🍼👶🏼👣 MAMAS DUE OCTOBER 2021 👣👶🏼🍼

[MyGrassIsBrowner]

Hey ladies, thought I'd start a thread for all us mamas due October 2021! Whether you're on your first or your tenth child, let's share our journey together!

My due date is officially 8th October and this is my second baby girl 💜 My DD is 15 months old so I'm gonna have two under two.. god help me 🙉
I'm actually booked in for an elective section this time (reason being is that I have low grade rectocele prolapse and I'm petrified that another vaginal birth will make it worse) my first labour was 4.5 hours from start of initial contractions to birthing her - textbook waterbirth on paper pretty much. I am however starting to reconsider my decision and go for my original plan of a homebirth. DH has just landed a new job only 15 mins away so it changes a lot. Any other ladies looking to try for a homebirth? I know for me personally it takes a lot of the strain off finding childcare, given how quickly I laboured first time round!

Cant wait to hear your stories and share these last few months of our pregnancies with each other! ❤

All the assisted birth talk scares me! I do agree at the moment I would say no but i know deep down when I am in hospital I would agree to anything if it was the best thing to keep her safe - no harm in saying it and having it in notes and they would quickly tell you if they thought you needed to reconsider medically.

@summerhillgang sorry you have been feeling low. I think it gets harder now and also pregnancy is quite lonely. You share the positives and excitement but you don't share the aches, the sickness the weight and then the control (no control should I say on our bodies). I think it is normal to get low in these situations as although you like them having fun, it does remind you of things you still cannot yet do. However, you get those kicks, that bond and you don't have long until you can have that brie, gin and body back! We are all in this with you x

oh and @MyGrassIsBrowner absolutely! Even 2 weeks if you need it. With a section especially, visitors needs to be helping. I know my mum would make herself a tea etc. But you don't need the kind of visitors that want waiting on as you have had major surgery, a newborn to settle and a daughter to entertain - they should be helping you 😂

@Juicytoot287 dont get me wrong, in the moment you would definitely go with whatever route they advise to make sure safe delivery of baby, I just feel like they are always so quick to jump to assisted delivery i.e forceps, some ladies dont realise they are allowed to not consent to it, it's your body at the end of the day and you have every single right to refuse any intervention. Morally you would never want to do anything to put your baby in harms way but it just angers me the lack of information new mothers to be are given when it comes to birth. Although I endured pretty much every bit of pain of labour and delivering my DD (had a couple of toots of G&A) I was able to use the pool and take things at my own pace, my DD was also back to back. It was a nice experience overall and I could get into different positions. (All fours is a great position for delivering baby) obviously childbirth is totally unpredictable but there are many ways you can help prep the mind and body for a positive labour!

Oh honestly, visitors get so wrapped up in seeing your new bundle of joy they seem to forget the fact that you've just given birth 😂 you just gotta be stern with your guests and make it known they can get a duster or the hoover out and make themselves useful haha! X

Thanks @Juicytoot287 @MyGrassIsBrowner that makes me feel better! I do feel like a bit of a princess but I just kind of need my own space right now, feeling pretty rough and just massive, everything hurts. I also know it's going to be so much worse when I've got the baby and MIL comes to visit, she will try to help but it will just be me figuring out what we are having for dinner or telling her where things are. Her and DH are just really chilled (wish I could be like that!) but sometimes I feel nothing would happen without me suggesting something. Just quite draining.

