal walks and fresh air! Sorry to hear about the pelvic pain already - I hope it’s not too bad! Fingers crossed the physio helps.

Baby is still fairly quiet today - I haven’t gone back in as I have felt her bounce around a bit. I’m trying not to worry as I was in yesterday and I could see that my not feeling anything doesn’t mean she’s not moving. But it’s very hard!

@HopefulllHolly oh dear, don't like the sound of agony when it comes to lower back pain! Good thinking in booking a massage. If that doesn't work out, definitely see a physio, as there's so many changes in pregnancy (like spine over-arching because of the growing belly) that could put a lot of pressure on the lower back. My pelvic floor physio highlighted straight away that my posture was wrong and it will only cause problems later. Here's more info on the correct posture in pregnancy and some exercises that hopefully can bring you some relief - https://www2.hse.ie/conditions/back-pain/back-pain-in-pregnancy/

Oh I looked a bit more into that Australian baby class and it's just 2 x 4 hour sessions that are meant to cover the knowledge and answer the questions needed in the first 12 weeks, it's not all crammed in the first week after birth lol But I thought to look into NCT and they actually do something similar too, just in 4 x 2 hour sessions. Outrageous though that only one parent is allowed with the baby! The NCT one isn't particularly close to us, so I may look at the other 2 companies that do antenatal classes as I suspect that they might offer something similar too. Answered my own question there! lol

Hello everyone, how are you all doing? @HopefulllHolly was it nursery painting this weekend (or is it next?!) and @DippyDuck19 were you assembling furniture? @AnnieStar12 how are you finding the energy?! I’m so impressed with all the organising and prep (and inspired…). I’m still feeling a bit anxious so haven’t quite got it in me to start purchasing or getting out and washing the newborn clothes, but I’ve had to face the reality of time marching on and have made a list of November jobs. 😂 I am still in a bit of a decision rut about double buggies / daily transport options. A friend is giving us her bassinet for our existing yoyo, which I think I’m going to use day to day (as my toddler will be at nursery) but I think we’ll probably end up with an all-terrain double like the MB duet for the weekend. I’m holding off ordering stuff too from a storage perspective, we don’t have an empty nursery to stash bits this time and I don’t want to get it all out and unpacked until way nearer my due date. I feel like December is going to be taken up by getting ready for Christmas and Christmas social stuff and I’d like to dedicate January to meal prepping as much as possible, so I don’t think we have a lot of weekends left.

I have physio at the hospital on Friday, but otherwise I’m on a countdown to my first growth scan and 28 week midwife appointment in two weeks time. @Natty2 sorry to hear you’re also struggling with your pelvis, it’s been intermittently extremely painful for me so hoping the physio helps.

In cute news, my 16 month old seems to have registered there is a baby in my tummy - he keeps lifting my t shirt to kiss the bump. 😭😭

@Leaf86 yes had a productive weekend building the cot and wardrobe. Also washed all of baby boys clothes and started packing hospital bags! My spare room is now almost cleared for the MIL coming on Sunday! The only thing I'm waiting for now is the nursing chair which will hopefully arrive next week. Nursery will then be finished ☺️
So cute your 16 month old kissing your bump 🥰

On another note, I'm 28 weeks today and officially third trimester 😱

@Leaf86 Hello! ☺️ Ah bless you - I don’t think there’s any rush to start sorting anything, especially when you have a little one! Don’t stress. I’m just willing the time to pass - so anything I can get ready now so I don’t have to rush when I want to be chilling in December and January the better. It is scary how quickly the weekends are passing which makes me anxious too. So cute your little one has been kissing their little sibling! That would make me cry 🥹 Bet they’ll be a wonderful big brother!

@DippyDuck19 Awww well done it looks beautiful! 😍 Bet it feels really real now! You’re very organised. Omg can’t believe you’re 28 weeks! I’m 27 weeks on Thursday and it feels like time is really passing quickly now. Feels like yesterday it was my 20 week scan and that was 7 weeks ago - in 7 weeks time I’ll be 34 weeks and it’ll be nearly Christmas! Eeek!

