June 2021 - Part 5 (nearly there)

[BlondePotter]

This is the continued thread for June mums to be!

Feel free to drop your due dates in for a reminder 💛

I'm due 7th June with my first baby 💛💛💛

I’m booked in for my jab on Thursday and will be 37+2. I figured it would give me a bit of protection when I’m in hospital, and thought I’d have to delay until at least 2 weeks pp as I’m ELCS. So decided just to crack on and get it done!

My thoughts exactly too pookypup. Had Pfizer yesterday and I may have felt a tiny bit more drained than I already am after but hard to tell! Other than that, zero symptoms.

@DollyParton2 that’s reassuring that you were ok! I’ve a day off on Friday and then the weekend so was hoping to rest up if needed.

Had 36 wk appt yesterday, was sent for CTG as babys heart rate a bit high but they decided it was due to being very active and said she was all fine. Feeling a bit yuk & sorry for my self today. In pain with pgp and awful piles (TMI sorry) didnt sleep well and have a maniac toddler to chase after 😬 Hope all well with everyone x

@teaformummy omg I could have wrote that! I’m a week behind you and have a 4 year old and my pubic pain is terrrrrribleeeeee 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

I had my growth scan, all good! Fundal height is over the 90th percentile but feral weight is 37th so I’m happy with that.

Birth pool also arrives at home today! I’m 37+1 and getting quite excited.

The constipation is real though We’re spending so much on fruit to keep my bowels moving

@PinkPlantCase Had you been sent for a growth scan because a MW measured you going off the usual pattern of growth? x

@PinkPlantCase I’m with you on the constipation front, however might have finally solved it with dates. Started eating them (6 a day) as meant to kick start labour, no sign of that yet but since starting I have been as regular as anything (TMI sorry everyone!). I tried prunes and prune juice earlier on which didn’t really work for me but apparently dates were the key. If you haven’t tried them, give it a go!

@AlRRRR I’d been tracking the 90th percent line for fundal height and then because one measurement was just above the line they sent me for a scan. I think it’s only because I’m planning a home birth. They said that if baby’s weight was also over the 90th then the Homebirth as it’s my first would be outside of guidance. We could have still moved forward with the home birth but they would have needed to put a plan and extra risk assessment in place.

@Penny2020 prunes stopped working for me too, I haven’t got onto dates but I’ve found that 2 kiwis a day have really helped! My DH thought I was crazy for adding 16 kiwis to the weekly shop, I’m going to be so annoyed if Sainsbury’s substitute them 😂

Has anyone done any perineal massage/ done it in previous pregnancies? My midwife said to look into it and try to because it reduces the risk of tears but I can’t see how I can even get down there to be honest! Wondering if it’s worth trying?

@Humpty11 I considered it and decided against it. I did mention it to DH as I think it’s a 2 person job but tbh I don’t think it sounds very pleasant. Which I know is a silly thing to say given what’s to come but I think tearing is like stretch marks, if it’s going to happen it’ll happen regardless.

I did try and have a look for an evidence base for it, there is some evidence to say it helps but it isn’t especially clear. Especially on the frequency that you’re meant to do it.

@Humpty11 I'm going to give it ago. I don't know if it's going to do anything but I like to try and be prepared. If that makes sense

@Humpty11 I did a bit before I had my first child and I tore pretty bad. Didn't bother with my second and I was fine. Not going anywhere near that area this time .... everything feels so swollen and uncomfortable down there already! If you are fully committed I suppose it could help but I'm not convinced!

38 weeks today. First proper day of maternity leave and I've got loads done around the house already. Despite going overdue with my other two, I am really hoping this baby might come early! I can't wait to see everyone else's babies arrive too!

