Due end Nov/early Dec - Hello third trimester!

[MummyShark97]

Just making a new thread before we fill the other one up !

@Jwl45 nearly due date buddies! 😊 I ended up combining about 5 different lists to hopefully cover everything. Mine and my husband's are pretty much done but I still need to work on baby's. Snacks is my next main thing to buy, and lots of them! 😂

@december2020 of course! Welcome ❤️ how are you doing?

It felt like quite a milestone hitting the third trimester for me! (30+3 now)!

@peachypetite thanks for the JL tip! I don’t really need anything but off to have a Look!

Welcome @december2020 we’re a pretty active group!

Thanks @Jellycat2020

I'm all good @peachypetite the care has just been so good and the ladies on my ward are lovely! Missing my son like mad but enjoying the rest. They've just done a monitor on baby and he's thriving! I'm seeing specialist tomorrow to make a plan 🥰
I've been wearing the Tena ladies and I can definitely recommend them over maternity pads!

They bring us regular snacks as well which is amazing but definitely gonna stock up on soft drinks though!

I'm glad I had my hospital bag packed to bring in it's been so handy - just the stuff for me.

Welcome to everyone new as well!
Such an amazing thread ❤️

@Jellycat2020 and @Jwl45 hospital bags are my next thing too. I need snacks, more pyjamas and to sort baby stuff, otherwise feeling half-way done. I’m 29+3 now so could be less than 10 weeks to go. Scary!

@nearlyamummyof2boys so glad you and baby are doing so well. Hang on in there! X

Glad to hear it @nearlyamummyof2boys. Is the hospital very hot? Anything you’d recommend we pack?

@peachypetite no I'm right next to a window it's great!
I would bring more pyjamas then you think you need there's nothing nicer then showering and getting into a fresh pair.
Definitely an extra long phone charger!
A pillow as well!
And I found flip flops better then material slippers for the shower etc.

And a sturdy water bottle - maybe even one of the metal ones to keep your water cool. I brought a new plastic one and dropped it and it split open 😫

Plus I can obviously walk to the shop to get sugary drinks etc. but I recommend you guys take lots of crisps and drinks with you as you'll be in labour or have your little babies 🥰

Plus a little bag for your dirty washing is handy.

@nearlyamummyof2boys Glad to hear you & baby are doing ok x

Does anyone have a tips for keeping pills down? The last 4 days I've been bringing my daily aspirin & vitamin d straight back up. I'm going to get some dissolvable aspirin tomorrow & will keep attempting the vitamin d.

Can I too join this thread? I'm coming over from the same thread that has gone very quiet. 28 weeks today due 15th December. Had GTT today hoping everything is OK there. Sounds like you are all a lovely supportive bunch of ladies.

Well I don't know about anyone else, but I seem to have suddenly grown over the last couple of days... Like a sudden spurt.... I'll be enormous in 7 weeks time!

Massive thanks for the tip about John Lewis @peachypetite - we're about to buy the snuzkot and changing table so that will save us a small fortune!

Had my 28 wk scan today and all good, he's bang on average. Also saw the obstetrician and he is talking about induction around 39 weeks because of my crohns, the last obstetrician I saw wasn't too concerned and said I could just go naturally so was quite surprised at the change of advice.. still haven't made a decision yet, but had started to set my heart on a water birth and doing as much of labour at home as I could, so quite disappointed 😟

Anyone else still deciding re induction / natural - it seems mad to go against advice but I don't want to get bullied into something I don't need!

Thank you so much everyone! How is everyone this morning?

Oh my god,'I haven't even thought about my hospital bag yet! We don't even have a cot or a pram or car seat, we keep feeling like we've got all the time in the world (which is starting to run out now 🙈)!

Some great tips here - basically ALL the snacks.
Maybe I'll start with my snack list!

I've definitely found in the last week that I'm rapidly gaining weight now (which is making me a little worried) but otherwise feeling pretty good apart from when there is a little foot wedged under my rib kicking like a Shaolin master.

@nearlyamummyof2boys thanks so much for those tips, great idea about the proper water bottle and long phone charger, and all the snacks. I also feel like I’m growing rapidly.

How you are doing today? @nearlyamummyof2boys ad thank you for the tips. Hadn't thought of water bottle and extra long charger

@peachypetite thanks for the John Lewis tips. Gutted we ordered the Snuzpod last Friday! Will have a look through the other sale stuff though

We also haven’t got a car seat or pram but going shopping this weekend, bit scared shops etc could end up closing!!! And I’m definitely not buying a pram online without having tested it.

Argh. Just rang GP about whooping cough and receptionist so unhelpful, “no more availability for September” you’ll have to call back next week. Well what if I call next week and then the nurse is fully booked again? Is there something in the job description of a GP receptionist that says they have to be unhelpful? I’m seeing midwife tomorrow so I’ll see if she’s able to be more helpful.

@peachypetite Can your midwife not give you the jab? My midwife did mine, so may be worth giving them a call & say you've had issues getting it from your usual gp surgery.

I've thought for a few weeks & had it confirmed at a scan that baby is head down but last night it honestly felt as if he was sideways!! My bump was rock solid right across the middle, from one side of my bump to the other, it was soft above my belly button.

@peachypetite I had mine yesterday but waiting for the flu vaccine to come in.

Also update guys. I'm so confused. I don't know if people from my trust are discriminating against me in some way or another. The maternity policy definitely said that mat leave is enforced if you are off sick when you are 36 weeks pregnant. I had a video consultation today with my Physiotherapist and finally after months she has agreed to see me and do acupuncture which is good. I've been waiting since May to be seen. I feel like if I had been seen earlier then maybe I would have been managing it better.

She also suggested I just take a week's break rather than go off sick until mat leave commences she said don't do that as they could make you start it earlier. Is that legally possible? She was also saying that I should speak to my manager about reducing my hours until I go off.. but that will affect me financially with the possibility of still experiencing my PGP which clearly is worsened by work. I feel like no one understands.. if I contact HR I don't want to make it seem like I'm going on sick on purpose. I'm genuinely thinking about doing what's right by my health, my finances so I'm not struggling and my baby. I'm lost on what to do.

My maternity policy states:

If you are off work ill, or become ill, with a pregnancy related illness during the last four weeks before the expected week of childbirth maternity leave will normally commence at the beginning of the 4th week before the expected week of childbirth or the beginning of the next week after the employee last worked, whichever is the later. Absence prior to the last four weeks before the expected week of childbirth shall be treated as sickness absence in accordance with normal leave provisions but disregarded for attendance management purposes.

So if they do try and make me take my mat leave earlier will this be going against their policy and therefore breaking the law? I'm so sorry for ranting guys, I just want to make sure its not just me going mental before I kick up a fuss

@Asianchick6693 sorry you are going through so much at works. That maternity policy reads the same as mine and my understanding is that they can't force you to take maternity for pregnancy related sickness prior to the 4th week before your due date. I have heard of someone at my company who is really struggling with pregnancy related sickness (due a couple of weeks before me) and she has decided to take maternity from next week as my company don't pay sick pay for the first two years and she couldn't afford any more time off sick. A shame for her, but what I'm saying is that I think it would have to be your choice to take it early and it can't be forced. Do you have a union or perhaps ACAS or citizens advice can clarify so you are certain before you speak to HR?