@Leaf86 We’re painting this weekend coming. I am hoping the paint colours are right - the neutral for the top half looks dark in the tin but we colour matched it to the cot. Hopefully it’ll be fine! Last weekend we went to look at prams and car seats (even though I’d already decided I was interested to see if I could be persuaded to get another one - plus it was for the John Lewis discount lol!). Was a good opportunity for my other half and he was very excited. So cute seeing him practice 🥹 We’ve definitely settled on the Fox 5, though I did like the ICandy too - it was just quite heavy and harder to move around. And we’re going to get the Pebble 360 car seat. So I think we’ll be ordering them around Black Friday so we don’t end up with boxes everywhere. Very exciting! ☺️
Ive had a growth spurt the last week and my bump is massive now. People keep commenting and asking how much bigger I’ll get and stuff - and I made the mistake of weighing myself which is terrifying. I’ve gained THREE STONE since starting IVF, which seems insane, and nearly 2 stone from when I have fell pregnant. I don’t know what the norm is but now I can’t stop thinking about it. 🙃 I do keep looking at myself and I do like being pregnant though, I don’t look fat just very curvy and pregnant which is new for me, so I’m enjoying feeling very womanly, even if I weigh a lot 🤣

On the plus side I think baby is doing well, she’s moved out of her little hiding place and now kicks me constantly. I went to the hygienist yesterday and she was kicking me so hard I kept moving my hand to rub my stomach to calm her down a bit and they kept thinking I was in pain from the dental work and raising my hand so kept stopping 😂😂 Was quite funny. As I type she’s having a right party in there. I love the feeling though!

@DippyDuck19 omgosh, what a cute nursery!! Such a good idea for a wardrobe 🥰🥰🥰

@DippyDuck19 your nursery is beautiful 😍 well done ! Love the wardrobe set up. I would love to have that much storage! We have a single alcove wardrobe for both babies so it’s going to be a squeeeeeze. 🙈

@HopefulllHolly so glad baby girl is moving better now! They do like to scare us! Don’t worry too much about the weight gain - I gained well over what is recommended / normal in my last pregnancy and I had lost nearly all of it by 4 months post partum. I think IVF makes you start off a bit heavier going into pregnancy and then everyone is different in terms of the weight gain trajectory. I personally seem to gain most of mine in first and second trimester and didn’t really add that much in third. Sounds like you’ve made some great choices on the pram etc. it’s super exciting getting ready to order it all!

@summerchild92 @Leaf86 I can't take credit for the wardrobe. Was all DPs idea and creation! I was going to have a changing table but unfortunately didn't have the room with a small wardrobe. So DP created that using ikeas pax wardrobe. Really happy with it and plenty of storage. Not quite sure how to arrange everything at the mo! He now wants to create a sensory area above the changing bit so baby has something to look at while being changed.

@HopefulllHolly the last 8 weeks have flown by!!! To have gone 8 weeks without a scan seems crazy considering I was needing them every 4-6 weeks initially! It definitely helps being about to feel him. The next few weeks will fly by too I reckon. I have my 28 week consultant appointment Thursday and will start fragmin injections. Then am on annual leave for a week and we have a 4d scan booked. Then it's only 4 weeks left of work. Think panic will set in at that point lol don't know what I'm going to do with myself!!!

Little update here- 27+6 today and had 28 week scan- baby is measuring 29+4 and 97 percentile 🙈🙈 gestational diabetes test coming my way!! Already 2lb15 and hoping the scan is not accurate!

@Edf goodluck with the diabetes test, fingers crossed it’s just a big baby!!

@DippyDuck19 whoho, congrats on getting to third trimester!! And on a lovely nursery.

I am 25 weeks now so feels like absolutely ages since any checks or scans, and still got three weeks until all the third trimester check ups.

I’ve also been busy with finishing our nursery, have been washing bags and bags of baby clothes, blankets, muslin squares etc etc from the loft and I think I have waayyyy too many clothes. I don’t know why I ordered more from vinted, but I have two more bundles still to arrive!! I accidentally brought some tiny baby stuff too which im not sure what to do with. But I guess I can take it to the hospital as maybe coming a week early she’ll need something small. Although, judging by size of my bump I don’t think she’s on the small size, lol!!
The last few days I’ve suddenly got huge and really feeling the pregnancy. I got out the pregnancy ball too which is great to bounce on when at home.