@PinkPlantCase Ah that’s what has just happened to me on Sat. A different MW measured me (it felt like she measured me differently at the time too) and Baby went from one line 97th to 90th and now below 50th 🤣🤣🤣 but that’s 3 diff MW’s each time measuring, so they said I would have a scan within 2 days and that was sat haha, how quick was yours? x

I had a midwife appointment and I'm currently at 35 weeks but my fundle hight was 31 :/ she seemed to be fine with this but before it was slightly higher bigger. I think it also depends on how much I've eaten that day too 😂

@PinkPlantCase that’s a fair point, and I agree that it sounds very unpleasant 😂.
@Sitchervice that’s what I was thinking but equally don’t want to if it’s not going to make any difference because from what I’ve read you have to do it for a few minutes at a time and I don’t think I’d be able to be comfortable in that position for that long 🥴.
@Jinglebells87 that’s good to know (obviously not for you) that it doesn’t necessarily make any difference, seeing as I can’t seem to psych myself up to try it! I’m also so swollen down there (feels worse than it looks) and the thought of it is making me cringe! Happy first day of mat leave!! Hopefully you’re not waiting too long for your lovely arrival, crazy to think there will be loads more announcements on here soon 😬.

@AlRRRR it was requested by the midwife on the 11th and I had it today. I had to call the hospital on the 14th to chase because I hadn’t heard anything and that got the ball rolling to me actually being given an appointment.

It all seems so subjective doesn’t it! I’m lucky that I get to see the same midwife each time but I did wonder whether she could just have measured it 3 times and taken the average instead of doing 1 measurement.

@Humpty11 yes I will be starting , my midwives recommend it and I've seen other people who did it and it can help but nothing is guaranteed! The Expert Midwives sell a special oil for the massage , not sure if it's a money racket or not but willing to try it this time anyway ! Although from the diagrams I've seen online not sure how great I'll be at it 🙈😭🤣🤣

Hi all!! Hope you don’t mind me joining! 35+3 today, due 20th June.
Been very lucky throughout my pregnancy to have suffered very few symptoms other than heartburn which I now have a magical prescription for 💙
Starting to get a few aches and pains now... PGP has really ramped up this past week. Had an extra growth scan last week as the midwife thought he seemed to have dipped on chart from 90th to 50th centile. Turns out he’s just below the 10th centile!!! But they aren’t overly concerned and think he may just be a smaller baby,

@Normando91 Hi! I’m 35 today, and was measuring 97/90 up till Sat and now 50th, got growth scan tomorrow
too,

@Humpty11 I was going to but I had a feel down there and it just feels all swollen and I didn't feel like I could do it anyway. Majority of severe tearing happens if labour is too fast or you push too early so I'm just hoping to relax and let my body do what it wants plus listen to the midwife x

@BlondePotter That’s exactly what happened to me! Midwife said stop and I continue and pushed too hard and too fast!

I've tried doing the perineal massage a few times and I'm really not sure I'm doing it right. It doesn't seem to be doing any harm so I'll continue with it for now.

I bought the Expert Midwife oil, it is ok but nothing special.

Has anyone bought a post birth cooling/ relief spray? Ive heard the My Expert Midwife spritz for bitz is good but its not cheap!!

Hi all, hope everyone's doing OK.

Lots of talk of perineal massage! I tried starting from week 34, but absolutely could not reach, it was useless. I know there are no guarantees any of it will prevent tearing, but I'm determined to try absolutely everything that is recommended for a better labour, so I've actually invested in a pelvic floor trainer called Aniball. Google it, pretty scary looking, it's basically a balloon for up there... 🤯 Of course I've no idea if it'll work, but I've used it about 5 times now and it really is helping with my confidence if nothing else - just getting used to the sensation of there being pressure down there and using breath/pelvic floor muscles to slowly expell something from your vagina in a controlled way... I don't know. It's familiarising me with certain sensations if nothing else.

Midwife today (36+4). I'm also surfing the 95th percentile and worrying a little about that. My own weight gain isn't showing any signs of slowing and I really want a water birth...

Swollen feet are a big thing for me at the moment. I think I've literally gone up 2 shoe sizes. Hope they reshrink after delivery, but I've heard they don't always!