I've said to DH no visitors for 2 weeks after baby is born and if people come they need to sort dinner and if they are staying they can make up their own bed (but maybe cleaner can sort that out). Is that harsh? Xx

@summerhillgang you need to be a bit selfish and there's no harm in it. I know exactly how you're feeling though sweet. I'm so done with being pregnant now. Utterly blessed to be carrying another child but my body is wrecked. I'm tearful everyday and living hour by hour. It makes you so miserable.
Laying some ground rules isn't harsh at all so dont think like that. Your mental and physical wellbeing are far more important. X

@summerhillgang not harsh at all! I am lucky to live nearby our family but even so I don't want an influx of people when I am trying to find my feet. I have a large family and lots of kids so also I am really cautious of germs with covid and flu so simply don't want the baby to be a pass the parcel in that time either.
It is difficult because it puts you in a position where you feel rude but at the end of the day we have to looks after BOTH mum and baby. That means being selfish for the pair of you

@Juicytoot287 that's great you've got your family close by. Our family live far away, about 4 hours by car, so it's guaranteed they will have to stay over. If someone brings me food/their own food and makes me a drink they can stay (for a couple of nights max, preferably one lol). DH will be like 'we'll just get a takeaway', even then he/me have to decide when to order, what to do order, pay for it, and keep a look out for the delivery driver, plus I don't really want to be having takeaways all the time.

And yes completely agree about being cautious about covid, flu and other bugs going round. I think I'll ask everyone to test before they come, sanitise hands and pref no face kissing the baby, or is that overkill?

I don't think I'm going to win Daughter-in-law of the year award this year! X

Hi ladies, please can I join? I’m 33 weeks and due a baby boy in the middle of Oct but he may be evicted before due to low Papp-a and concerns of him being small for gestational age. Already have a DC whose 4 and starting school in September. They can’t wait to have a sibling! Hope everyone is well, I’ve had about enough of being pregnant now 😂

@Hunkydory99 Hiya lovely and welcome! What are you measuring now? They want me in for a growth scan on Wednesday but I cant get there so I'm having to cancel it. They reckon my bump is measuring a bit smaller than it should be but frankly I'm massive so I cant get my head around it.
Have they told you how they may deliver him? I'm booked in for an ELCS this time.
Bet your DC is super excited! My DD is only 17 months, poor girl doesn't have a clue what's coming her way 🙈

Hi welcome @Hunkydory99

Anyone else finding it hard to breathe sometimes a bit like lungs are squashed up and just can't take full breaths properly?! Another lovely symptom I didn't have at all with my first but I guess my huge bump this time is taking up a lot more room and squashing everything. I'm also not able to eat huge portions of meals anymore for the same reason, it's like there's not enough space now - but that's not a bad thing tbf to rein in my eating .

@MeadowHay I've had this ages now! I'm large chested too which doesn't help
I've finally got a telephone consultation with my doctor this afternoon about some stronger pain relief for my PGP cause I'm literally at my wits end now. I feel like I could do with a pair of crutches around the house!

Thanks ladies for the warm welcome 😁

I was measuring 2 weeks ahead at 30 weeks using fundal height but I’m really tall and midwife said she expected that outcome. My most recent growth scan puts us on 42nd centile. No conversations yet as to how he’s coming out - I suspect next growth scan will dictate that. Obviously induction and C sec have been mentioned in passing but no detailed conversations. My community midwife care has been vvvv poor. I’ve never even met my actual midwife. The first midwife I had forgot my booking in appt at 12 weeks so it was a mad dash to get scan etc sorted in time (she went off sick and didn’t tell anyone!) and since been given a new midwife but the two appts I’ve had since have been by locums. I’ve had to fight tooth and nail for every appointment I’ve had it’s so demoralising and given every time I see my notes it has ‘high risk’ all over them you think they’d be a bit more interested.

@Hunkydory99 these fundal height measurements really aggravate me! The amount of times I've been sent for unecessary growth scans during this pregnancy is unreal. I've even had the sonographer say to me she cant understand why I've been referred.
My baby has been lying oblique which generally makes your bump appear smaller so it's no reflection on the actual size of bubs.

I'm sorry you've had such lack lustre care so far. I've seen more midwives/medical professionals in this pregnancy than my last and both I have been classed as low risk. The only difference is I'm booked in for a section this time (my choice).
I'd be so angry if I was in your shoes with the care (or lack of) that you're getting. And they can piss off with the Covid excuse now as it's wearing thin. I'll be glad when this baby is out now, I'm so over it.

