👣 Due November/December 2020 - on the home stretch… 👣

[danielasummer]

We're getting close now ladies!!

💫 @NaomiB79 - due 13th November - girl - FTM
💫 @Jwl45 - due 13th November - girl - 3TM
💫 @Jellycat2020 - due 14th November - girl - FTM
💫 @BG1234 - due 19th November - surprise - FTM
💫 @EithneBlue - due 21st November - surprise
💫 @mysafespace - due 25th November - surprise - FTM
💫 @kkr168 - due 26th November - boy - 2TM
💫 @MsBee13 - due 26th November - boy - FTM
💫 @PipTed - due 26th November - surprise - FTM
💫 @Snowwhite2020 - due 26th November
💫 @Pinktruffle - due 26th November
💫 @Bluebell2020 - due 27th November - girl - FTM
💫 @phe694 - due 27th November - girl - FTM
💫 @mummyshark97 - due 28th November - boy - FTM
💫 @Babyhope98 - due 28th November - girl - FTM
💫 @peachypetite - due 30th November - surprise - FTM
💫 @Awkes - due 1st December - girl - FTM
💫 @Amyyy1 - due 2nd December - girl - FTM
💫 @confused107 - due 3rd December - girl - FTM
💫 @lionsmum - due 6th December - boy - 2TM
💫 @lc86 - due 6th December - boy - 3TM
💫 @Asianchick6693 - due 6th December - girl - FTM
💫 @danielasummer - due 9th December - surprise - FTM
💫 @kj1010 - due 13th December - boy - 4TM
💫 @jalu47 - due 13th December - boy - FTM
💫 @Nic2908 - due 15th December - boy - FTM
💫 @Whitter - due 15th December - girl - FTM
💫 @loobeelou - due 26th December - girl - 2TM

👶🏼 @nearlyamummyof2boys - Wyatt born 23rd September

Hi ladies, has anyone got a Tens machine? If so which one did you go for and did you buy or hire?

I've seen this one which has good reviews and is on offer and tempted to get it.

babycaretens.com/products/elle-tens-6-week-hire.html

@jalu47 I used a TENS machine with DS, for me it helped during early labour. I will be using it again. (Which reminds me, must buy new pads!)

This is the one I have.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B001DDZBHK?psc=1&ref=ppxpoppmobbbasin_title

@jalu47 I've got this one amazon link
I got it on facebook marketplace for £5 & ordered new pads for £10, so an absolute bargain.

@msbee13

I have a Sam already. Full name Samuel but he mainly gets Sam or Sammy. Still love it and it is totally him.

I love Alexander and it is a bit of a family name here too. We have part of decided on it but will call him (if it is a boy) Xander, but on birth cert will be Alexander.

I liked Adyn for ages but more the spelling than the name itself (sounds Aidan) and we both went off it. Something cute about baby Xander.

It may change again. We have 3 weeks to go. X

@Sheera1 All those names are lovely and I'm sure you will pick the best name for the baby :-) Still plenty of time to decide.

We have decided to give him the middle name Alexander. As my OH is half Russian and it is kind of their tradition for a son to carry father's name.

@jalu47 that's awful from the care point of view keeping you waiting for so long but I'm glad they finally got back to you! How are you feeling?

@kkr168 we're in the same boat! Still no name, I think we have a first name (finally) but now stuck on the middle name. We've got such different taste!

Does anyone know if a midwife can sign you off work for a few days to a week? I'm really struggling working 10-12 hour days + weekend work for the last 6-8 weeks and yesterday it finally caught up with me. Just so shattered and brain dead, even had two naps. Which means I need to work today (deadline Monday so no choice). HR and my line manager know but nothing is changing. I need a break and was hoping maybe medically for pregnancy reasons the midwife give me a break from work - I don't think I can do another 5 weeks more like this. And I don't think work will let me start maternity earlier as they need me working.
(Wow that was long - sorry)!

@kkr168 We've not decided on a name yet. Can't agree either. Have decided just to wait until he's here now as we're not getting anywhere!

I think you would get a sick note from the doctors rather than midwife @december2020 I got mine through the doctor who signed me off up to my maternity leave x

@december2020 not sure when your due date is but I’d be pushing to finish early.
Also remember this:
if you are off sick with a pregnancy-related illness in the last four weeks before your expected week of childbirth, your employer can start your maternity leave automatically.
maternityaction.org.uk/advice/sickness-during-pregnancy-and-maternity-leave/

@december2020 you don't need a sick note to be signed off for the first 7 days. You can self-certify that you are not well enough to work, then you would need one if you were going to be off for longer. Would echo what they others have said tho, they may make you start mat leave if you are going to be off for longer x

Thanks for the advice @Babyhope98 @peachypetite
I'm not sure my surgery would book me a GP appointment for this, not sure if they deem it as essential enough so it could mean I'm stuck till maternity starts.
My maternity officially starts on my due date (15th Dec) but I'm taking 2 weeks leave before that and going at 38 weeks. It looks like I may need to suck it up for the last 5 weeks (as right now they have more incentive to have me working than let me start mat leave earlier as otherwise someone would need to absorb the hours I'm currently doing).

