Due August 2021 - over half way!

[Daffodil21]

@wimbler - EDD 29 July, surprise 💛
@Champson - EDD 22 August (but really June/July), TBC 💖💖💖
@coffeeandrainbows1- EDD 4 August (but most likely July), Boy 💙
@Jessicapebbles - EDD 5 August (but having C-section at 39 weeks, so really July), Girl 💖
@Smurf123 - EDD 5 August (but likely to be July) 💛
@WhatEvenIsSleep - EDD 2 August, Boy 💙
@ready2020 - EDD 4 August, Girl 💖
@Xaxnxdxrxexaxandrews87 - EDD 4 August, Boy 💙
@Smushty14 - EDD 6 August, TBC 💛
@Rattyclife - EDD 6 August, TBC 💛
@Dia12 - EDD 8 August, Girl 💖
@Biscuitcat - EDD 10 August, surprise 💛
@ElonaWise - EDD 11 August, TBC 💛
@Runnergirl123 - EDD 11 August, TBC 💛
@PurplePansy05 - EDD 12 August, Boy 💙
@Srtdr - EDD 12 August, surprise 💛
@Daffodil21 - EDD 12 August, Boy 💙
@Inmypjsagain - EDD ???, Boy 💙
@BananaHammock23 - EDD 13 August, surprise 💛
@MrsB2019x - EDD 13 August, Girl 💖
@Magik01 - EDD 13 August, Boy 💙
@Aaaaa1519 - EDD 13 August, Girl 💖
@Carefree1 - EDD 15 August, Girl 💖
@DressyGerbera - EDD 15 August, surprise 💛
@lucyrp - EDD 16 August, undecided 💛
@BertieBotts - EDD 16 August, want to know! 💛
@WolfMother326 - EDD 17 August, surprise 💛
@Caz1226 - EDD 17 August, Boy 💙
@Lille4 - EDD 17 August, Girl 💖
@Redskinsucks - EDD 17 August, TBC 💛
@RockyRockyRoad - EDD 18 August, can't wait to find out 💛
@Smallbean27 - EDD 19 August, surprise 💛
@WatermelonKisses - EDD 20 August, surprise 💛
@Alittlexmasmagic - EDD 22 August, surprise 💛
@Millymay13 - EDD 22 August, TBC 💛
@Whatshouldbemyusername - EDD 22 August, surprise 💛
@LottSE20 - EDD 22 August, TBC 💛
@Notinthestarsigns - EDD 23 August, TBC 💛
@Winecoffeeteamum - EDD 23 August, Girl 💖
@LaceyMermaid - EDD 24 August, TBC 💛
@Fran919 - EDD 25 August, surprise 💛
@ava50x - EDD 25th August, Boy 💙
@Ghhh - EDD 25th August, Boy 💙
@northernsquirrel - EDD 26 August, surprise 💛
@LyraShaeLilly - EDD 27 August, Girl 💖
@ame88 - EDD 28 August, TBC 💛
@diamante11 - EDD 29 August, Girl 💖
@HopefulB - EDD 29 August, TBC 💛
@CountryGirl84 - EDD 29 August, TBC 💛

@Daffodil21 I drove right up until the birth with all of mine. In fact I drove myself to the hosptial with one of them 🤣 (it’s 5 mins away luckily and I was a bit stuck)

@LaceyMermaid ah that's good! I was hoping that would be the case!

@Daffodil21 I think it is generally although others may have found different. Thinking about it I actually went into labor with my third while driving my others home from a trip to the farm as well! Just first twinges though not full blown labour!

@Daffodil21 I drove up until my induction. Although I did avoid it where possible due to SPD making driving uncomfortable.x

@Inmypjsagain I suddenly feel massive! I've started making what I call "pregnant lady noises" - groaning and huffing and puffing especially when bending down to pick up toddler toys and putting shoes on. Bent down the other day and felt my stomach get squeezed. Not a pleasant feeling!