Welcome @Hunkydory99  I agree the whole fundal height measurement thing seems crazy. My friend was told her baby was big, then they were concerned she hadn't grown enough, then she was born weighing 9lb2oz!

@MeadowHay yep totally sick of the breathlessness over here too!!

@mooloop a similar thing happened to me last time. I was measuring at like the 90+ percentiles but as no GD was never referred for a scan as they only do it if you're actually off the chart here for big babies, then two weeks or so before I was due they recorded no growth at all and referred me for a scan and were worried she would be too small so advised continuous monitoring and labour on delivery suite because I laboured before my scan appt. And she was just under 7lbs in the end so not big or small just in the middle! It's so inaccurate.

@Hunkydory99 my midwifery care has been poor this time too. I don't really gel with my community midwife, I have had continuous with her but she always seems to want to rush me out of her hair and she's absolutely impossible to contact between appointments, she has never once answered her phone or a text any time I've contacted her. She also writes hardly anything in my notes and will for example write 'feels well' after an appt when I've told her I have horrible PGP and really bad anxiety etc. She also won't refer me to physio for the PGP. I'm glad I'm not on the continuous care pathway that some women are on here because I wouldn't want her at my birth! My community midwife in my first pregnancy was fantastic and I felt so well cared for, it's like night and day the difference. I don't really understand why they're worried about SGA though if you're measuring 42nd centile as that's not small at all? Very average .

I'm so fed up of this horrible nausea I have so much of the time still too eurgh. In my first pregnancy once I was recovered from the HG I was pretty much fully recovered eventually whereas this time I have never made a full recovery and I still get horrible nausea so much of the time and occasional sickness still too it's so gross.

In more positive news I am so happy that I literally have 6 days of work left before my mat leave begins as I am so fed up and disinterested in it atm.

Has anybody had any lower abdominal pains? This evening and yesterday evening I've had some very, very mild aches low down. I don't think it's contractions or anything (please God no!! 🙏🏻) but it's just a bit disconcerting baby's still moving in his normal pattern.

@MeadowHay - same all calls an texts ignored. It’s such a shame as like you my previous care was great. I believe the low papp-a puts me at higher risk of a small baby. So far he’s smaller than my other DC who was a lovely episiotomy causing 9lb 2. I’m game for a bit smaller 😂

@MyGrassIsBrowner yeah I’m done with the covid excuse too! I appreciate the May have staff isolating or on mat leave. I find it hard having worked throughout the pandemic tho (at first with no PPE, our risk assessments didn’t allow for masks until September 2020) that other people’s lives/other careers are worth more as they are more protected. I don’t want to make anyone unwell but it’s clear there are so many steps that can be taken to reduce the risks I pose to the midwives and they pose to me. It’s such a mess

@mooloop oh no hun! I am not sure. Whenever I have they have gone when i change position etc. so can't help. If it feels abnormal for you, no harm in calling! They can put you at ease x

Eurghhh my physio has no availability on the two days a week my DD is in nursery so I won't be able to book in for another session of manual therapy for my PGP as I'd hoped to . I can't go elsewhere either as any other private physio would insist on a really expensive assessment session first which I don't need and can't afford. Grrr.

Am going to call my local wellness center and see if I can at least book another pregnancy massage in ideally with the masseuse I saw last time as she was lovely and it really helped my pain albeit short term.

Also we just bought a changing table unit secondhand for £30, DH went and collected it yesterday. We have the cheapest IKEA one but this is a proper unit with a cupboard at the bottom which we thought is better and tidier being able to put the stuff away without it being on show and we could put locks on the cupboard if we wanted to stop the kids grabbing the stuff out. DH cleaned it last night so it's good to go now in our dining room (which is basically a play room but with a small dining table and chairs!). We had loads of extra furniture for DD like a play pen and a rocking cradle in there when she was a baby but we won't be able to fit those things in anymore now we have DD's table and chairs, play kitchen and IKEA shelving unit of toys! Already need to find a new home for the toy box that the changing table has pushed out. Why does she have so many toys?! We hardly buy any either it's almost all gifts.

