September 2021 - Thread 4

[Poppins2016]

Ta da, thread number 4 so that we can keep up the chatting!

Previous thread

@deedeebythesea I havent had any private scans this pregnancy, it's been so hard especially without hearing the heartbeat at 16 weeks but my 20 week scan is next Tuesday so counting down the days. I've been feeling on and off movement since 14 weeks (second pregnancy) which has kept me a little more sane but it feels like such a long time between the scans.

@deedeebythesea totally understand! Well I was lucky enough to hear the HB but I've not had any scans since my 12 week one. I have the scan photos on my fridge so I just remind myself it's fine. I've got my scan next Thursday so I have loads of countdowns on the go to focus my mind thinking there isn't too long to wait now. I wish I could do at home ultra scans 😂 DH said I would be permanently on it though which is probably true!
Being my first I don't really know what I'm expecting! Hang in there, not too much longer to go! 🤗 X

Us neither @KHR1 - and I really thought I would! My 20 week scan is a month away yet though so let's see what the next few weeks bring! 🙈

Don't beat yourself up @deedeebythesea , I think we all start to feel anxious as our scans approach, and since yours is only next week that's probably why! But you have no reason to believe anything is the matter so try to keep yourself occupied and next week will be here before you know it...

For anyone worrying about what the 20 week scan will bring, while I'm certain everything will be fine, even if it's not, unfortunately (and in the nicest way possible) there's not a lot you can do about it! My mantra is always to try not to worry about things out of your control, and save the worrying for once you know the outcome, 'cause chances are you're already worrying about nothing, and why worry twice? ❤️ (applicable to lots of things in life, but it's so much easier said than done I know!)

Ladies feeling anxious, I completely feel your pain. Before every scan, a thousand thoughts cross my mind. Is the baby ok? Is the heart still beating? Why can't I feel anything? What if something's gone wrong?? I don't sleep the night before. My heart races at every moment. On the scan chair, these very thoughts cross my mind again as I shut my eyes tight and hold my breath. Then relief. 'Here's your baby' the sonographer says, all's well!
I open my eyes. I look at my wriggly cheeky baby and an indescribable feeling of elation washes over me as I sigh in relief.

Focus on this moment ladies and try your best to distract your mind with other thoughts until the very moment where you get to the scan room. I know it's not easy. We're women. We're strong enough to bring life and deal with so much. We're warriors! More than likely, every thing's fine with little bubba in there! 💜

I had an anterior placenta with dd but posterior with my ds. I think I might have an anterior placenta again as not felt much at all yet and I am 19 weeks today. I was so overwhelmed at the sight of the baby I forgot to ask at the 12 week scan. I have paper notes but the position of the placenta wasn't noted on there. I am going to try to remember to ask at my 20 week scan which is in a fortnight.

@deedeebythesea me! My instructor wanted me to book my test last March 2020 then lockdown happened. I am restarting lessons on the 26th April and have a test booked in June. I keep trying to push it back to July but tests have been cancelled up here for the best part of a year so alternative dates aren't coming up. I am desperate to pass as dh is wfh at the moment so can collect and drop off our other kids to school but it is a 40 minute uphill walk with kids and I really don't want to be doing that with a newborn in tow in autumn. I actually enjoy driving now but haven't been in a car driving for a year so feel like I might have forgotten everything. I really hope not.

@Kirky658 if you need to talk we are all here x
Re the 20 week scan, in my previous pregnancies later scans have identified issues that have led to a lot of medical interventions. I am therefore sick with nerves before each and every scan, with that weird nervous energy. I always sleep poorly before the scan. I have found the best way to ease my nerves is to look at it is that what will be will be and I have no control over it. What I can do is send as much positive energy over to bump as I can so I focus on this instead. Its easier said than done but to get myself through this pregnancy I am setting myself small milestones to look forward too.

On another note how many of you know women irl that are due this year? My sister and I both are, so is my cousin's wife, my sil, her sister and sil's sil.