@HopefulllHolly I remember putting on 4 stone in my first pregnancy!! It was a bit less the second time at 2 stone. And this pregnancy and the last one I refused to get on the scales as I just don’t want to know!

Silly question from me, and the answer is pretty obvious, but I only have one of these Mat b1 forms and the midwife told me to fill it in and look after it as I only get one, so I don’t want to get it wrong lol Here it goes… is the Date of Birth supposed to be my date of birth? Or is it the day I give birth on and I fill in later for SMP purposes? Told you it was silly!

I’m planning to process my Mat b1 form this week and send it to the accountants. I’m getting rid of our guest bed on Friday and after that, nursery prep begins! I need to clear the wardrobe and drawers in the guest bedroom and find new places for those things, as I also have a bag of 0-6m clothes coming my way from my SIL, so there will be a lot of washing and sorting and putting away in the coming weeks. We have a nursery consultation with JL at the beginning of Nov, so we should be in a good place for the Black Friday sales when those come around. It would be amazing if the JL nursery discount can combine with the Black Friday discounts, but that’s just me dreaming big.

@Leaf86 your toddler is being so adorable!

@DippyDuck19 your nursery is gorgeous! it’s really coming together. which nursing chair did you go for? I didn’t even look into those. and happy third trimester! may it be as comfortable as humanly possible. I love all your DP’s ideas, including the sensory area above the changing bit. I’m definitely stealing that one. What made you go for a 4d scan? I’m wondering if that’s something I should consider when I get there

@HopefulllHolly ah so pleased to read that your baby is kicking more constantly and more forcefully. you must be way more relaxed this week! I do find it hilarious as well when I do things like meditation, acupuncture, or Kegels and I’m trying to focus my mind but this little baby keeps kicking me. I find it hilarious too. Well done on getting your teeth cleaned! Your pregnant gums must be very happy

@Edf fingers crossed for the gestational diabetes test!

@AnnieStar12 sounds like you’ve been busy! but good to keep yourself busy in between the appointments. can’t believe everyone is in or getting close to the third trimester! I’m excited to read all about your experiences.

@Leaf86 Ah that’s a relief - I feel like a whale. I am loving being pregnant but I am excited to meet baby now and also get back to my pre-pregnancy body (not just weight but also just feeling a bit more with it 😅). But I was thinking and I know I’m going to be really sad to not feel her kicking around and growing. It’s going to be strange!

@DippyDuck19 Awww your partner is cute thinking of those things! Bless him. Haha yeah I was thinking about how quickly the last few weeks have gone and how long we’ve all managed without scans when we were so reliant on them (especially me!). I am still in two minds about having a 3D one to be honest! Hope your appointment tomorrow goes well, give us an update! Im off work for a week the week after next which I’m excited about. Going to do baby clothes washing and putting away and potter about. Also bloody knackered again atm so looking forward to the rest! So nice after all your plans you’ll be finished work, that will feel crazy real then!

@Edf Oh bless little girlie! I’m sure she’s totally normal size, how many threads on the pregnancy board about percentiles and they are all a normal weight in the end. Hope the diabetes test goes ok too! When do you have that? As if she’s measuring nearly 2 weeks ahead! That’s crazy!!

@AnnieStar12 I definitely shouldn’t have got on the scales. I did look really chubby but my face has slimmed back down so I was shocked to see how much I’d gained recently! I bet it is easy to forget how much stuff you have hoarded, and honestly it’s nice to buy new stuff for her anyway! At least you’re all set now ☺️ I was going to ask about the birthing ball - when shall I get one? I wasn’t sure if I should wait until slightly later but my back is killing me now so maybe it would help. Pregnancy massage every 2 weeks has been a bloody godsend though! Glad you’re keeping ok! It’s weird how quickly you grow after 20 weeks, I’m going to be a bloody monster! 👹