@MeadowHay That's so crap!! Hooefully you can get a massage in, at least that may help im the interim. Well I had a little weep to my GP yesterday. She was very sympathetic and prescribed me Codeine for my PGP, it got to the point yesterday were I could hardly walk. I cant believe I've got 33 days until my section now, it's suddenly come around really quickly! I am wishing this baby out now though, I've had such a miserable pregnancy and I cant wait to start feeling more like myself.

Marketplace is bloody fabulous isn't it. I've got DP picking up a nursing pillow today... £3 and its barely used! Removable cover too so I'll make sure I give it a good clean just to be on the safe side. I also landed one of those Ikea DUKTIG kitchens for £20! Got loads of ideas to upcycle it for my DD for xmas.

Hi ladies,

Just had my 31 week appt. Well more like 32 as 32 weeks tomorrow. And its been 3 weeks since my last one, My bump hasn't grown at all. 27 last time and 27 again. Referred for growth scan but the earliest wasn't until Monday 7pm so i havr to go for monitoring saturday and sunday. Trying my best not to panic but having the growth scan so far away is making my mind race because why isn't she growing?

@Juicytoot287 I don't blame you for worrying because I bet I would too but honestly fundal height measurements are sooo inaccurate. I'm 35 weeks and only been measured twice anyway so far and both of them were like way off the charts little like far less than 1st centile, and had two scans and baby is absolutely fine, on the smaller side but still perfectly average and plotting fine on my chart. It's highly likely that baby is absolutely fine. Was it the same midwife who measured you both times?

@MyGrassIsBrowner so glad you've got some painkillers I hope they help you. I enquired with a different private physio who is recommended by the pelvic partnership charity and it was actually a lot cheaper than expected so I've booked in for an assessment and manual therapy appt in two weeks time. I can still claim the cost back through my work healthcare cash plan phew. I also can't wait to have my body back and not be pregnant but I am getting increasingly worried about life with a newborn again + my DD. Honestly think you're so brave and resilient doing this with your little one, we were once thinking of a smaller age gap but on reflection I'm glad we waited as no way would I have coped, I think you're doing amazingly!

@MeadowHay No it was a different one to be fair, and baby may be transverse now not breech which could affect it too. But then again they couldnt feel her properly because she was being awkward.
I think it was just very overwhelming. I have a shower leak, a sick dog, back to work and then this 🙈 They said don't worry but struggling not to if I am honest..

@MyGrassIsBrowner hurrah for pain relief! Gosh 33 days will go so quickly now. It must be great being able to plan everything around the section date.

@Juicytoot287 sorry to hear about the measurements. I did hear that it needs to be the same midwife and in exactly the same position to be accurate. I hope you get your scan soon and this will hopefully put your mind at rest. How many weeks are you now?

I had a midwife appointment yesterday that left me feeling like utter crap. My
BP was 140/78 - normally it's around 118/60 so quite a jump. I had just run up a really steep flight of stairs though. She tested again about 10 mins later and it was 136/72 and I was defo stressed out by that point. So now I am on high alert for preeclampsia but don't seem to have any other symptoms. My
BP has been good especially since going on mat leave, so I am a bit confused. I went swimming today and tried to chill, made a banana, date and cacao smoothie which supposed to help with BP. I do feel fine and normal. I'd be so gutted - and scared - if it's PE.

@summerhillgang Thanks, I am 32 weeks tomorrow.
Oh gosh, i feel for you. I look forward to my appointments, hearing baby etc. So its devstating when you leave feeling more worried isnt it