Hey ladies hope your all well!
Has anyone had really itchy skin and used anything that helps? OMG my legs are so sore were I've clawed them 😔 and the crease of my arm is so itchy to x

@Geegee20 some of the amazing ladies here recommended Aveeno skin relief lotion and it has been incredible for me. I had super itchy flaky skin but since using that it and completely cleared up.

@Mamabearwhere that's exactly like me, I'll have to try it, is it just like the baby aveeno is it it called skin relief lotion will have get some tomorrow

@Geegee20 it’s this one

www.superdrug.com/Skin/Body-Moisturisers/Aveeno-Skin-Relief-Lotion-300ml/p/202680?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIqK-Ont_s7wIVwtmyCh2KuQmOEAQYASABEgLsFvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Hi Ladies,
I've got really itchy nipples today. Which cream is best? I'm 15+6 and im also itchy on the sides of my tummy.
Looking forward to hearing about your 20 week scans soon.

@Sillysocks998, I've heard Lansinoh nipple cream is really good. I've got some on standby!

Thank you @Mamabearwhere

Had a private scan tonight and everything is perfect with our little... GIRL! So relieved.

To everyone else with pre-scan anxiety, I hope this helps a bit. I managed to convince myself today that something was going to be wrong, I was preparing myself mentally for bad news, worried my bump hadn't grown much, symptoms eased up etc. All the usual anxiety. But it's all in my head and she is perfect.

I'm going to try enjoy this time now!

Yay @showmorekindness! That's wonderful. Glad all was well and congratulations on finding out you're having a girl ❤

@showmorekindness Yay a girl! Congratulations 🥰

Does that put the group at 3 girls and 36548 boys? 😂

Congrats @showmorekindness

Has anyone got any tips for back pain? I've got a huge pregnancy pillow in bed which helps but struggling throughout the day and worried it's only going to get worse in a few months when baby is bigger

[quote SP2Bx]**@showmorekindness Yay a girl! Congratulations 🥰

Does that put the group at 3 girls and 36548 boys? 😂[/quote]
something like that.

@showmorekindness congratulations 🥳🥳

@KHR1 no but I have it sooooo bad in the morning, I don’t know why? I sleep on my side and I wake up like a 400 year old.

Congrats @showmorekindness !

@SP2Bx 🤣

@KHR1, I was referred to a physio as my backache was so painful. Had my appointment last week. She said that mine is simply the relaxin hormone softening the ligaments etc and my joints are painful due to the change.
I was told to tuck my bottom in when standing/walking. Also to do 2 exercise twice a day:

1. Lay on back and lift legs up (bent to chest) and rock from side to side.
2. Stand & lift leg to chest, alternate between legs a few times.

Also said I could put a warm wheat bag/hot water bottle on it to ease the pain.

Not sure if it will help as it depends on the cause I guess and there are other reasons but, from what I understand, it is common for backache to be caused by the body changes due to the relaxin hormone so may do.

Mine is worse after laying on my back or if I've been on my feet a lot in a day.

@Kirky658 Thank you for sharing! It is impossible not to think bad thoughts. We are doing our best! Hope 3 weeks will fly so quickly you won’t even notice. But I guess both of us know it won’t be as easy ❤️

@Squibble84 It is genuinely a torture. 2 months of second-guessing and constant worrying.
I am so sorry to hear you’ve been told you were miscarrying when all was well! Did they do any test or was is purely based on the fact you had a heavy bleed?
I had a spell of hot flushes which basically felt like a fever without any actual rise in temperature. Or so I thought. I’d check my temp once in a while just to see if it was normal, then I got bored of it and stopped. Only to find out weeks later that I did have high temp from time to time. Didn’t have an infection or any other reason for it (incl. covid). Once I hit second trimester, the hot flushes stopped. But who knows how often and for how long I have actually had a fever... I am really tried to put this to the back of my mind. week scan to show the baby has developed normally!