@Daffodil21 I drove up until birth too. Had to pick parking spaces carefully though or I ended up using the parent and child spaces after one trip where I couldn't get back in the car after someone else parked too close!

@wimbler I’m definitely making the pregnant lady noises! 🙈

@wimbler yes I know exactly what you mean! Also when getting up from the sofa (which is very deep and squashy - lovely but not ideal in pregnancy 😂)

😂 😂 😂 pregnant lady noises!!!! Yes! Just trying to put my socks on requires all sorts of huffing and puffing!

@LaceyMermaid the thought of driving and suddenly thinking uh oh, Labour is starting petrifies me!!!

@Daffodil21 wellies are hard enough to take off not pregnant let alone with a belly!

Feel like my bump hasn't grown much yet... Currently still managing my socks and shoes!! It'll happen overnight at some point, i'm sure.

If anyone has any tips for piles that work, I'm desperate for some help. I developed them right at the beginning of pregnancy and been using Proctosedyl cream and suppositories but its not really doing much anymore! I feel them getting bigger, and they are insanely itchy! GP doesn't have anything left to give me, i've tried anusol and scheriproct. So any advice greatly appreciated!

My show keeps saying to me are you ok? I’m clearly making a lot of pregnant lady noises I don’t even realise! Everything is just more effort!
@Inmypjsagain honestly it’s fine I promise you’ll be surprisingly calm. The thought is always worse I find than the event! You’d have thought I’d be relaxed about it being my 4th but not I still feel terrified at the thought right now. I think she has made me more scared! But I’m sure it’ll be just fine and you will be too.

Thanks all for driving info! Good to know, and also what I was hoping to hear. Finding it increasingly more difficult to walk even locally. There is a massive hill you have to walk up here before you can get into town/to the pool and I'm finding it such a struggle! Car is unfortunately in the garage, and has been for weeks for such a tiny problem so having to walk everywhere atm. But I'm really struggling to do so and having to time swims to get picked up by DH on his way home from work. Which is a little annoying seeing as I have all day to go now 😂

Also yes to the noises! We also have a lovely deep sofa like @biscuitcat which is impossible to get up from without noises 😂

I dropped my razor in the shower earlier and there was definitely an audible 'oh for fuck sake!' 😂

@Ava50x my bump went from looking a bit podgy to suddenly looking pregnant, but I noticed it in my mobility- the sudden struggle with sock. Wish I should give you a piles cure but I’m afraid all I’ve used is anusol without much success. Hope they go soon though!

@LaceyMermaid I can’t imagine myself being calm 😂 but I guess we’ll have to no choice?!

@Daffodil21 oh no I’d panic if I dropped something in the shower!

Thing is, I feel wobbly and big now...there’s still nearly 3 full months of growing to go!!!! 😱

@Inmypjsagain this is what worries me I’ve got over 3 months still! I’m only 24 weeks today 😬 like you say it’s more the mobility change which is the shock as although my bump is getting quite big I’ve not put a lot of weight on yet. And yes walking is a struggle!

I'm glad to hear of others struggling with socks/ shoes!
I took ds to the farm yesterday in the pouring rain... I tried to swap shoes to a pair of walking boots for the mud bath.. It was a serious.struggle to get them tied up!

Mine aren't too bad yet... but I know they will be. If you're sitting for long periods of time, try a coccyx support pillow. I had one for SPD with DS but it also doubled as a cushion my poor arse pillow, so I didn't wince too much when getting up from my desk (surrounded by blokes who wouldn't understand). I did also try an ice pack wrapped in a flannel which helped for short periods. Make sure your Anusol has Lidocaine in it, that's an active painkiller. I know some don't and just act as a grease.x

IME it's never as dramatic as "OMG labour is starting!" as you'll typically have braxton hicks fairly often leading up to the end anyway, the first contractions don't really hurt, so it's more like "Hey these braxton hicks don't seem to be shifting, hang on, how far apart are they?" and even the one where my waters broke as the first sign (that's unusual, apparently) was more like "That's a lot of discharge - wait that feels like very wet discharge..."