@NaomiB79 thank you for the advice. I could definitely try self certify being sick but I think they'll expect me to keep working as we're currently WFH. It'll be more due to the fact someone would need to absorb my hours and we have so many deadlines that they would struggle seeing past the "business perspective".

My doctor was able to discuss it over the phone and left it in the reception for me to collect @december2020

That sounds so tough @december2020. Not sure I could handle working such long hours, hope it doesn't stay so crazy during your last few weeks. Are you sleeping ok? I really appreciated the extra hour today!

I'm feeling ok, my glucose has been a bit better the last few days, have subbed a bit of food here and there (swapped toast for eggs for breakfast) and seems to have helped. Have also been much more active as we have been rearranging the flat and putting up baby furniture which I think has helped.

Off to Ikea today to have a look for a few accessories - god help us!

I’d talk to HR and say you need to finish earlier. I’ve just finished with five weeks to go (on annual leave) and I’m definitely ready to be done, despite working from home.

@December2020 I would definitely at least self certify for a week. They can't make you work if you're off sick.

I self certified for 1 week and the doctor signed me off for 1 week and it was the best thing I could possibly do for me and baby. Before this I was working from home but doing long days and barely getting any sleep. I had a growth scan at the end of my 2 weeks off and baby's weight and growth had shot up more than anyone expected and I'm 100% sure it's due to me being off work and actually resting as well as having less stress etc. She's a 3rd centile baby and we were thinking I'd have to deliver her this week at 35 weeks and now because of the amazing growth we are aiming for 38 weeks! I'm now staying off until baby arrives.

So so important to rest and listen to your body. I just wished I had listened to mine earlier x

Is anyone thinking of a water birth/had one for a previous birth?? X

@december2020 I agree with @Bluebell2020 if you aren't well enough to work you should be off sick. They can't make you work from home if you are unwell. You need to put yourself and the baby first, regardless of how much work there is or deadlines to meet. I work in HR so would defo recommend you just call in sick at least for a couple of days and see how you feel after that. You might feel able to work on after a decent rest but if you don't then get your gp to sign you off.

I finished up for mat leave a few days early as was really struggling do what's best for you x

@Amyyy1 I fancied one but because I'm consultant led was told it's not really an option for me as all the birthing pools at my hospital are in the midwife led unit. I was also told by my midwife if you've had any complications or you get induced which means you or the baby need extra monitoring during labour it's not an option as they can't do it when you're in the pool.

My friend had one and said it was amazing! I quite fancied the idea of labouring in the pool but not actually giving birth there but again even that prob won't be an option for me x

@Amyyy1 I’ve heard good things about water births and if I’m able to just go into labour in the midwife led unit at my hospital I’ll definitely give the pool a go.

How is everyone holding up? I'm due a month tomorrow! I think I've decided to go with the elective c-section, I was meant to meet with the consultant midwife to discuss it but she still hasn't been in touch and the hospital need to know next week. If anything, it's just pushed me more towards the c-section as there seem to be no continuity of care here.

I'm getting a bit fed up of being in pain, my PGP has been fairly managable but I've developed quite bad back pain over the past few days, it pushed me to finally take some paracetamol! My backpain is in a very strange place too, its on the righthand side of my back where it goes in - so my waist basically. I think it's because I have a very small back structure (I have a 28 bra size) and when I lie down for example, there is no support around my waist as it doesn't reach the bed, I've tried placing a pillow to fill the gap but its not made much difference, I think I just can't cope with the extra weight. Roll on 5 weeks, I'm hoping the pain will subside afterbaby arrives - no doubt replaced with new pains in different areas!

@Amyyy1 - Water birth is on my list of "yes please if possible" - the percentage of women who actually get it is pretty low so I'm not going to set my heart on it, but it does sound like a positive experience :-)

@Pinktruffle - it's a bit of an expensive luxury but I've been finding the babymoov dream belt really helpful for sleeping :-)

I got my consultant referral through. I’m hoping she will say nothing to worry about and it’s just the midwives being cautious.

@Amyyy1 I'd really like to if at all possible, but my midwife said that my hospital is pretty short staffed (due to Covid) and if they can't provide a midwife to be with me one-on-one the whole time, I won't be allowed as you can't be left unattended in one 😔 Trying not to pin my hopes on one just in case I get disappointed!

@Pinktruffle my back pain is constant now. It also tends to be higher than you'd expect - normally just below my bra strap on the left and slightly lower on the right. Not right at the base where they say you normally get it. I do suffer with an occasional bad back anyway so think this is just exacerbating my normal aches and pains I deal with. Heat really helps me, so I sit with a hot water bottle there most evenings and get a lovely back massage from my husband before bed which does help me sleep.