Due June 2022 (thread six)

[MrsNT]

Wow we are on thread 6
Please tag anyone ive missed

@Turniptracker this is my first, im 18+1 and not showing yet, i can tell a difference but to others it just looks like ive been eating all the christmas food! Im at That awkward period of looking bloated constantly but no bump!

Anyone already a mummy, when could others feel baby kick? My partner is desperate to feel but when i feel it he cant yet! Posterior placenta so we should be able to feel a lot near the end!

@Turniptracker I'm a first timer (19 weeks today) and I have a definite bump! I have hyperflexion of my hips which makes it worse, I'm going to book in with a Women's physio to get some exercises to help improve things a bit as I think it'll lead to major backache as I get bigger.

Not sure how accurate it is but I've heard Aldi's baby event starts tomorrow...

@Turniptracker I'm a FTM. 17 weeks and showing. But showing in that smallish awkward way that could just look like I've given the Christmas food a good old go.

I've lost over 17kg off my pre pregnancy weight but I'm feeling the most self conscious I ever have. I've always been a bit wobbly but mostly around my thighs and bum with a non-protruding stomach. Now that the tum is sticking out I feel so "fat". I can't wait to move past this stage and look unmistakably pregnant!

In the mean time, (and once I'm out of isolation) I plan on walking around with one hand placed protectively over my burgeoning "bump" to reduce likelihood of strangers thinking I'm greedy instead of pregnant.

Look at me, not even given birth yet and I'm already Performance Parenting. 🤦🏻‍♀️

Has anyone else got really severe round ligament pain? It hurts to cough... tricky when one has Covid!!

@PeeAche im exactly the same! Always been a size 10-12 and i Just look like ive been eating loads! If i wear a hoodie or jumper you'd never know. I havent told many people so i guess it saves having to tell anyone else jusy yet haha

@MrsNT thanks for tagging! Wondered where everyone was!

Had a consultant appointment today they listened to the heartbeat relieved as the lack of symptoms always makes me wonder 😂.

How is everyone?

@PeeAche I get really sharp round ligament pain sometimes when I cough, sneeze or just stand up too quickly! It's not even close to every time but when it does happen... yeeouch!

@Annabell1 - thing is, re returning to work, you have no idea until they're here what the baby will be like. My little boy was the most immensely easy baby (no credit to me - he just was) and was totally ready for nursery at ten months, when my maternity pay came to an end (don't forget to factor in accrued holiday - I had six months full pay, then the statutory pay, then my accrued holiday). Other babies from my NCT group weren't. One baby basically didn't sleep for nine months and her parents were wrecks. There are no guarantees, no matter how many baby boos you read. So, this time, I'd prefer to take six months and then return part time for 3-6 months, but if i have a massively colicky baby or one with severe allergies or anything else challenging, that may go out the window and I'll take the full year plus a month of holiday before returning. It's impossible to plan.

@jun2022 thanks for sharing, and sorry to hear you have COVID. Sounds rubbish but hopefully it stays as it is with the bad cold symptoms and you get better soon ♥️ xx

@PeeAche I have round ligament pain with every single cough or sneeze (of which there are a lot!!!) and they are bloody sore!!

This reusables conversation has been so so helpful thank you all! Cheeky wipes have a £10 off offer at the mo on the starter bundle for anyone interested in getting them.

I'm also starting to puzzle over mat leave and am wondering how close to due date to work. I'm a homeworker so can probably stretch to later than if I had to commute. I had thought I'd go a couple of weeks before but then if baby is late I think I'll get bored!

@PeeAche I've had terrible round ligament pain - feel like everything triggers it and it can be so sore!

Can I eat the skin on fish? Sea bass specifically…cooked, obviously 😂😂😂

@pregnancydiaries if it's not on the NHS banned list, go for your life! I don't see why you shouldn't :)

I am crampy and horrid. Did anyone else get this around 15/16 weeks? I don't think sitting at desk all day is helping. Solutions welcome.