@KHR1 Aww I am so pleased you can feel the little one moving! Must be very reassuring. I was tempted to buy a doppler and try find HB myself. But my SIL said it was really hard and if I didn’t manage to I’d freak out even more. I then also read elsewhere that one cannot only rely on the presence of HB. Baby’s movements are equally important. Hope all goes well on Tuesday! Will be thinking of you xxx

@RaeRae84 Funny you should say that! My DH said the exact same thing to me when I was looking at buying a doppler. If you could get an ultrasound on Amazon, you would be 24/7 on it 😂 Only seven more sleeps until you see the little bean! Let us know how it goes! Will you be find out the sex? Xx

@AdventuresAwait Thank you! Test is now booked for mid May, fingers crossed I pass and don’t have to resit.
I totally get that. I am a little worried about being isolated and losing my freedom of movement. DH works full time, where we are hoping to move is really quite rural, no shop, no post office in a walkable distance.
Would you sis be able to come to yours? Does she drive? Some of my closest friends don’t or don’t have a car which makes everything ten times trickier 😣 Oh no, 40 min uphill?! That’s a little much. Good exercise but I’d rather do

@Poppins2016 Literally exactly the same. My instructor called today to book lessons for next week and said to keep checking the website as new dates should be coming up soon. I will be so annoyed with myself if I don’t pass the first time.
Oh my, 40min uphill every morning? Good exercise but gosh I don’t know if I could do it!
Fingers crossed it will be like you have never had a break from being behind the wheel. My instructor keeps saying “it’s like riding a bike”. Well it’s not, let’s be honest! But it will all come back to you especially if you enjoy driving! X

@deedeebythesea, we are not so rural! Have shops, post office etc. Yes, my sister drives so can come to me from about an hour away, so not essential I drive but would give me more independence. I'm just so nervous and wish I'd done it when I was younger! I will look into it as I found an instructor online that I think I might contact (though I don't really want to wear a mask when learning so maybe I'll need to wait).

Great you have a test booked. Sending best wishes for your pass!

@deedeebythesea @Kirky658 me too, I’m not feeling the best at the moment, full of worry and I had a scan at 17 weeks!! I’m now 18+5 and I’m worrying again... 20 week scan is next Friday. I’m just trying to take each day as it comes and trying not to over think everything... which isn’t easy. Sending love xx

@deedeebythesea I had the exact same with the hot flushes and concerns about if there will have been any impact from that - I checked my temperature one of the times I had the hot flush and it was fever levels, but hopefully they were just short spells though.

I've persuaded my DH to book a private scan for this Sunday, will be nice to hopefully find out the gender but I'm feeling quite anxious so it's mainly to check everything is okay. I know it will probably in reality only reassure me for a day or two, it's so hard to know what to do!

congrats @showmorekindness! cant believe u got a girl!!! yippeeee!
tried to find the post about the GAP PJs.....are they are a specific type? im keen to get some, as feel like this week suddenly my tummy is proper expanding and i just feel like all my clothes are tight including my normal baggy PJs which i live in!!
sorry to hear some of you are finding the waits for scans tough right now :( @CherylLW defo with u on this, i heard HB at 16week appt, then had private appt at nearly 17 weeks and all was fine and found out it was a wiggly boy, but since then ive just had this awful feeling something has gone wrong. I had been feeling bubbles etc a week or so before my 16wk appt and midwife said was probably the baby, but literally since then ive felt NOTHING. really panicked and gotta wait til 23rd for 20 week scan. just trying to think that my tummy is defo growing so am sure hes getting bigger in there...i just dont know :(
its so tough isnt it all this waiting around!!
here is a really dumb question, having never been pregnant before I couldnt imagine what it would feel like - do you just feel like really heavy in your lower abdomen like youve eaten a massive 3 course meal the whole time? when i exercise i just feel like someones poured concrete in my stomach...and need to go for a wee ALL THE TIME! i've taken to being a master of finding bushes and trees to squat behind haha - having to stay firmly off road and stick to countryside! @RaeRae84 was it you who said you fell running this week?? hope u r ok, must have been scary but sure everything is ok. im worried about doing this :S

Is anyone looking at sharing parental leave with a partner or has any experience of this from other pregnancies? we are looking into it, and wondering if swapping to DH taking time off at 6mo would be ok...in my head imlike yeah id go back to work but in reality know friends who have regretted that!! but defo want DH to be able to spend time with the baby too!

Hope everyone is ok and happy thursday :)