November babies - getting close now...

[KatieKat88]

Thought I'd post another November babies thread as I haven't seen one in ages. I'll be 31 weeks tomorrow and it's starting to feel very real now! Not that the crazy heartburn and ever expanding bump wasn't enough of a reminder... anyone else due in November and want to chat?

@smartcarnotsosmartdriver I'm having a c-section for much the same reasons. It is ultimately the safest way and I am so anxious about him getting injured too.

From everything I've read, yes recovery is a bigger deal than an easy vaginal birth but considerably easier than a difficult one!

@smartcarnotsosmartdriver your EDD is the day after mine - after fixating on the end of November all along, I think the fact it's going to be within the next two weeks is what is spooking me the most. Your comment about 'wandered off' made me 🤣. I definitely think it's important we keep a bit of humour going through all of this 👍 Has the transverse lie been suggested by palpation? Just that they were so determined mine was head down and it's not, so you never know - but good that you have a scan which can check. One of the things that has actually made me feel rather concerned is that if I hadn't had this leaking and my placenta hadn't been low at 20 weeks then I wouldn't have had a scan and I'd be potentially facing an undiagnosed breech 😲

Completely agree @leomama81 about ease of recovery being better than a complicated physiological birth with interventions. I'm holding onto the fact that I know of at least a couple of women who managed to get back into exercise within a few weeks of their sections (obviously being extremely careful) - planned ones usually easier recovery than emergency ones.

Have I mentioned the book 'why caesarian matters' (I can't remember if I have on this thread)? It's really informative and non judgemental about the facts. We're sitting down tomorrow to work through birth preferences for an ELCS given I probably ought to have something I'm place in case it all kicks off before the booked date 🤪 - and I will be looking back through that book for some ideas/facts.

@ruralcat I have been consistently around the 10th percentile line, then had an extra scan this week for something else and the sonographer has put me smack on the 50th. I'm not sure how accurate any measurements are given the number of variables, I think consistency (ie not dropping loads) is what they are really checking for.

In other news I think something has started here-24 hours of irregular but slowly strengthening contractions, along with back ache and a bit of period type pain. I'm now regretting reading the thread where people were talking about latent labour lasting a week or more! Fingers crossed for a baby by the weekend!

@Weathergirl1 definitely important to try and laugh although it's not always easy. I'm veering between wanting him to come early because I'm in so much pain and feeling horribly guilty about wanting him to come early. He seems to be having a rare time lounging about. It definitely feels like he's moved but I couldn't tell you where. Last night I swear I could see 2 bumps, one bum one head. In some ways if he was transverse it would eliminate any doubt I'm having about opting for a cesarian. I'm really hoping that once he's here and my hormones start to go back to normal I can get out walking with him. I've really missed being able to walk.

@Montgomerystubercles believe it or not, it was only the second time I'v been measured. The first time at 34 weeks I was only 2 weeks behind and then at 38 weeks I was 4 weeks behind. Even those have not actually been plotted on the graph so I really have no pattern.
Fingers crossed that you aren't kept in limbo for too long!

Thanks @Weathergirl1 that is useful advice, I will look at that book too.

I can imagine that having it moved forward so much must be very overwhelming! I am down for a C-section on the 25th of November, I am having another growth scan next Weds and am wondering if they may want to bring it forward due to his size but we'll see.

Everything ok otherwise?

And how is everyone else doing today?

I'm due a month today, nervous and excited....
I am a ftm so really don't know what to expect but I spoke to my midwife last week and she mentioned my delivery will be in the midwife led unit.
My baby was in transverse lie until 34 weeks and has now got in position but that could all change.
Is anyone else getting nausea? I am getting it most nights now, think it is where my stomach is pushed up and squashed

@Montgomerystubercles ooh that's exciting - good luck 🤞

@smartcarnotsosmartdriver try not to feel guilty, we aren't far off 'term' anyway - so it won't make much difference at all. A healthy, happy mother is important too 👍

@ruralcat the only plot on my graph has been the 25 (24) week measurement, the more recent ones the midwife hasn't bothered with. When I had my scan on Wednesday I was told an estimated weight of 6lbs 8 but the sonographer said to take it with a pinch of salt. I am struggling to believe I have a massive baby in there - the head is apparently large based on the scan (thanks DH!) but the midwives palpating it seemed to think if it was a head not a bottom then it would be bigger so I'm completely lost!

@leomama81 all is ok today, no further developments thankfully, and I've discovered Tena Lady pads work much better overnight to stop me leaking everywhere, so that's also progress! 🤣

@Weathergirl1 how many weeks were you for that scan? At my 36 week scan baby was estimated to be about 5lb8. I think at later scans the estimates can be out because baby is so cramped but some sonographers are very good at getting accurate measurements. My DC2 stopped growing around 37 weeks which is why I'm worried about my bump measurement, she was also an undiagnosed breech (bony bottom apparently).