DH thought it was hilarious (first baby for him) because we were having a lie in and it was about 10.30 am so I kind of woke him up and said don't worry or anything but I think I might be in labour. I think he was expecting a more sudden or dramatic beginning as well.

Sorry forgot to tag @Ava50x x

I'm definitely at the stage of when I drop something I just can't be arsed picking it up. Too much effort! I feel huge too and find when I need to bend down its that weird squat to try and avoid bending at the stomach.

I have my diabetes test and it only just occurred to me that it might be that one where you drink glucose and then have to wait hours... I wasn't told it was this one and if it is I've not informed work that I'll be away for that long. Plus its at 10.15am so I'll be bloody starving after not eating from midnight. I'm going to have cereal before I go to sleep and call them first thing to see if it's that or just a blood test.

Morning all!
I guess I’m a bit behind the curve with bump size/mobility as at 23 weeks. Bump is obvious, but still finding I’m able to do most things (except perhaps reach deep into top cupboards in kitchen as I can’t get close to the counter!). Thankfully I live somewhere flat so walking is easy, I do notice if I need to go up or down hill!

@Ava50x the piles treatments with steroids in are usually limited to 7days use (sorry I know that doesn’t help!!). At this stage, I think the best thing you can do is work on fibre/ water intake to soften bowel movements so you are not straining.

Good morning all.

Hope everyone is doing well. Am going to try a session of reflexology this evening. Hoping it helps me with sleep. The heartburn/acidity challenge is real here too!

@Ready2020 I've got my glucose test on Friday at 8:10 am too. Sorry yours is so late. In my letter it says I can't eat or drink anything except drink water after 10 pm the previous night. I'm thinking of not having anything before the test and taking my smoothie at the hospital.

Wanted to ask you if your hospitals have changed rules for covid. Mine is ridiculous! Doesn't make sense. For my husband to accompany me he needs to have taken the fast covid test 24 hours prior otherwise he's not going to be allowed in! This is bothered me sooo much!! Coz people will be flying soon. Going to restaurants. Theatres etc. But to accompany me, my husband, from the same damn household needs to prove a covid negative test! Am sooo over this hospital. First they cancel my week 16 and week 25 MW hospital despite being a first time mum. And now this! Has anyone's hospital behaving so crappily too?

Anyways sorry for the morning rant!

Hope yous have a good day ladies x

@Whatshouldbemyusername my husband has been allowed to both scans but my midwife told me at my last appointment he's now allowed to come to those appointments with a negative lateral flow test. personally I'm not bothered about him attending the routine midwife appointments but we ordered the free lateral flow tests from the govt anyway in case I need any last minute hospital appointments. They give results in 30 mins so might be worth ordering them anyway?
www.gov.uk/order-coronavirus-rapid-lateral-flow-tests

@Whatshouldbemyusername my husband is only allowed to be at 12 week, 20 weeks and when am actually in labour otherwise he's not allowed at any routine appointments midwife or otherwise. I thought this was standard everywhere at the moment.
We take twice weekly lateral Flow tests anyway as both in schools so the fast test wouldn't bother him if he wanted to come and it meant he could but it's still not an option here.
Missing the 16 and 25 week appts I would be annoyed at though I know it's standard here for 16 week to be a phone only one.
My 28 week midwife appt apparently ant happen at gp surgery due to covid and will be a week before my next consultant appt do they have said I have to go to a different hospital for it due to them being the midwife hub for my gp which I'm not particularly happy with but don't have much choice really.
Anyone had any experience with slapped cheek?? Had to send a kid home yesterday and now been told it's slapped cheek. Waiting on gp to phone me back but that could be anytime all day.

@Smurf123 I know people who have. They'll likely refer you for a blood test to see if you've had it previously. Were you really close contact?x