@RoseValleyRambles i am sat at a desk all day too, really started to hurt my tailbone area everytime i stood up and i was crampy too. I found a comfy pillow to sit on and a little walk around my office every 30 minutes helped get blood pumping and less achey

@GrowBabyGrow Leave yourself some flexibility re how close to the due date you work to. I wanted to keep working as long as possible so as to not eat into my time with my baby, but you often hit and wall about 2-3 weeks before and need to stop. However, be aware that if you get signed off sick with anything pregnancy related within a month of your due date, your employer can start the clock ticking with your maternity leave from that point onwards, which seems mean to me.

@RoseValleyRambles those balls you sit on are supposed to be good

Yes to hitting a wall at work before 40 weeks, or at least for me. I felt like I was crawling my way to 38 weeks when I went on mat leave last time. That’s even though I was working from home most days and going in about once a week. The last day I went in to finish my handover I was beyond shattered- I couldn’t have carried on any longer.

@GrowBabyGrow

This reusables conversation has been so so helpful thank you all! Cheeky wipes have a £10 off offer at the mo on the starter bundle for anyone interested in getting them.

I'm also starting to puzzle over mat leave and am wondering how close to due date to work. I'm a homeworker so can probably stretch to later than if I had to commute. I had thought I'd go a couple of weeks before but then if baby is late I think I'll get bored!

I started my maternity leave just over a month before my due date and he was 10 days late so I had nearly 6 weeks sitting at home. I was on reduced hours anyway as I had sickness throughout so I was grateful for the break from work before he arrived. If i had returned to work after my mat leave then I probably would have regretted starting it earlier but at that time, I couldn't actually do my job properly anymore and just wanted to stop!

@GrowBabyGrow are your work flexible? Mine was last time round. I had planned to go off 2 weeks before due date but 2 weeks before I was just done so I agreed I would leave the end of the week. I had 3 weeks annual leave before baby came and started my maternity leave.

Personally I found it mentally challenging. I was constantly googling how to start labour and any niggle I had got me thinking it's the start then getting frustrated when nothing happened. All my friends nearby were working and I was just bored of waiting.

I think 2 weeks might be alright if you are working at home. It might turn into 4 weeks by the time the baby comes. However, my friend was looking forward to a few weeks maternity leave before the baby came and it ended up being early and she went into labour the day after her last day at work.

Im thinking of working till one week before official due date

I was so keen on joining pilates after 16 weeks but with this omicron looming I dont want to go to the studio/gym for it. The place I was looking at also do livestream session but not sure if that would be any good. Might aswell do youtube for free
Are you ladies following any videos or recomendations?

@MrsNT I'm not but I think I will be from next week. I'll be interested to see what others are doing

@mrsnt there are two Joe wicks pregnancy workouts on YouTube, both 15 mins so quite easy to squeeze into the day. I'm going to try a few others as well to try and keep some sort of routine.

Matalan have a £5 and under baby event at the moment:

www.matalan.co.uk/baby/baby-event-offers?utm_medium=Paid+Social&utm_source=Facebook&utm_campaign=Conversion+-+WK+45+2022+-+£5+%26+Under+Baby&utm_content=Conversion+-+WK+45+2022+-+£5+&+Under+Baby+-+Baby+Competitors+-++2+-+Link+Post&utm_id=61c4b9d7ce92552af07e01e8&fbclid=IwAR2q4HhO1pPK_6DTnSbDJgnfK8G-1xZoDHlp9HF2K4sFKuqSRRkm4tw-1nM

I’m tempted but not sure if it’s too early!!

@MrsNT I did zoom Pilates classes during the first lockdown and it actually worked well! I’m also keen to start Pilates again, so will probably go with a local Zoom class. I use BodyTone Pilates and they have prenatal trained instructors.

Is anyone else doing hypnobirthing? Or hiring a doula / private midwife?