@ruralcat 35+1 (Wednesday this week) - My bump is quite small too - I don't look as pregnant as a lot of women who are behind me on dates...

@Weathergirl1 when I picked up my new car the other week the sales lady didn't realise I was even pregnant, very awkward. I know some people hate being big because they're asked all the time when they're due but I feel like when you're small you get none of the perks of people asking whether you need help carrying things etc. I'm not sure how I manage to have such a small bump 3rd time round.

@ruralcat @Weathergirl1 I have the opposite issue. People constantly tell me I can't have long to go, it's been happening since about 29 weeks and they're pretty surprised when I tell them how long I have left. I don't mind that but it's the ones that keep ploughing one, have some tact! "But you're so big!". People need to let pregnant women be!
On the flip side I'd be so worried about offending someone who wasn't pregnant that unless I was 1000% sure that they were I'm unlikely to say anything.

It's starting to feel more real now, I am literally counting the days down and hoping my baby will stay put until Friday when my section is planned for as the thoughts of an emergency situation terrify me especially as I.would have to wait until someone else gets here to mind the kids or wait for dh to get home from work gone or take an hour. I am 38+5 today. I want to get through the last of my to do list this weekend. My ears have been killing me at night for the last week.

@jpclarke I know what you mean... Emergency situation terrifies me too. I'm holding on to the fact that breechies are less likely to trigger labour with their bottoms, than if it was head down 🤞

@smartcarnotsosmartdriver some people are just rude!

@ruralcat I did get asked if I wanted to jump the loo queue at the hospital last week - I didn't, but it was nice to be asked!

Nappy kit has arrived this morning... On to the next round of panic buying of supplies 🤪

My anxiety is really kicking in now. Having an elective c section a week on Monday (4th). Got my pre-op this Monday (28th) and it is just constantly on my mind. I'm so emotional that I am crying over everything - pretty sure this is just a way for the anxiety to get out as I feel so much better after I cry. But oh my goodness. The op is just scaring me (even though I chose it)

@smartcarnotsosmartdriver ughh, the same happened to me. Have been experiencing shocked looks when I say how many weeks I am since 26 weeks. At first I was concerned and even watched more carefully what I eat. But funnily enough I have always measured right on average, so with time I understood people have no idea how 'big' is perfectly normal and how much these kind of comments can stress first time mums 🙄

38 weeks today. Can't believe the due date is almost there. As others here, trying to motive the baby to stay in till at least Thursday. We will have shutters installed on Thursday, have been waiting for it for 14 weeks and that's the last thing on our list to have the house prepared for the baby.

Due on 12th Nov and emotions have taken a dramatic turn for the worse. Whole pregnancy has been nice but this week i can't have a conversation without feeling teary or having to excuse myself. Some mild period pains too but not much. I keep saying sorry to bump cos ive been such a happy mum-to-be for him and now worried which is probs just hormones all over the place. My dp asked if i'd farted the otherday which i would normally laugh at but it sent me into floods of tears. Cant wait to have this baby on the outside!

@crystaltips98 I cried 3 times yesterday- it was like the flood gates had opened! Hormones have a lot to answer for...

@Katiekat88 its crazy isn't it. Im just another person! Not long now - i hope!

@crystaltips98 @katiekat88 I've cried a bit too recent but I think it's sheer tiredness from not sleeping well, rather than hormones!

Following on from @Rotorua and @smartcarnotsosmartdriver's experiences, does anyone have any good responses for well-meaning people who say things like "You've really shot out!" and "I can't believe how big you are!"?

(Have had these comments several times in last few weeks by people who are clearly not trying to be rude, most recently this afternoon by a nice neighbour, but it just makes me feel so self-conscious and I don't know what to say back -- "Thanks" as if it were a compliment, or "I know!" or what?).

As far as emotions go all I will say is I no longer like David Attenborough and have had to take myself up the stairs.

@theghostofmargerykempe I only kind of chuckle but it's not funny especially as I was big in the first place. I know I'm even bigger now but I'm carrying a 7lb+ baby, it's not really a surprise is it?

@smartcarnotsosmartdriver David Attenborough is ok for me still but seriously how bad are albatrosses at parenting?!?! 🤯

@smartcarnotsosmartdriver Yes, I've been doing the slightly-awkward-chuckle thing as well. It doesn't help that I have pretty strong boundaries around commenting on other people's appearances and would never say anything about another person's size myself, which means that I... just don't seem to have the necessary tools for taking part in that kind of conversation, even if it's well-meant?

I am very proud that David Attenborough didnt make me cry last night! And relieved to know that whatever happens, I will be a better parent than the albatross